Category: Uncategorized

Day 15 (083117)

11:25AM Start Day 15
•11:25AM (Estimate) South Pond (Mile 222.5)
•2:31PM Sabbath Day Pond Lean To
(Mile 229.8)
•Surprise Trail Magic at Dirt Road south of Bemis Stream (Mile 234.6)
Camp that evening at the campground near Dirt Road and Bemis Stream
(Mile 234.6)
•8:00AM Leave Camp
•9:48 Bemis Mountain Second Peak
•10:45AM Bemis Mountain Lean To
(Mile 238.1)
•11:25AM (Estimate) Bemis Mountain
(Mile 239.8)
11:25AM End Of Day 15
APPROX 17.3 Miles

Day 14 (083017)

11:25AM Start Day 14
•11:25AM Poplar Ridge Lean To
(Mile 209.7)
•1:03PM Saddleback Junior Mountain
•2:33PM The Horn (Mile 213.1)
•3:50PM Saddleback Mountain
•5:00PM (Estimate) Hiker Hut (.3 from trailhead) (Mile 220.4)
•10:15AM Leave Hiker Hut (.3 back to trailhead) (Mile 220.4)
•11:25AM (Estimate) South Pond (Mile 222.5)
11:25AM End Of Day 14
APPROX 12.8 MILES
(Add .6 miles to and from Hiker Hut)

Day 12 (082817)

11:25AM Start Day 12
•11:25AM ME 27, Stratton, ME (Mile 188.2) (Walk 2 miles east to Mountainside Grocers for white rice for drying out phone)
•1PM Walk in 2 miles west from Mountainside Grocers back to trailhead (Mile 188.2)
•1:58PM on trail heading South
•7:30PM Sleep between North and South Crocker Mountain Peaks (Mile 193.9)
•8:30AM back on Trail
•10:56AM South Branch Carrabassett River (Mile 196.6)
•11:25AM (Estimate) Sugarloaf Mountain (Mile 198.6)
11:25AM End Of Day 12
APPROX 10.4 MILES
(Add 4 miles for walking to and from Mountainside Grocers)

Day 11 (082717)

11:25AM Start Day 11

**Facebook Post 082717 at 2:13PM**

Fell into a river yesterday. With my phone. Camera no longer works. Awesome…. Going to wait a couple days and see if it dries out. Surprised I have service even. Had the Life Lock Cover on, but the charging port was open. So, I can literally see water condensation in my camera dot. Ugh… What next?

•11:25AM Safford Notch Campsite (Estimating time and location) (Mile 177.8)
•4:00PM (Estimating time) Sleep at Horns Pond Lean To (Mile 183.1)
•11:25AM (Estimating time) ME 27, Stratton, ME (Mile 188.2) Didn’t go to Stratton, instead went to Mountainside Grocers for white rice for drying out phone)
11:25AM End Of Day 11
APPROX 10.4 MILES

Day 10 (082617)

11:25AM Start Day 10

**Facebook Post 082617 at 7:56AM**

Breakfast was awesome! Thank you Caratunk B&B. Getting ready to head out shortly. Ferry leaves at 9AM!

•11:25AM (Estimate) North Branch of Carrying Place Stream (Mile 158.7)
•12:40PM Scott Road (Mile 159.5)
•3:00PM Fell into the water with my pack on at Arnold’s Point on West Carry Pond (Mile 164.5)
•4:09PM at West Carry Pond Lean To (Mile 165.2)
•5:47PM Long Falls Dam Road (Mile 168.7)
•9:00PM (Estimating) Little Bigelow Lean To, sleep (Mile 172.9)
•7:30AM (Guessing time) Wake up, pack leave camp
•11:25AM Safford Notch Campsite (Estimating time and location) (Mile 177.8)
11:25AM End Of Day 10
APPROX 19.1 MILES

Day 9 (082517)

11:25AM Start Day 9

**Facebook Post 082517 at 2:39PM**

Ok… there is something way wrong with my phone right now. So, I’m going to post, but it’s insisting on changing numbers to smiley faces. I’ve been trying to get around this, but it isn’t working and I’ve already been at this hostel trying to work around it for hours. I don’t have this kind of time right now. So, sorry, but it’s going to be funky.

