and I will walk 600 miles @andiwillwalk600miles - Tumblr Blog

18 August 2004 - Day 60

All night I was waking up and checking my watch. We had agreed to wake up at 5 and get as early a start as possible. John and I both woke at 1am. a little early :) and I was up again at 4am... still too early but the anticipation of climbing the big K was building!

At 5 to 5 i got up, packed my bag and woke Dave on the way to get our food from the bear line (our first bear line!). We sat at the table splitting up our snacks, making sure we had enough to keep the energy up all day, it was cold but we were all so excited that it didn't matter. At 6 we said our goodbyes and walked to the rangers station to get me a day pack.

It was too early for a weather report but the sky was moderately clear so we didn't hesitate going up. We signed onto the Hunt Trail to climb at 6.20am behind Spot and Wildman, we elected Hunt for our descent also but were thinking we'd change our minds if the weather held.

The initial trail followed Katahdin Stream, past some falls and a bridge crossing, from there it started to climb. We hiked near each other but I fell back because I wanted to take it easy. When I reached the vertical wall Dave had slowed down to allow me to take his photo and also to laugh while i contemplated the way up...

This is where it started getting tough. Tom had caught me up at this point too. On one of the more challenging climb/jumps I didn't quite make it and started sliding, jamming my knee into the rock face was the only way to get across... only bled a little, but there was much more difficult stuff ahead so i just kept climbing. I made it to the Springs and took a break, ate some snackfood and watched the others hike across the tableland and reach the summit.

I eventually made it across the tableland and when i got to the summit Tom had lit his birthday celebratory cigar, John had set his hat on fire and Dave was ready for his summit photo. We took so many photos, but none really can capture just how it felt to finally be at "the sign". We all knew what it looked like but actually touching it, standing behind it on the edge of the mountain, that was unbelievable!

After a break of almost an hour we decided to descend the Knife Edge. The weather was still good and we were feeling energised, and there was no way I wanted to even think about going down the way I'd come up. We asked John to let the rangers know we had changed our plan then started on Knife Edge. People had been climbing the Knife Edge all morning to the summit and it didn't look to hard to start with but it soon turned to narrow rugged ridge and I understand totally why its called the Knife Edge!

At times the trail was only a body width and the fall on either side was drastic! I got to one section and couldn't find a blue blaze (felt so weird to be hiking on blue blazes!), I called out to Dave who guided me to the left side of the rise of rocks, when I got to the other side of it I could see that the right hand side was much worse, and was glad to have him to yell out for.

When we reached a section called the chimney there was a group of 15 or so boys descending the other side, Dave and Tom had gotten to the bottom but had to wait for them all to get down before they could climb, so I was able to catch up once I got down the steep drop. The climb up the other side was rock climbing not scrambling. fingers and toes were the only way up. I twisted my knee climbing around a rock but was able to continue without too much trouble.

The descent trail from Pamola to the rangers station was not simple but was easy compared to the rest of the day. We ate blueberries and eventually reached the rangers station...

From that point on we were no longer on the trail... The End. Oh yeah! After climbing the mountain we kidnapped Tom and took him to the diner in Millinocket for dinner. After dinner we drove around the North Maine woods till nearly midnight when out of the blue we came across a camping area, complete with picnic table and privy! Tom set up his sleeping bag on the able while Dave and I got into the tent and that was the end...

No, really, it was.. THE END, LaPomkeag Field Campsite, Penobscot, Maine

0 miles to Katahdin

This entry originally took me until 21 September 2004 to write and post. The next day I caught a train to Canada and began a whole other new experience. 2004 was definitely a year to remember!

17 August 2004 - Day 59

There were people stopping all the time to use the rest area, which was nice, so I eventually woke up at about 8am and went to the bathroom. We slowly moved all the gear around and got back on the road after eating Little Debbies for breakfast, mmm trail food again! Drove to the trail just north of Abol Bridge and in the hot sun we re-organised our packs and the car, finally getting on the trail at 11am.

The trail was nice and the day was warm and wonderful, my hiking pace was good and once we'd signed in at the border of the park the miles went pretty quickly. Stopped for snack breaks a few times and had a couple of interesting bridges to cross...

