I love sleeping in a real bed, with lots of pillows, a comforter and no wake-up call. It is the best thing ever. Blue and I decided to take a Nero backwards. I remember Stealth and Sparks always did that. They would get into town and stay way past checkout time. Then meander back to the trail in the afternoon. I’m taking a page from their playbook! The Germans are all about rest, relaxation and summers off!

Blue and I had to come to terms on our hiking plan. We both jumped the gun and bought airline tickets last month for August 21st. It seemed reasonable to believe we would be on top of Katadrin near my birthday. But in The Whites, we were having a hard time keeping up with our milage goals. These mountains kicked our butts! It seems that most of our hiking partners are in the same boat. We are all so tired, miles and the intense elevation are taking a toll on us. So Blue and I had to jump ahead, bypassing Sugarloaf, Crawfords and Bigelow Mountains. As Blue put it, I’m done with mountains for awhile. My plan is to come back and do this section with my husband George next year. It’s a beautiful area and he can support me by slackpacking or we can hike it together. New England is definitely a place I’d come back to in a heartbeat. This place is beautiful and I can only imagine what it would look like in the Fall.

Now that you are all caught up, Blue and I milled around Rangeley this morning. We had breakfast and dropped off our clothes to be laundered. That was a treat! And ran into Mary Poppins and Peace. Both were staying at a Hostel down the road that is off-grid meaning no power, no cellular and no wi-fi. Hence the reason they were in town. It’s always a surprise when you run into your hiking friends off-trail. Mary Poppins plans to take a Zero and slowdown her miles. She also is pretty darn tired from all our climbing this past month. I’m not sure if or when we’ll see her again, but we will definitely stay in touch. And I’ll make sure everyone knows when she reaches Katadrin.

I found a ride to the trail with TrailerPark. He hiked the AT in 2021 and is now giving back by offering rides to and from the trail. He’s 32 years old and lived in Lake Tahoe for 8 years. He plans to hike the PCT next year but for now, he’s living outside Rangeley and fell in love with this area when he was thru-hiking. So much to do for anyone who thrives in the great outdoors.

We have few miles to do today. Our plan is to get to camp before the rain hits, set-up our tents and rest this afternoon. The trail was fairly flat with lots of muck to get around. We went through a treed area for most of the day and ended up at West Carrey Pond. It’s lovely here but the rain has been teasing us all afternoon. We pulled out our umbrellas, but it only drizzled. By the time we setup camp, it started raining only to stop again. The weather guessers said we would get torrential downpours tonight. So far, they are wrong. A few drizzles and all is well. I’ll let you know when or if it comes. For now, I’m gonna hideout in my cozy little tent and eat some yummy dehydrated Chicken and Dumplings with Vegetables. That’s what I call comfort food! And my hot tea with an assortment of chocolates. No wonder my pack weighs so much!

Well the weather guessers were somewhat right. It rained all night long, and off and on today. No torrential downpour but just enough to make everything wet including my shoes, socks, gaiters, and rain jacket. so pretty much everything. I am really thinking, I am a California Girl because at this point, all I can think about is glorious sunshine and butterflies. None of that happening here.

I smashed my wet tent into its stuff sack and headed out. Blue was right behind me. And I mean right behind me. If I stop, she runs into me! With her umbrella up, it’s hard to see what’s happening up ahead, especially when all you look at is where are you putting your next foot. In a mud hole, in a bog, on a slippery rock or root? It’s nothing but pure joy out here. I think I’m starting to get a bit tired of this trail. It’s been really hard and even with the lack of elevation, it’s constantly making me feel like I am going to slip and fall at any moment. I did twice today. Nothing major, just my typical foot in mud and can’t move forward. This muck holds you in place like cement! It’s a real momentum stopper.

My other big issue is, I’m dealing with a sore left calf muscle, and it’s not happy. I’m good when I stop or sit or lay down, which doesn’t happen a lot. But when I’m moving and trying to make miles, it pulls or strains or who knows what? It’s just not wanting to deliver the miles I need right now. I’ve tried rolling it out, using Icy-Hot, taping it with KT Tape, Vitamin-I, aka Ibuprofen, but nothing seems to work. Well, stopping works, but that ain’t happening. So I plod along and do what I can do.

Poor Blue is pulling her hair out because she’s ready to be on top of that mountain. I think she’s at the end of her rope. The weather has been a huge determinant to fun. It’s somewhat depressing and wears you down. I totally agree with her. Sorry this isn’t the uplifting rainbows and unicorns kind of blog today. It’s just been a bit tough out here. Even Whistles was getting depressed today.