**Facebook Post 082517 at 7:11PM**

Oh Holy Hell! You are not going to believe this crap! So, yes, there are many surprises on the trail. Today’s was a doozy.

Today I got off trail as scheduled to pick up two bounce boxes at the Sterling Inn here in Caratunk, ME. While there, I grabbed some resupply, a shower, more laundry, etc.. Plus, it was due time I sat down and updated everybody as to where the heck I was at in this journey. After hours of fighting with my phone, which I am now convinced has some sort of virus, I finished up posting to Facebook and my WhereDidCindyjoGo.com, packed up and pushed on down the road.

Heading toward my jump on point, I had remembered being told about a hostel located between the trailhead and Sterling Inn. Some hikers had told me they served milkshakes and pulled pork sandwiches. Like any true thru-hiker, I was lured into stopping. Besides, if I’m literally going to pass right by it, why not stop? So, I head that way.

I get there and I’m told, “Guess what? You are spending the night. There will be no more trail for you today. The ferry doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning.” What do you mean I’m not going anywhere? The ferry isn’t running??? Wait! What ferry???

Yeah…. Apparently I am supposed to take a ferry across a big open river literally within a mile or so from where the trail and the road meet. It’s a must if I want to continue south on the trail. Somehow I missed this bit of information. (Of course, once I’m told, I go tearing through my book and read all about it. Yeah, I’m smart.) Good thing the B&B had a cheap room available and they weren’t full up with northbound bubblers. (Although, I would have been more than happy to stay at the Sterling Inn, but I’ll get back on that in a minute.)

Just as I’m being told this interesting info, a woman who is also south-bounding tells me the guy at the clothes line is putting all his stuff from his bag out to dry for the evening since he thought it would be a good idea to try and ford the river instead of waiting until morning. The river had other ideas. Taught him a lesson and sent him and all his stuff tumbling through the current. He made it, but not unscathed. I guess it looks pretty harmless, and isn’t uncrossable, but there is a dam upriver that releases from time to time and that’s why the ferry.

I’m no super hero, and I seriously don’t want me and all my stuff wet when it just started getting pretty cold out up here. Last night was 43 degrees from what another hiker complained. I was snug in my down blanket, and had no idea until it was time to pack up this morning. Either way though, wet down in 43 degrees wouldn’t be fun. So, I wait until tomorrow and for the ferry. They tell me it runs from 9AM until 2PM. Breakfast here at the hostel starts at 7. I figure, I’ll be up by 5, shower up, pack up, eat and be waiting for the ferry when they open.

SOB! It never ends.

Anyway, back to the hostels. I have to say the last few hostels I have had the fortune of visiting have all been really unique and entertaining. Shaw’s, in Monson, ME, where I had to go the other day for emergency resupply, was your classic hippy hangout. At least a few of the guests had half moved in, and there were comers and goers and stoners and people with dogs and and and. A constant flow of motion. People seemed pretty much from all walks of life all thrown together in a happy party house being run by a number of folks who I couldn’t tell were either permanent or work for stay, but all and all just a fabulous vibe.

Then today I had to stop at the Sterling Inn, even though it’s 1.3 miles off the trail, a small walk comparatively speaking to what I have to do, they are beautiful and clean with a very much laid back setting. There were only two other people there when I was. They seemed to be waiting all day for a ride somewhere and they pretty much just watched TV and relaxed while I did my thing. The place was immaculate. In fact, I thought to myself that I would love to take my mom here at some point and have a nice get away. She’d really appreciate it. Also, they didn’t charge me for the shower or laundry. And they were more than gracious about helping me with my boxes, and getting my package to home out. It was a beautiful house. I’d totally love to go back there. Also, when my laundry was done washing I folded the towels that were in the dryer for the inn keeper. He came upstairs later to tell me my clothes were dry and in all the years he had been working there and people have tried to do that, I was the only one who ever folded the towels exactly as they should go. I can appreciate a little anal retentiveness. My secret???? I looked for where he stored the other towels, right in the laundry room and mimicked to the T exactly how he folded them. I had a sneaking suspicion he would dig that. I mean, by the way the house was kept, this person HAD TO dig that. A little gift from one OCD crazy person to another. Tee hee!