Arrived at the rangers station at about 3pm. We checked in, paid our money then went back to the stream to pump water (no water at the thru hiker camp ground).

When we got to The Birches, Doc and Wounded Knee were already there as well as some other truhikers (Spot & Wildman). I cooked Mac&Cheese pretty soon after we got into camp since i was hungry, then Dave cooked again later.

Ratty & Mag-Lite arrived from their climb up the mountain and Tom wandered in ready to summit the next day. We were also staying the night with Just John (Kasey his dog was not allowed into Baxter :( so she hasn't been able to complete her thru hike) and Lucky Dog.

Much talking about food and the weather (past and present) ensued and we were all in bed by 9.

The Birches, Baxter Park, Piscataquis, Maine

5 miles to Katahdin

16 August 2004 - Day 58 / Zero day 6

Woke up early so I could call home, got a hot chocolate and a donut for while i was on the phone. After that I went back to the Lodge via the post office to get our tent :) At the lodge I packed my bag and then walked to the library.

I left my bag and the box of stuff under the stairwell in the library then went up to use the internet, looked for work in Canada and read back a few hundred entries on my friends list. A few times during the day I went to the diner to eat then back to the library for more internet or magazine reading while I waited for Dave to arrive. He arrived at 6 while I was talking to the owners of the new internet cafe.

We drove up to the store then to subway for dinner before driving to the Canadian border :) I fell asleep while Dave continued to drive around, we eventually got to a rest stop back near the trail and slept in the car.

I95, exit 57 (now 259) Rest Area, Benedicta, Maine

15 miles to Katahdin

15 August 2004 - Day 57 / Zero day 5

Slept in till almost 12 then took all my clothes to the laundomat while i sat in the diner and ate soup. Thats pretty much all I did since the shops were all shut. Lay around sleeping and watching tv in between walking back to the diner for more food. Was good to rest.

The AT Lodge, Millenockett

14 August 2004 - Day 56

I heard Scott waking up and realised it was still raining slightly... slept a little longer then got up, packed my bag and was on the trail by 6.15am. I forded the stream in front of the shelter since I didn't want to start my day with wet boots then hiked along Rainbow dead waters, disturbing a cow moose on her morning swim/forage, I had a break at the campsite a few miles up to eat my snacks (a hiker gave me Atkins chocolate bars which had hardly enough calories in them to justify the chewing required to eat them, but it was an extra snack so i took it) then at about midday climbed the Rainbow Ledges, stopping to eat as many blueberries as i could and to look at the mountain once more.

There were more streams of water flowing along the trail going up and down the ledges, i had to take boots off a few more times to cross what had been little brooks but were now raging streams of death :) I'd read on the map that Herd brook could be difficult to cross after rain, so when I saw some dayhikers that were dry I asked how it was, they told me they rock hopped it so I kept walking not concerned. Finally I arrived at the brook which was now two 30+ feet wide, crazy deep, slippery rocked, fallen tree obsticles. I walked around contemplating my crossing, trying to see where a rock hop would be possible, or where a safe place to attempt my first serious fording would be.

Eventually just deciding to go for it, i changed out of my boots and into my flip flops /thongs then stepped out. The water wasn't freezing cold luckily, and I got across with the assistance of my hiking poles and few fallen trees, I had to climb over one! On my way across and step onto a slowly disappearing island of land. By the time I got the other side I was wet up to my waist and my feet were numb but I hadn't been swept away.

I sat at the shelter talking to RedWolf (an aging hiker/trail angel) and a father with three sons (who he was trying to convince to keep moving because they were crossing the water that day...) then read the register for an hour, all the farewell messages! Dave had left me a note, about the water, he'd crossed when it was much higher but had got through without too much trouble and was on his way to DC. I decided to keep pushing on for Abol Bridge, I didn't feel like being social and sharing the shelter.The miles to Abol Bridge went by quickly and I was there standing on the bridge staring at Katahdin by 4pm.

Went to the store eventually and got soda & a lobster roll before trying to call the guys. Couldn't get through to them so I decided to hitch. got a ride straight away and was at the cafe getting a room at the lodge before I knew it. The room I was given was occupied so I found an empty room upstairs and wandered off to find food.

