8-28-12

AT mikes hiked today: 11
Total AT miles hiked: 1178

I am tenting about 2 miles south of Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to. It is near a beautiful river and this is a great spot. I love all the water here. I love Maine. The trail has been so easy compared to the last few weeks, plus incredibly beautiful and full of ponds and lakes and rivers and loons. I am grateful. I hope to see a moose on the trail, though I saw a cow moose and a baby on the side of the road as Sue drove us to the trailhead the other morning.

We met Bahala na (a SOBO) and Chucky da Phish on Moxie Bald. There was a storm blowing over and we watched as it just missed us. That was pretty neat to watch. It rained last night and this morning so we started late to let it die out before we came up on the mountain. We said goodbye to Phish because he wil take an extra day to go into Monson. He doesn't want to get there ahead of his package.

We will be catching Toe Knee In Monson tomorrow to go through the Hundred Mile wilderness and Rockin' Robin is coming back for the middle. We had to ford a river today, my first real one. I took off my socks and removed the shoe insoles, then wore my shoes to cross. I read how to do that somewhere to keep your feet from being sopping wet. It works, but my socks and feet were still wet the rest of the day. The water was above my knees, but not deep or scary because it's been such a dry summer.

We have work for stay arranged with Rebecca at The Lakeshore House for tomorrow in Monson. We have to hike 11 miles by 1pm. Eek. That's pushing it for me. I hope we can do it.