Now I’m at the Caratunk B&B. This is more the flavor hostel where you know hippie hikers float in, but the riff raff is kept to a minimum. They serve awesome food! (Did I mention the milkshakes and pulled pork sandwiches? Yes, it was all that and more. I can’t wait for breakfast!) This atmosphere is also pretty laid back, and far from uptight. Pretty much reminds me of a cozy little neighborhood home business where the shop keeper just loves people and this is his way of having a never ending flow of guests. You can tell he loves what he does. Plus, the home is big time historic. The glass on the windows is that old school glass that has the flaws, and looks like it’s been here since the house was built. The bathroom even has the old style pedestal sink and the bathtub with lions claw feet. There are home made quilts on all the beds and the kitchen is warm and welcoming. One of, yes I said one of, the common areas has an old time iron wood burning fireplace in it. There are remnants of history all over the place. What a gem! Love it! You really feel like you’ve come home when you stay here. Like they have been waiting just for you.

BTW… I was interrupted writing this by my roomy coming up the stairs to tell me there would be dessert served. They made home made cream, raspberry sauce, and pastries for us. OMG!!!!! I have to go back on Trail tomorrow??? What?

•11:25AM at Sterling Inn
•4:10PM (Estimate) Walk to Caratunk B&B for a milkshake, told I missed the ferry for the day, spent the night
•8:45AM back to trailhead (US 201 (Mile 151.2)
•9:00AM Cross Kennebec River via ferry
(Mile 151.6)
•10:40AM Otter Pond Road (Mile 154.6)
•11:01AM Pierce Pond Lean To (Mile155.2)
•11:25AM (Estimate) North Branch of Carrying Place Stream (Mile 158.7)
11:25AM End Of Day 9
APPROX 7.5 MILES
(Add 1.3 miles from Stirling Inn to trailhead)

Day 8 (082417)

11:25AM Start Day 8
•11:25AM (Estimate) Moxie Bald Mtn.
(Mile 134.5)
•1:40PM Bald Mtn. Brook Lean To
(Mile 136.5)
•7:45PM (Estimate)
Pleasant Pond Lean To (Mile 145.5)
•Wake 5:45AM
•9:27AM US 201 (Mile 151.2)
(Heading to Stirling Inn, 1.3 East, Get 2 bounce boxes, shower, resupply, etc.)
•11:25AM In Sterling Inn working on blog updates
11:25AM End Of Day 8
APPROX 16.7 MILES
(Add 1.3 miles from trailhead to Stirling Inn)

Day 7 (082317)

11:25AM Start Day 7

**Facebook Post 082317 at 2:41PM**

So, I have been on Trail for officially 6 days. What have I learned? Well, so far it looks like I suck at planning. I walked into Monson, ME, today with pretty much no food. Since about two or three days ago, I had to start rationing. I got into this predicament because my knees and toes started killing me a few days in, which is pretty typical, but it slowed me down way more than I had anticipated. At night was brutal. That’s when all the nerves in my feet decided to throb, not to mention my hips and those damn pesky knees again. So, I got very little sleep, sometimes choosing to night hike instead of laying there suffering.

True to my hiking experience though, the pain did subside eventually. My knees do still bug me from time to time, and every so often my toes wake up and scream, but most of the nerve damage is done at this point and I can get back to more mileage. Either way, it has put me behind, a lot.

So, that all being said, another issue, one leading to the next, because my knees and feet hurt so bad, and I got slowed down like I did, now I ended up with less food than I needed because I was out so long in the 100 Mile Wilderness. There are no resupply points out there. In fact, they warn you with a big sign as you enter, you need to have ten days supply with you. I scoffed! I am dumb. BUT also faster than most. So, I barely made it out of there with any food, but I did make it out.