At the Indoor Mini Golf centre/store I was offered a ride to the other section of town where the big shops were, Betsy drove me there, waited for me and then drove me back with my two bags of groceries to the lodge. After eating a pint of Phish Food Ben & Jerrys icecream, half my roast chicken and half a block of cheese (yes! i was hungry!)

I wandered down to the pub to buy Doug a celebratory beer, Singe and Spam turned up as well. They had lots of stories to tell and it was great to be able to see them all once more. At 10.45 I went back to the lodge, had a shower, ate more then lay in bed watching the Olympics and writing emails till i finally fell asleep after 3am.

The AT Lodge, Millinockett, Maine

15 miles to Katahdin

13 August 2004 - Day 55 / Zero Day 4

When I woke up it was still raining, the Mad German and the girls were eating breakfast and packing up to hike and I decided to take a ZERO DAY! Dave really had to hike fast so I decided to hang out on the trail for an extra day, save myself a nights accommodation and relax... try to be nice to my body... Dave handed me all our food, the fuel and filter and got me to pack my bag to make sure I could carry it all... it wasn't too much heavier than what we started with so i knew I'd do fine, plus I wouldn't have to hurry since there was a shelter i could stop at if i had to.

He packed up, ate most of our snack food then at 8am when he realised the rains weren't going to disappear he headed off... starting with a two log bridge in front of camp that the stream beneath it was rising as we watched it. After he left I unpacked my bag and went back to sleep... waking only to pee and watch the rain. I got an extra 8 hours sleep during the day and tried to stretch as much as i could. Randy & Scott who we'd met earlier in the week arrived at the shelter and watching them eat made me hungry so I got the stove out and made my first ever meal with the camp stove, chicken and broccoli rice with actual chicken! and parmesan cheese. Tasted good, but it was weird to not have Dave there to eat half :) Pumped water and cleaned the kitchen gear before bed so that I could get an early start in the morning. The guys had offered to share their ride into town with me... so i needed sleep... was in my s-bag and closing my eyes by 7pm.

Rainbow Stream Lean to, Piscataquis, Maine

30 miles to Katahdin (still!)

12 August 2004 - Day 54

There was a great breakfast available at White House Landing so of course we got it. Blueberry pancakes, english muffins, oj.. Always better than snack bars :) We finished packing our bags with all the food we got in our mail drop (realised we don't get enough calories / energy from muesli bars anymore...) then rode in the boat back to the blue blaze trail. To get to the shelter we had a fairly long day ahead, something like 16 miles.

It had been threatening rain all morning and we'd heard reports of storm activity from the hurricane on the coast so I was really eager to get the day done as soon as i could. The only problem with that was my knees were not keen to let me hike faster than 1.5mph, even with ibuprofen every two hours... and i was running out of ibuprofen as well, with another day before we got to town... I hiked as fast as i could, stopping to rest when i had to and eating as often as i could to keep my energy up.

Not long into the day I came across Dave sitting on a rock, he signaled for me to hand him the camera and keep quiet, he'd been sitting watching a moose for 30 minutes! Later I saw a fox running away from me, big bushy tail flashing through the trees.

I walked into the shelter just moments before the rain started, greeted by Rio & Monty who'd been hiking near us for a while, they had extra ibuprofen and were willing to share! so my supply was replenished and we gave them some food in return since they were running low... its great how these things just work out :)

Started deliberating over hiking the next day while preparing for bed - I really wasn't keen on hiking in the rain since I knew I'd hold Dave up and he HAD to get to the road early in order to make his flight back to DC for the wedding... we decided to sleep on it and decide in the morning.

Rainbow Stream Lean-to, Piscataquis, Maine

30 miles to Katahdin

11 August 2004 - Day 53

Awoke at 4.45am when PW turned her headlamp on... We had planned to get out of the shelter early to make sure we had enough daylight to do the 22 miles we had ahead of us to get to WHL by dinner. We stocked up on snack food and I took my first vitamin I for the day then the thunderstorm that was threatening let loose!

I waited till 6am, by then I was getting annoyed and bitchy so I just left. I forded the river and got moving, caught up to Randy & Scott who'd left 30 minutes ahead of me within the hour then met a south bounder an hour later. Dave caught me up as I got into the Cooper Brook Falls lean-to but he stayed there a while and let me lead for a bit longer. He passed me on the way to Jo-Mary Pond and stopped at MudPond to watch a moose (and to wait for me since i had the camera).

