It’s getting late, so I have to make this short, but I made my way from Bangor to Medway on a bus. It left Bangor at 6:15, so I pretty much just sat around the hotel killing time and working on stuff online before I got picked up. Same shuttle driver as the day before. Really nice girl. Tipped her a five spot for her trouble. Waited at the Cyr Bus Station for over an hour. The bus was late. Finally, when it got there we took off pretty quick. Made our way to Medway within the hour.
In Medway, my next shuttle driver, Solo, also a hiker and world traveler, and also just so happens to be a previous administrator at the Laughing Heart Hostel down in NC, where I stayed last year. Didn’t meet him last year though, just a coincidence we figured out while on the drive, he picked me and another woman up at the bus drop location.
The other woman isn’t much of a hiker, but is visiting the area for birding and writing a book about Swans. She’s following a group that is migrating at the moment. Apparently swans like mountain lakes to make babies at. Anyway, made it to the hostel in Millinocket just in time to check in and grab a seat at the restaurant up the block.
When I got to the restaurant, I sat at the bar, but not a minute in Solo, his girlfriend, and a Portuguese travel writer who Solo told me was visiting straight off the trail, all walked in the door. They invited me to sit with them and we ate a hearty delicious meal, had some great laughs and told some amazing stories. My first bit of Trail magic happened when Solo picked up the tab. I offered him money, but he told me to pay it forward. Will do. I love the trail!
I have to get to bed here shortly. In fact, the only reason I’m online right now is because I’m keeping in close contact with one of the admins from FKT. (Yeah, the people who give me the title I’m after.) Trying to figure out how I’m going to keep in touch while on the trail and let him know where the heck I’m at. Long story. I don’t totally know how to use my SPOT properly, so… Have to be up by 5AM for breakfast, shuttle for Katahdin leaves sharp at 6:30. Shoot me. My schedule is all off. Nite all!