The big problem with rationing though, is that you don’t have the calories you need to pull in big miles. I could hear my stomachs eating itself. And I kept getting heartburn, which I never get. So, either what I was eating was making me ill, or I was hearing myself loosing body mass. You have zero energy for the climbs you need to do, if you don’t feed yourself properly. So, needless to say, I was also getting dizzy and winded quick.

Anyway, I made it today to Shaw’s, about a mile and a half off trail. I got showered, did laundry, resupplied, and next I’m heading to town, right up the road, for what my hostel didn’t have in shop. I’ve pretty much killed most of my day, but I’m not staying here. I will be on Trail before dark and back making it happen as quickly as possible.

If I had to do this over again, which may happen, I would go into the woods for two weeks, get my body conditioned properly. I feel like if I had a vehicle waiting for me and more time off work, I’d turn around and start over now. My body is just now getting it together enough to handle the extremes. I’d also strategically place bounce boxes along the way, so that I wouldn’t find myself having to go in early like I did today. I actually wasn’t supposed to go into town until Caratunk, ME, and it should have happened two days ago.

Oh, and did I also mention, I am a moron when it comes to keeping track on my electronics? I open up my Headlamp, which by the way is not luminescent enough, but I have one in Caratunk waiting for me that is, but I digress, I go to put new batteries in and it takes two instead of one that I’m prepared with. So, I have no headlamp, because it’s dead now. I did get batteries today at resupply, but that put me in a pickle for any night hiking. Which, I’m going to say pretty much kills you, and gets you nowhere fast anyway, but that might be my opinion at the moment because the headlamp I have is only 40 lumens. The one I have in Caratunk is 300. It’s nice to be able to see properly when night hiking.

My total miles as of 11:25 this morning were 117.8. To put this in perspective, I should be at 246. I’m the underdog and I know it. I’m still going to continue on, and try to bust a move, especially since I am over all doing better than last year, but I’m going have to pull out some sort of miracle to make this happen at this point. Not impossible, but not probable. Looks like if I’m a dead goose again this year, there will be that third try I anticipated before ever even going out this year. Ugh.

BTW… its been quite rainy and humid and hot. I feel like I’m hiking in Florida for God’s sake! I’ve switched to shorts today, but mostly because they were the only clothes I had while I launder my pants. I have heat rash on my upper right thigh, but that will go away with some treatment. Life… Always an adventure.

And another thing, if I ever say the southern part of the trail is the hardest, hit me in my face. I pretty much, even today, and today was an easy hike, have had to put away my hiking sticks on much of the trail because I wouldn’t need them. It’s mostly rock climbing, not hiking. OK, so I exaggerate a bit, but I’m serious. It was climbing for days. Don’t freaking look down, yo.

Anyway, keep me in your thoughts as I push the hell on! I’ll try to update when I resupply, as using my phone out in the woods kills batteries. In order to keep to any plan at all, I need those batteries to check where I am and what I’m doing, but I will keep in touch. Thanks to everyone who has been supporting my endeavor, and I hope I am making you proud to spite my setbacks. Thank you so much! Hopefully, next time I check in, I will not only surprise you, but also myself.

•11:25AM (Estimating) Shaw’s Hostel
•4:15PM Leave Shaw’s in Monson, ME
(1.7 Mile hike back to trail)
•4:45 (Estimating time) Back at AT and Woods Road (Mile 117.8)
•8:00PM (Estimating time)
Horseshoe Canyon Lean To (Mile 123.5)
Sleep
•Wake 4:30AM
•7:32AM West Branch of Piscataquis River (Mile126.5)
•9:19AM Bald Mountain Stream
(Mile 130.4)
•10:35AM Moxie Bald Man. Lean To
(Mile 132.4)
•11:25AM (Estimate) Moxie Bald Mtn.
(Mile 134.5)
11:25AM End Of Day 7
APPROX 16.7 MILES
(Add 1.7 miles from Shaw’s to trailhead)