We all met up at Harrison’s Pierce Pond Camp. Tim, the owner, has been there for 38 years helping hikers and anglers. He has a cabin that everyone is welcome to. And the best part is he provides a breakfast of Pancakes with Berries, Sausage and Eggs, Coffee & Tea, and Juice. All you need to do is walk the extra bonus .3 miles there and back to make your reservations. Blue, Whistles and I all headed over and placed our orders for the following morning. Tim offered us Lemonade and a place to sit out of the weather.

Whistles is also a flip-flopper like me. He started at Harpers Ferry around the same time I did and here we are, 160 miles away from Katahdin, which for most hikers, is the end. He keeps hearing all the excitement in most the hikers, anticipation of the end, when he still has another 1,000 miles to go. Me, on the other hand has only 300 miles to go, and connect the dots in completing my hike. Well not completely accurate because I still need to come back and finish the mountains between Rangeley and Long Falls Dam Road. Whistles’ Dad is meeting him at Abol Bridge and plans to hike Mt. Katadrin with him. That’s a big boost for his morale. When I was hiking with Couch and Braveheart, we spent many days hiking with Whistles. He’s a young kid and very intellectual. I always enjoy talking with him.

Our hike today was fine with little elevation, lots of trees and many Ponds, which I call Lakes due to their size. There were some beautiful sandy beaches, which on a sunny day would be great for swimming. The Ponds have rocky bottoms with gravel-like areas that would make an excellent choice to sit. There was much plank walking today over bogs and near the shorelines of the ponds. Maine is extremely rugged and remote, and has a different type of beauty than any other of the states I passed through. Most hikers love this state. It truly is out of the normal for it to rain like this, especially day after day after day.

I remember talking with The Ravens who I met on the PCT. They have hiked all three long distant hikes, making them Triple-Crowners, and shared their spreadsheet with me. Everyday that it rained, and they said only if it rained most of the day, they placed an R next to that date. During their time on the AT, it rained something like 44%. I thought that was unheard of, but I betcha I am right up there with rain days, if not more. But there is a reason why everyone comments on the pictures that I post. They always remark about how green it is. I rarely enhance my photos and what you see is what it is out here. It’s as close to a rainforest as the Olympia National Park. Well maybe not that rainy, but darn close!

So here I am laying in my tent thinking about the next couple of weeks. Blue and I are planning our strategy on what is the best way to finish this trail on a positive note. Honestly, when we get to Abol Bridge and we look at that mountain, I’m sure that there will be tears of joy and tears of sadness. So for now, we are just going to have the best time together and pray for good health, healing of my calf and a bit of California sunshine. That’s all things that my Lord can do. And I have absolute faith that He is moving mountains right now! Thank you sweet Jesus.

What a glorious sunrise. Sleeping on a roadside has never been so good. There was a full moon and at first I thought it was another camper with a very bright headlamp. Then I imagined a car parking near my tent which didn’t make much sense. And finally I realized it was the moon shining down on me! It was brighter than anything I have ever seen.

The fog and low lying clouds encompassed the lake below. It was magical. I packed up and just took in the morning. Blue was slow to rise which worked out fine. More time to be in awe. Nails packed up and we never saw him again. But on this trail, we will eventually meet again.

Blue and I finally got moving around 7am. It was fine. We had a pretty easy day with little ups and downs. Our first little jaunt was Sabbath Pond Lean-2. There were so many lakes along the way, Moxie Pond and Long Pond. The morning was cool with a breeze and I had my long pants and long sleeve shirt on. So did Blue. Maine has a bit of a Northeastern Breeze that cools the temperature down quite a bit. I love it!

We made it to Sabbath Day Pond and found a wooden platform with some trees to hang our gear. Tents were wet from condensation and so was my sleeping bag. Everything was strung out warming in the sun. Then the bugle started sounding! It was a moose calling for his herd. Such an incredible sound of nature, at its best. If you ever heard an elk bugling then imagine the same sound, just a bit lower octane. It was magnificent to listen to. When it stopped, I made my imitation of a bugling moose, and he started up again. So cool!

We packed up and headed down the trail. We ran into Peace and a few Sobo’s, but no Nobo’s. The terrain was manageable with little elevation change. I thought we might be on the wrong trail but evidently we were right where we were suppose to be.

Blue and I passed many lakes and finally made it to Little Swift River Pond. We sat and had lunch. Hiking burns up 5-6000 calories a day easily, if not more. All I can think of is when the next food stop will be. I have no idea how much weight I’ve lost, but with the town food and beer, maybe not as much.