I got to the Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to by 2pm, 20 miles! amazing mileage! We sat about relaxing for a while, i went and got water (the spring wasn't as interesting as the books made out) then we started off to do the last few miles.

We reached a logging road and one of the books said it was the way to White House Landing. Turns out it USED to be the way... instead we hiked an extra 1.5 miles! then found the right road up the trail a little further.

The blue blaze to the boat dock was almost a mile and by the time i got to the dock i was running for the airhorn to call the boat. While we waited for the owner of lodge to come and get us I got my boots off since they were wet and my feet were soooo sore!

About 5 minutes after we sounded the horn, we were sitting in the bunk room getting ourselves ready for dinner. I had the 1 pound hamburger! with fresh vegies and zucchini muffins, as well as sharing a pint of B&J and a beer with Dave.

After dinner I had a long HOT shower then found a book to read, Linda (one of the owners) came in and turned on the propane lamp so I sat beneath it on the couch and read, ended up finishing the book and falling asleep on the couch while a lightning storm raged over the lake...

Whitehouse Landing Wilderness Camp, 100 Mile Wilderness, Maine

46 miles to Katahdin

10 August 2004 - Day 52

No hurry at all today since we only had 11 miles to hike. Dave hiked off with the guys who were planning a 19 mile day and i wandered along the trail, up and over 4 peaks, taking my time.

The 4 peaks weren't so bad, not compared to the mountains I've climbed recently. I stopped on the top of White Cap to look for Katahdin, I could see a few mountains that stood out in the distance, I'm sure Big K was one of them :) but its not going anywhere and I'm almost there!

Ate my snacks up there then headed off to the Logan Brook shelter for another break halfway down the mountain. Ran into a family of day hikers on the descent that stuck with me most of the way down. There was a great spring setup by the trail crew just near the road but Dave had the filter so i kept walking. About a mile before the shelter I met Dave who was walking back looking for a better water source, we walked back to a stream I'd just crossed (almost back to the road) where we sat for an hour filtering.

Back at the shelter we ate then into bed by 7.30pm after talking to Walkabout and her hiking buddy PW about their AT trips.

East Branch Lean-To, Piscataquis, Maine

68 miles to Katahdin

9 August 2004 - Day 51

I went off in search of the spring that was listed in the guidebooks but didn't find it and had to resort to pond water... After a hot pasta breakfast I started out knowing I had 16.8 miles to do and I really wanted to be done before nightfall. I got moving as quick as i could and kept my energy up with snacks but the guys were always one step ahead.

When I got to the Chairback Gap Leanto they had just left to go get water so I rushed down to the spring and caught up with Dave. He had an extra litre of water for me which I drank some of immediately (since it was cold spring water instead of the crappy warm pond water i had) and put the rest in my pack for later. He hiked ahead of me again in order to secure us a spot in the shelter while I tried hard to keep my pace up.

We walked straight past the Gulf Hagas and Hermitage areas, no time for touristing... maybe when I come back in future years I can see some of the things I've had to skip...

Before the shelter, in a 3.5 mile stretch of expectation (we were following a stream, that once you cross the shelter is right there...) I saw my first bull moose! It was swimming in a deadtree pond. That made 3 for my hike! I got into the leanto at 6.45pm and after collecting water, eating and talking to the english couple in the shelter I took the place in the shelter Dave had scored us and he slept on the three log wide step on the outside of the shelter...

