Days 113 – 117 | A Wet Southern Maine

Day 113 1930 –  1935.8 (5.8)

The power turned on sometime in the middle of the night. By 10 I was packed up and started walking to the outfitter outside of town. My cheap rain jacket had fully shredded, I was in search of a new one.

I caught a quick hitch with a local who took me straight to the store. After making a few purchases and exchanging darn tough socks the owner of the store drove me back to town. I did a mini resupply at the grocery store in town, and bought lots of veggies for lunch. 

I was itchy to get back to the trail so when a trail angel offered a ride back to trail I took him up on the offer leaving Phenoix and Chipmunk behind. When I got to trailhead, it was raining so I hung out for a bit. I was excited to have a new jacket, so when it let up a bit I started out in the rain. At the Frye Notch Lean to there were a few new face to me. I elected to take the shelter and shared it with Chipmunk, who rolled in late. 

That night I realized I left my headlamp in the hotel room, which I had put in the bed just in case I had to get up in the middle of the night. With electricity in the morning I didn’t think of it while packing. 

Day 114 1935.8 – 1950.4 (14.6)

The trail was a muddy mess of bogs in the morning. There was a water fall in the middle of the day. I hiked solo most of the day over many ups and downs. In the evening I camped near Chipmunk, Solo, and a section hiker. 

Day 115 1950.4 – 1967.4 (17)

I camped just before a small river ford, so the morning started with a knee deep river crossing. On the other side, I ate breakfast and pretended to dry my feet. My shoes were wet from the day before, so the river crossing helped clean them off (looking on the bright side) Later in the morning the weather finally turned sunny, with the clear weather there were a few good views to enjoy.

I camped between Sabbath day pond and long pond. Both were closer to the size of lakes in my opinion, but there seems to be a lot of them. 

Sitting next to the water for dinner the loons cooed eerily. Solo and Chipmunk made it to the shelter giving a psychological comfort of other people near by. We were a quite group though and didn’t talk all too much. 

Day 116 1967.4 – 1984.9 (17.5) 

In the morning it was an easy 9.5 miles to Highway 4. I caught a hitch into Rangeley to the local small grocery store. 

I bought a steak salad, apples, and doughnuts for lunch (yes a steak salad from a grocery store. Questionable but perhaps not as questionable as the Asian buffet). After charging from an outlet on the outside of the store and eating lunch, I hitched out 2 hours later. The weather was gorgeous and there were plenty of views. I packed out beer and a sub for dinner, which weighed me down up Saddleback Mountain. I made it over the mountain to a small campsite just below tree line and camped with a talkative south bounder. 

Day 116 1984.9 – 2001.7 (16.8)

Turns out a buffet fine, a grocery store steak salad fine, but a grocery store Boston style Italian sub not fine. Through the night and into the morning I felt terrible. I skipped breakfast and didn’t really eat until 2nd lunch. 

I felt like the day dragged on, but all in all I made good time and the weather was good; by the end of the day I was feeling better too. 

Day 117 2001.7 – 2009 (7.3)

It was a quick morning down into the Carrabassett Valley. I neroed at a hostel, catching up some on blogging, resupplying, and generally resting. The hostel I chose was quite and refined feeling more like a ski chalet (it was at the base of Sugar Loaf) than a hiker hostel. 

(I took nonphoto