9-6-12

AT miles hiked today: 19.6
Miles to Katahdin: 18.6
Total AT miles hiked: 1284.9
Miles to complete my thruhike: 899.5

I'm tenting at the Hurd Brook Lean-to after a long day. This morning I would have had views from Nesuntabunt Mountain to Mount Katahdin, but I saw clouds instead. I did see mist on the pond below and it was beautiful and silent on this cool morning.

I met a woman called Buckeye Lee camped near a pretty stream. She found a really good spot to tent. Later there was a dead rabbit just laying on the trail. It looked like it fell over dead. Maybe it died of old age, or of fright. I left it where it was even though I knew Eagle Eye was coming behind, because I didn't want to touch it.

I took pictures on the way to Rainbow Stream Lean-to of the beautiful pines in the sun. Mosquitos tried to eat me in the meantime. As I left the shelter a photographer from Australia took my picture as I balanced across the two log bridge to continue on the trail. I got to Rainbow ledges at 5pm and the last few miles went pretty quickly until I reached the boulder field and then had to rock hop across a stream to get to the shelter.

I got there at 6:30 which was not long before dark. Eagle Eye did her own thing and arrived after 9pm, making us worry, though we knew she could set up her tent any time. She had hung back and hiked with Buckeye, which slowed her down quite a bit.

My back really started to hurt today. It feels like a muscle is cramping on the right side of my back and I had to stop multiple times to rest. I even took ibuprofin while hiking, which I never do, but it didn't help much. Maybe I just did too many miles today?