Carl A Newall Shelter, Piscataquis, Maine

79 miles to Katahdin

8 August 2004 - Day 50

As always leaving town is hard! I woke up reasonably early but all the guys seemed to be ignoring me and stayed asleep. When we finally got up and ate breakfast it was nearing 9am... by the time we got a ride (thanks to Shaw Junior) and got on the trail it was closer to 10.30! and we only had 19 miles to do to get to the shelter... At the trailhead there was a six pack of Kennebeck beer with 3 left. Dave and Doug had one each while I found wild raspberries! beside the trail. The hiking wasn't too bad but there was a lot of it! As the day went on I realised I'd be hiking in the dark to get to the shelter we'd agreed upon. Dave had been hiking with the guys all day but had stopped for me at the Long Pond Lean-to. I got there at 7pm, we got our headlamps out in readiness and started on the final 4 miles. Barren Mountain was nice, we climbed it after following the ledges and at the top we could look back and see the town lights of Monson. There was and old fire tower up there and just as we reached the summit the sun finally dropped. It was gorgeous. Headlamps on for the final descent and we pulled into the heavily tented campsite area around 9.20pm before finding the lean-to and seeing it was full. We ate dinner and then rolled our sleeping pads out on the ground infront of the shelter, the clouds had blown away and the stars were out... saw a shooting star as i lay waiting for sleep to come.

Cloud Pond Lean-to, Piscataquis, Maine

95 miles to Katahdin

7 August 2004 - Day 49 / Zero Day 3

Breakfast at 6am was good but I wasn't hungry enough to finish my 2x2. I did eat my two blueberry pancakes (on a separate plate from my eggs and potato thank you very much) and most of the rest of it... Then I packed my bag minus the ~5 pounds of gear i didn't need and headed to the post office to send the "stuff" to Millinocket to pick up on Friday or Saturday when Dave heads back to DC. I went up to the store and tried Adam again... he was still up (playing computer games) and we talked for almost an hour about my trip, news from home and gossip. Dave had come down and as waiting for me so we could look at the maps and organise our food for the next few days. We were sitting at Shaws when it became apparent that we could ZERO! We went and took our gear to the Trail Magic House!

The deal there is work for stay so I organised the kitchen cupboards and made a hiker cupboard for food (so it wasn't on the floor) and Dave cleaned the kitchen. With 4 other hikers (Singe, Spam, Doug and Tom) we painted a wall of the back room where we were sleeping (it looks great!) and just generally cleaned up the place. I walked around town looking at all the antique stores and talking to locals. I had BBQ for lunch and a sub for dinner.. as well as Ben & Jerrys :) So very food oriented these days!

Spent 103 minutes! on the phone while the guys played cards then went to bed... Dreaming of home...

Trail Magic House, Monson, Maine

115 miles to Katahdin

A fairly ordinary 30 second audio file from the Monson General Store, recorded 6 August 2004.

#SoundCloud #notcharming #Bluegrass

6 August 2004 - Day 48

Everyone wanted to get an early start into Monson. There was either 14 miles plus a side trail or 17.? miles and a hitch hike. We were on the trail by 7.20 and decided we'd pick our distance later in the day. Dave hiked ahead of me almost all day. I forded a river for the first time and then caught up to where Dave was waiting for me and forded another one. The water was cold but not as freezing cold a some of the rivers and ponds we've been swimming in. When we reached the sidetrail turn Dave kept walking so I did too and we pushed on and completed nearly 18!!! miles today!!! When we were waiting for a hitch the owner the Shaws Boarding House drov up and offered us a ride into town. We had planned to stay there so it was lucky Doug had mentioned we were behind him! Got into Monson, went and got Ben & Jerrys icecream where we caught up with Tom, Singe, Spam and Doug then I went back to the boarding house, had a bath followed by a shower and washed my hair. Spent the next few hours on the phone to Clair and Michael, my mum and various voicemails... ate pizza and then went to the General Store and watched a bluegrass band while i waited for the rain to stop. They played great music, alot of the stuff the band played at Madfest and from the Brother where out Thou soundtrack... the rain didn't let up at all so i eventually just ran through town back to the house.

In bed at 11.30 :( after watching the news and weather, talking to the owners son and putting our clothes in the dryer.

Shaws Boarding House / ME15, Piscataquis, Maine

114 miles to Katahdin

5 August 2004 - Day 47

Was so cold last night! Tried to stay in my sleeping bag as long as I could this morning. Got packed up and on the trail by 9.30 after eating my little debbie cosmic fudge brownie for breakfast (I love those things!). We had two mountains to climb today. The first was nice, covered in blueberries and not too much scrambling. Then we got to rock hop across Baker Stream on our way to our lunch stop. On the way to the shelter for lunch I saw another Moose!

The final mountain Moxie Bald Mountain was amazing! I sat at the top collecting blueberries in a bag and marveling at the weird dead trees all over the bald.