We found a gal Nikki to pick us up and take us to the town of Rangeley. Blue has somehow misplaced her camp shoes. She called The Cabin where she had them last and no one could find them. This is a very important piece of gear as once you’ve been walking all day in your mucky wet shoes, the last thing you want to do is put them back on to pee at night. Or when you get to town, which we do ever so frequently, you need a pair of town shoes. So here again, a piece of equipment in your backpack must have two or more purposes. Nikki said she could meet us at the trailhead at 4:30pm. Perfect. We headed down the final five miles and made it just in time. The Outfitter closes at 5pm. We jumped into her car and off to Rangeley we went.

Rangeley, Maine is a town of 1,222 people per the 2020 Census. For outdoor enthusiasts, this is the place to be. They have more lakes than land, endless hiking trails and summits to climb, amazing fishing with record size Brook Trouts, kayaking and canoeing, motorcycles and off-roading, and every type of winter sport you can imagine. In its rating of outstanding destinations, Rand McNally described the Rangeley Lakes Region as “one of America’s few remaining vacation spots where one can truly escape most of the disadvantages of civilization.” Who’s to argue with such a respected source? It’s quite a happening place and Blue got her replacement shoes at the Outfitters.

Since we were here, we stayed the night at the Rangely Historic Inn. It’s was built in the early 1900’s and has been remodeled, but still has all its old charm. It sits on Rangeley Lake and offers free kayaks and canoes to its guests. We are not the typical guests at this Hotel, but they took our money and we had the most luxurious sleep on the trail to date. I’m sure the thread count is 1,000 with Egyptian Cotton Sheets, and a white comforter that I was afraid to sit upon. But after taking a shower and putting on cleanish clothes, I did. Norman jumped onto the bed and had no concerns. He didn’t walk through muck today and was relatively clean, for a monkey!

Life is good on the trail. I have to say my feet are a bit tired, and my knees get sore at the end of the day. The mosquitoes keep biting me and the muck about ate my shoe todayj, but in the end, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else! It’s not for everyone, hence the reason people are getting fewer and fewer on the trail. With the weather this year, and the trail closures, there’s only a handful of us left on the Appalachian. Yet, Blue and I are making the best of it, obviously, and we are moving northbound. All in all, it’s been a remarkable experience and journey that will live in the cobwebs of my mind for years to come. And God-willing, He will continue to push me and refine me as I make my way to Mt. Katahdin.

Waking up at The Cabin is like being back at Grandma’s house. The smell of Blueberry Pancakes, Sausage, Eggs and the best potatoes ever created. What a heavenly place to be. The hikers were all seated and ready to devour whatever was coming! And we did. The rules is: no leftovers. Everything must be eaten! Kitchen Sink will have nothing to worry about as this group of hikers are hungry!

After breakfast, Honey squared everyone up on how much was owed. Breakfast and dinner costs $20 total, and a bed is another $15. I’m not sure but I’m not thinking Honey is doing this for the money! She sat in her chair and with a calculator in hand, she knew how much we all owed. Then we all left for the trail. What a wonderful experience and opportunity to stay with this woman.

Blue and I headed up Old Blue Mountain. She was a worthy climb and we had a morning cardio session. I’ve decided I’d rather start a bit flatter but the AT doesn’t care what I desire. Blue took off, I tried to keep up and Nails was in the rear. Nails and I talked the best we could between gasps of air. He’s from South Carolina and lives with his wife. They have a 27 yo son who is on his way to being quite the Chef. Sounds like his son does much practicing with Mom and Dad. He comes over, pulls out an assortment of knives and goes to town. Sometimes he even has a torch to glaze and crisp his creations. Now that’s a good son!

Once atop Old Blue, we had some snacks and found a couple of rocks to sit on. The mostly wooded summit of Old Blue Mountain has two rocky clearings, which help provide some views, helped by the very short trees. The best views are to the east, into the valley of Ellis Pond, complete with a satellite transmitting station. It wasn’t the most spectacular peak but it was Old Blue and that was good enough.

After our snacks, Nails took off and we didn’t see him again until late afternoon. He’s a faster hiker but then most people on the trail are. That’s just fine with Blue and I because we are in no big hurry and enjoy stopping and enjoying the view points, and eating blueberries. We are smack dab in blueberry season here in Maine. It’s hard to hike when you are tempted with every step to eat these sweet little morsels of antioxidants. No wonder we are so healthy!

