I wasn't in the best of shape when I left after taking the summer off, and suffered for it the first week or so, especially in the wet and rocky mountains of southwest Maine. Slipped hard on one rockface, slid into a bog and got one leg mucky almost to knee, danced with the boulders of Mahoosic Notch (took 1 1/4 hours this time), managed to fall once early in the Notch but caught myself and in the process slightly strained my left shoulder, but no real damage. Had to learn how to walk in my new Altra Lone Peaks, and when to trust the grip of the soles which mostly worked fine. Of course the toe guards started failing almost immediately, but I used super glue and Shoe Goo to hold them together. Eventually my left knee started letting me know that it wasn't having much fun, but responded well enough to applications of THC/CBD salve.
Several slack days in Andover, of course staying again at Pine Ellis -- most hikers went to the fancier new hostel Human Nature, but I enjoyed revisiting. I met Bruno and Diane who were staying at the Tiny House -- he had come up from SC to finish his last stretch of the AT but just didn't feel like it, deciding to have a vacation instead. They gave me beer and some of his trail food and he shared great hiking stories about Europe and the camino. A rainy zero day and yet another massage there, very worthwhile.
I decided to revisit other hostels whenever convenient, including the Hiker Hut near Rangeley, checking in with Steve. Then over Saddleback two days later, in mist and bitterly cold wind.
On to Stratton, slacking the Bigelows on a magnificent day, chatting with lots of hikers, stopping for any blueberries that were still hanging on.
And of course pancake breakfast again at Harrison's camp at Pierce Pond -- couldn't stay as I did 5 years ago because this time it was fully booked with a large group of guys tailgating, generous with their beer though.
Across the Kennebec and to the reborn Carratunk House, where I stayed 19 years ago -- Paul had closed it in 2004, reopened it a few years ago, with prices unchanged! Terrific breakfast, and fun to reconnect with him. He pulled out his hiker album from 2000 and showed me my picture, along with those of Sunny, Elderberry, Crow, Spur, etc.
On to Monson and into the 100 mile, again slacking the first 15 miles, then over Barren and Chairback, harder than ever, with rain, until blue sky again on White Cap and first view of Katahdin, hiking with So Far So Good.
And closer still from Nesuntabunt
And finally the magic mountain from Abol Bridge.
Hitched ride into Millinocket and stayed again at the AT Lodge with Ole Man and Navigator, with lots of hikers finishing up, including folks I last saw in Damascus, Turbo and Lighthouse. Sock Puppet and Tales, No Collar, and many more had already finished.
So Far So Good's son drove up from Asheville NC to climb Katahdin with his mom, and we had a good time going up the Hunt trail, the official AT, now including a detour since the bridge over Katahdin stream was out. I celebrated at the cairn sharing a beer with Rodney's memory, and took the requisite Katahdin sign photo doing my imitation of the Pieta. Then we descended by way of the supposedly easier Abol Campground trail which turned out to be a wicked cliff face descent then a long reroute which made it longer and harder then the Hunt trail. And that completes number 3.
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