Finally made it down the mountain and into the shelter by 5.30, got water, had dinner, sat and talked to Wounded Knee about her trip to India and her wedding, talked to Professor about his time in the Marines, tried to not inhale too much smoke from the bug-away-fire Dave got going. Was in bed by 9 :)

Moxie Bald Lean-to, Somerset, Maine

132 miles to Katahdin

4 August 2004 - Day 46

After a night of horror bugs where the Mad German couldn't stand it any longer and put his tent up at midnight to escape them (at 2am i got up to pee, not realising where his tent was, nearly tripped and fell into it, scared us both!) We started out early but only to walk along a blue blaze trail to get breakfast.

Harrisons Camp nearby offer 12 pancakes (blueberry, apple and strawberry!) with egg or sausage for $6! so we demolished those. They were great. Then we had to hike down to the Kennebec River crossing. The river is 70metres wide, the current is strong and the water level changes rapidly so the ATC provide a ferry service - Steve the ferry man! We got there at 10.30 and he was ferrying a group of 10 hikers 2 by 2 across south bound in his kayak. He took us northbound and when we arrived on the other side a guy named Jimi Two Dogs took our photo.

JTD then offered to drive us to the store and the phone so we went with him to untie the dogs and then drove up to The Forks (where Steve has a store). At the forks Dave and I got our food supplies to last till Monson and sat out in the sun eating icecream, I called my mum to arrange a few things and say hi, checked and replied to my pocketmail then used the internet quickly to check my other email account. We were there for 3 hours till Steve had to go back to the ferry crossing.

Before we had left the store, a Coke salesman had come along to see Steve. He gave us a six pack of soda! We couldnt drink or carry them all so we played trail angel and made an icebox in the stream for other hikers to help themselves.

We only had 9 miles all day to hike so the remaining 6 weren't too bad. The terrain was slippery a lot but I still managed to keep up the speed to almost 3mph. When we arrived at the shelter I got my sleeping bag out to air and then we headed down to the beach. I was going to swim/bathe but changed my mind when the sun couldn't decide if it would stay out or not. I lay on the dock for an hour while Dave got in though then came back to the shelter to prepare for dinner. The Mad German wanted to burn some trash so we got a fire started then decided to keep it going in an effort to keep the bugs away (He still tented though). Wandered around collecting fire wood, eating dinner and reading the register till just after 9.

Pleasant Pond Lean-to, Somerset, Maine

145 miles to Katahdin

3 August 2004 - Day 45

I woke early but fell back to sleep till just after 7. We knew we needed to get out early today because we had planned a 17+ mile day. Once we climbed the Bigalows yesterday we were past any large mountains for a while so the terrain was flat (well flatter than its been for a while) and we can pump out some big mile days. We were on trail by 8.15 and I started out pretty fast (about 3mph).

When we got to the first of a few road crossings for the day we met MM & BL who were just starting their day. Baglady has now finished her AT hike and Mountain Mama only has 30ish miles to go! I hope to see them on my travels again! The next few miles had a few bumps in them so my miles were slower but we got to East Carry Pond sandy beach with good time and had lunch there. A storm cell was brewing and blowing around when we were finishing up, Dave headed off before me so he would have time to go book us in for breakfast and i was drying my feet from paddling in the pond.

I had walked about 2 miles of the last 6 when the storm broke! drenching me from the waist down (I'd gotten my jacket on and the camera away safe) including my not too long ago dry feet :( My boots are the pits when they get wet.. its like dragging buckets of cement around for the next day or so. I was more scared of this storm than the treeline ones for some reason... this one went on for a while, maybe that's it. Made it into the shelter by Pearce Pond just as it stopped raining! and once Dave got back from the B&B where we'll get breakfast tomorrow I went to get water. As I ate dinner I sat by the pond looking for moose... didn't see any.

Dave and the Mad German are both in their bags but I'm not tired yet. Its so interesting this close to the pond, but its also very busy. People are arriving on kayaks and boats and heading out into the beautiful sunset. I think it might be time for bed now.

Pierce Pond Lean-to, Somerset, Maine

155 miles to Katahdin

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

and I will walk 600 miles