Day 153 – Holy Moly

What a turn of events. One day I’m wallowing in self-pity, the next I’m leaping tall mountains in several trek pole aided bounds. All after sleeping terribly, go figure. I woke up several times, freezing cold on the air mattress. Most of the room windows were open and a fan was on. I closed the window nearest me and went out to grab another comforter which helped.

I eventually got up around 6:30, still feeling tired. I hung out in the living room for a little until breakfast was ready. I had some coffee while I waited. It seemed every few seconds a new breakfast item appeared. First bagels and accompanying spreads. Then fresh fruit. Third was homemade bread. Then hard boiled eggs. Lastly there was fresh banana bread. What a spread it was. I had my own breakfast items ready to eat but this was way better than anything I had planned on.

After breakfast we lingered and slowly packed our bags. We discussed distances and plans and weather. We also discussed the looming hurricane Lee and what it’s implications might be. Most of it was speculative and ain’t nobody got time for that. Our shoes were placed next to the furnace overnight and were mostly dry in the morning (thank god).

Masters and Daywalker and I all got a ride to the trailhead, Hot Feet decided to zero. The hiking plan was to camp near Mt Bigelow after hiking there and over the Crocker Mountains. It would be a 16 mile day with over 6000 ft in elevation gain. We all felt up to the task.

 

The day started well with lots of energy. The terrain was not too steep compared to the whites and what we just recently finished in Southern Maine. I kept thinking to myself the worst is behind me. And it was, it was a steady day. Not crushingly difficult but not easy per se either.

By 1PM, we were over North and South Crocker Mountain. Up next was Mt Bigelow, and the last large mountain until Katahdin. It was an exciting moment to know after this mountain it would be basically east street until Baxter Park.

We reminisced on when we started the trail back in Georgia. We were spoiled back then, not by views but by very walkable trail. We had some of that today which made us feel nostalgic. We let our minds wander and look ahead to the 100 mile wilderness and to Katahdin. It’s so close, I can taste it.

The last 5 miles of the day were slower going due to fatigue. The views were worth it though. We had a view to Horns Pond as well as back to the presidental mountains. Our goal was to get up to the West Peak of Mt Bigelow for sunset.

Heart pumping, music blasting, head racing. My legs were carrying me as fast as they could up the boulders. I had an over 30% incline in a race to the top of Mount Bigelow. Racing nobody but time, and a fading sunset like it was going out of style. The sunset slut that I am knows that this sunset will be back again tomorrow, but I won’t. The imperative to seize the proverbial sunset moment was real and imminent at this special location. We made it just in time.

It was windy and cold but an exciting and triumphant feeling knowing the penultimate climb was done. I hung around for another sunset timelapse because I’m dedicated to the grind (it was freezing).

After a timelapse of sunset I climbed with my headlamp and puffy on, down the 0.3 miles to camp. I set up camp and climbed into my tent to warm up. The tent sites are pretty well shielded by trees from the loud wind gusts at 3800ft in elevation, but it’s cold nonetheless.

The goal is to cross the Kennebec River before rain starts on Saturday. It’s 28.6 cruise-y miles away. I’m planning to get a large chunk of that done tomorrow.

Until then, stow away in my pack for day 154 on the Appalachian Trail