Beni’s Mountains were our next flyovers. The first of Bemis s pretty much lackluster. A sign amid the trees marks the summit, although the sign is somewhat misplaced. A short spur trail 100 feet south finds the actual summit. Both are viewless. We didn’t bother being there were trees hindering any view.

The ups and downs took us to Bemis Second Mountain which was much more spectacular. The Second Peak of Bemis Mountain is partially open with lots of slab rock and alpine coniferous growth. There are several fine views between the trees of the Saddleback Range to the northeast, the Jackson-Tumbledown range to the southeast, and Bemis Mountain and Elephant Mountain to the south. Tangled Lakes were in view and they were huge. As we hiked, we got closer and closer to these lakes.

Blue and I headed towards Route 17 as this was where our packs would be dropped off. We are on Day Three of slackpacking but that will end tonight. I met a group of gals hiking from My. Katahdin to Gorham. They plan to be out for six weeks and we’re having a blast. They are mostly from Massachusetts and New Hampshire and hooked in with a hiking adventure camp from Colorado. They all had Trail Names and were excited about hearing mine. We talked for quite sometime as Blue beat feet to camp.

The final couple of miles were extreme downhill with a muddy uphill. I had a final river crossing which was my nemesis. I had been so careful to keep my shoes clean from the various mud bogs and muddy pits of gunk but now, a river crossing my last mile! I couldn’t find a good solution so in I went, new shoes and all. After the River, was a good 1000’ ascent to camp. It was the typical, rocks, roots and a lot of mud.

I arrived shortly after Blue and Nails. We found our packs waiting at the bench. No one wants to take a pack when they are already caring their own heavy pack. We decided to camp near the road for the night. It was one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen. The sunset was out of this world beautiful. I don’t think I’ve seen anything so breathtaking than this.

Blue and I stayed at Ruthie’s Place in Bethel. It’s a small motel right in town and has such charm. Ruthie has owned it for 50 years and loves serving hikers. She does your laundry, free of charge and has a beautiful flower garden next to the property. She raised her daughter at the motel and is someone super special. The community around this trail is like no other place.

The Bakery opened at 7am so we walked over with our packs and had special coffee and my most favorite, egg sandwich. Homespun picked us up at 7:30am and took us back to the trail. The men were also in the car but they are now a day behind, being they took a Zero with Norman. We dropped them off first, said our goodbyes and Blue and I headed north. We had a good day ahead of us with much climbing and a little bit of rain. Our typical day on the trail.

We hit the ground around 8:30am being it’s a much longer drive than the ten miles we hiked yesterday. The trail was nice with roots and rocks and some amount of dirt. Our morning workout was getting up and over Wyman Mountain. It wasn’t much of a challenge as some of the peaks we’ve been doing the past few days. We ran into Peace, a section hiker who Homespun describe to a tee! He is petite and small enough to put in her pocket! When I saw him, I thought to myself, I bet that’s the hiker Peace who Homespun picked up. Sure enough it was.

Peace is from New Jersey and has been section hiking the AT for years. They call them Myths, Multi-Year Hikers. He is small but mighty. He stops quite a lot to take pictures and we had much to talk about. He was quite interested in the smoke we had with the fires in Canada, which has completely subsided in the past two weeks. Hopefully everything is under control and maybe the rain we’ve had helped to douse the fires.

Blue and I headed out after our lunch on the ledge, and within a few minutes the rain started. This time the weather guessers called in perfectly. At noon you’ll have showers. We put on our rain jackets and continued onward. We meandered down into a ravine to Sawyer Brook. It was a significant river crossing but managed to get across without getting wet.

After the Brook-River crossing, we headed up Moody Mountain. The rain had stopped but once we were climbing rocks again, Old Moody started raining. Back on with the jackets and the climb. Moody was a tough climb. It’s fairly steep in areas and has ladders and metal rungs to get up the wet and slimy rocks. It took close to an hour to climb up and over Moody, and once on top, it had nice views of Andover and across the vast forest in the Ellis River Valley.

Blue called our ride and Kitchen Sink was on his way. We had a mile of a steep downhill and needed to be there by 3:30pm so we could get to the Post Office before it closed. USPO hours are a bit limited in these small towns. We headed down and the last thing was a good river crossing. Black Brook Creek was wide and deep. Being I was going to the PO for a new pair of shoes, I chose to walk into the water and not attempt to hop skip across the boulders. I submerged my funky old shoes, socks and made my way through the river to meet Blue and Kitchen Sink on the other side.

We took the half an hour road trip to Andover, stopped at the PO and made a quick side trip to the local market. Other hikers including Nails were there, and we all jumped back into the Van and drove to The Cabin.

