I was in Monson. The 20 somethings were all a twitter and the oldish hikers like myself nursing knees…and I noticed some older fellows at a table alone talking to themselves. I grabbed a beverage and slipped over and chatted for a bit.
These gentlemen were both in their 70s. They were preparing to hike the 100 mile wilderness! They are fairly supported ( where I’m hiking unsupported) but it’s still 100% amazing they are doing it! One I’ll chat up a bit had the trail name T-square.
We asked pleasantries, and I explained the work I do, and it turns out T-square was a nuclear engineer back in the day…and he conceptually followed what I was doing in for work and kind of remembered part of the tech I’m using to do it! Further it came out that he grew up in my home town of Vicksburg, MS!
We talked about a variety of common and different experiences growing up in Vicksburg and as we slowed, T-square went to take care of something. His hiking partner tells me that none of their friends their age are still moving like they do . .. and I believe it! He also tells me in confidence that T-square has both a purple heart and a silver star from his service.
Northern terminus of the ATConsidered a hard day as it has a lot of climbing.
Views were pretty epic
Took the required photo
Went up and down the hunt trail ( official AT route).
I got lucky and had perfect weather!
10+ miles 4kup then 4k down and you have to exit the park. Almost 7 hours
Hitched to Millinocket, ME ( first car was a jeep! And they picked me up! Wouldn’t take gas money. Best possible hitch.)
Staying at AT lodge tonight then I’m on my way back to Harpers ferry, WV to hike south!
I’m hiking in it. It’s in Maine. I plan to hike it in 6 days. I’ve finished 4 so far.The first three I hiked with whittle and Bruce.
15.5 miles
3.4k up
3.6k down
15 miles
4.5k up
4.7k down
Included "the chairback"
14 miles
4.2k up
2.6k down
I took the pic when we were atop one of the mountains.
Today I hiked alone as they needed to meet someone for a food drop.
There were so many wild blueberries on the trail I ate several handfuls. It was a great distraction from the long mile day
I should make it to Monson tomorrow. Monson is the last resupply before the 100 mile wilderness. I’ll be staying at Shaws which is an AT staple.
Here is today’s stats:
18.4 miles4.4k up
3.8k down
Saw pippin and squid a few times today.
They are hiking on into night which I am not doing.
Ended up hiking with a fellow and his daughter who were section hiking for the first time. They joined me for the last 7 miles of the day.
Traversed the Bigelows… The last sizeable mountains before Katahdin. Camped at little Bigelow lean-to. It had some deeper pools in the creek so I could soak tired feet in cold water!
15.8 miles
5.6k up
5.4k down
Unfortunately my rain poncho blew away in the night…so of course it poured the next day! To add more spice to the day the tip of one of my trekking poles broke. I’ll see if I can get a replacement in Caratunk.
Fortunately I wasn’t attacked by the angry Goshawks but others coming into camp were. I did get fussed at but it was while the rain was pouring and the wind was blowing. It may not have noticed me until I was basically past its nest.
Got to camp wet so got into dry clothes, had some warm food and parked in the hammock.
I camped at Pierce pond lean-to. The pond was pretty and the loons were … loud! The rain stopped and sunset was nice.
I have walked 1000 miles! I had some fun getting some day hikers to help make 1000!
17 miles
2.5k up
3.1k down
Finally I’m headed into Caratunk for the night.
The Kennebec river doesn’t have a bridge and it’s a bit deep to ford, but there is a ferry! It operates between 9am and 2pm. A dude in has canoe. It has a white blaze on the canoe so it’s "on the trail". .
Since I camped only 4 miles from the river I slept in until 6:30!
My usual time up is dawn when the birds are waking. It’s much cooler hiking that way.
Nearo into town!
The water sources on the trail come in a few forms:
– Municipal water. The best. Already clean! Always refill in town or wherever it’s presented.
– Springs. Second best. Could be clean but I still treat it
– Streams/brooks. Usually a bit tannic but treatable. Often after treatment it looks like weak tea or dark lemonade….;)
– Ponds. The worst. Think of a beaver pond with all kinds of whatever living/floating/evolving in it. Treatable but maybe best to filter then use tablets or bleach to be sure. Clogs filters.
– Seasonal sources. These come and go with rain or snow melt. Can be springs, puddles and / or streams.
Gathering tricks:
To help gather, I carry a 1 foot long piece of pvc (and I also use it to roll out muscle cramps!). If you get the intake under water and have a drop under the drippy end it makes it easier to get water into a water bag for filtering. Here I’m using it with a spring where the water was just drooling over the edge…with the pipe it’s much easier to get.
For ponds I use another bottle and dip. This is the least favored as inevitably it will clog my filter and I’ll have to backwash to get flow through the filter again. It’s also my bidet bottle….but that’s for another day to write about.
Making non-potable sources potable: – Boil – kills the cooties but the floaties are still there…and you have to boil a while! –Tablets – plop plop fizz fizz …15 mins later good to go. Still has floaties. Also adds ugh flavor. – Filters – I use Sawyer squeeze. It pulls nearly all pathogens out using a very strong filter. very effective for the hike I’m hiking. If they freeze it’s no good. From time to time they require a backwash to get the filter clean again.
– Bleach isn’t ideal but is a emergency option. I keep an eye dropper of bleach as a backup.
Here is my setup:
Sawyer squeeze filter
2 liter water gathering bag. Note it will have “non potable water” only. Yes it gets leaf particles, water bugs, amoebas, whatever in it…
You fill the bag with ground water, attach the filter, then squeeze the bag to push the goopy stuff through the filter. Boom! Potable water. I use two other “clean” water bottles (smart water liter and Gatorade wide mouth) which never get goopy ground water. I use one for electrolytes (propel is pretty good) and one for plain water for cooking, etc.
Finding water: – Dowager ( no ) – Phone app ( yes ) I use guthook app. Below you can see water drops indicating sources
– Trail guide ( yes ) I use the awol guide.
How much should you carry?
Ymmv. Too many variables. In theory I could carry 2 clean liters and 2 in the gather bag. I only did that one time on a 20 mile stretch with no water. The rest of the time I carry between zero and 2 liters 🙂
Southern Maine is still pretty tough hiking!
Flushed 2 grouse
Missed a moose by about 1/2 hour
Hiked solo
Got to see Goldie, nobad and goblin. Met many SOBOs….
12.3 mi3.8 k up
3.0 k down
Met many more SOBOs
hiked solo
Met a guy trying to hike the trail in 100 days. He was fast. Didn’t make it but was close!
16 mi
5.1 k up
5.5k down
Headed into Stratton. Rain likely tonight and tomorrow.
7.6 mi
2.0 up
3.3k down
Got some rain … More predicted
Retreated gear with permethrin.
Stayed at Maine roadhouse. New place. Seems good.
Looks like weather wants me to hike tomorrow. Oof
Came across the spot where the AT became fully connected.
HikingSeason 