The Cabin has tons of history. Honey and Bear (who passed away five years ago) have been a mainstay on the Appalachian Trail since 1999. Honey is 91 years old and still runs this Cabin. She had 14 guests, cooked dinner of Spaghetti, Salad, Sweet Corn on the Cob, and Rolls along with Brownies and Ice Cream for dessert. She told stories of her and Bear hiking the trails together. Her brother being the inspiration of Mahoosuk Notch and the first male to complete the AT, Earl Shaffer spending time at the cabin. She has a dining room table that she asks guests to sign, on the bottom, unless you are 80 or older, she’ll flip it on its side. She’s a kick and has amazing wit and charm. Once again, the AT Community shines bright.

Last evening we stayed at West Bethel Motel. It was nice and clean, and we must have scored the remodeled room. I hit the sack at 9pm and around 2am, I actually fell asleep. What is wrong with my sleep? I am usually the one who hits the pillow and goes to sleep within a minute or two. But lately, sleep has been eluding me. Any pearls of wisdom, I would love to hear them.

Our ride arrived promptly at 7am and drove us back to the trail to Grafton Notch. We picked up another hiker Nails, because he paints his nails. Self-care as he puts it. We all were headed northbound and today Blue and I are slackpacking. No big pack, just our daypack, a few provisions and the ten essentials of survival. I love that I don’t have to haul my backpack up and over 3700’ today. Yeah! And Norman took a Zero. He needed a rest day with all the mountains he has conquered in the past couple of weeks. Trees are one thing, but granite slabs and boulders are not his forte. I gave him a pass, and he stayed back to take a personal day off.

Today was Baldpate Peaks, East and West. It was a good climb from the moment I stepped on the trail. The weather guessers said it was going to be lovely, with a light breeze. Give me a break! It was cold, cloudy and windy. Blue and I made it 1000’ up before we both put on jackets, headgear and gloves. Blue put on her thermal pants which was quite entertaining. That girl has amazing balance until…she was hopping around on one foot and slid off the trail with half of her shoe on and off, and managed to save herself. If that was me, oh Lordy, I’d be in a pile of Maine Mud from head to toe! Somehow, someway she saved herself as we both were rolling in laughter! There must be something about having years of Communistic Gymnastics, along with Ballet and Dancing that allows you to do the things this Blue of mine, can do. If I could have an ounce of that balance, I’d take it! She is the epitome of grace and elegance on the trail! Praise you child. You are definitely from another mother!

Now all dressed to kill, we climbed the additional 2000’ up this mighty mountain. Moose poop droppings were found but still not a dang moose moving around. Nails said that he saw a moose on his way down from Old Speck yesterday on the trail ahead of him. He hikes solo and without sticks, so he snuck up on it. The moose’s butt was facing him, and when Mr. Moose noticed Nails, he bolted down the trail. Lucky Nails!

We continued up to the mostly tree-covered summit of Baldpate mountain’s west peak. Just north of the summit, about 100 yards, is a rocky opening with fantastic views to East Peak, as well as Lake Umbagog and some mountains beyond. What amazed me was the numerous lakes that I could see for miles and miles.

Blue and I followed the cairns along with the two hikers ahead and climbed the ever exposed East Peak of Baldpate Mountain. At the base of the saddle between Baldpate’s two peaks, the AT crosses through a scenic alpine bog. The mud pits can be much deeper than they look and our driver, Homespun told me that a woman was found waist deep in one of these mud pits. She had been there for five days! That would be absolutely terrifying.

We moved along over the boardwalks and started our ascent up the rocky granite slabs. There were cairns that gave us good navigation, but the wind was something fierce. Once again, I hunkered down and prayed for the best. Blue and I safely arrived to the summit and beat feet off this mountain top.

The broad, open summit of Baldpate’s East Peak is gorgeous. The summit is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Maine, with 360 degree views from wide, open slab rock. If the wind wasn’t blowing like it was, Blue and I would’ve had lunch. But no such luck, as we headed off this wind struck area.

The rest of the day were minor ups and downs mostly in forested areas. Maine is starting to grow on me. No, I do not want to move here but so far, it is a beautiful state with some incredible Maineay’s as they call themselves. Blue and I stopped ever so briefly at the Frye-Notch Lean-2 and had a bite to eat.

Homespun was picking us up at East B Hill, so I needed to make some catch-up miles. It was mostly downhill and so Blue and I hurried down, the best we could, to get our ride. Homespun was waiting with cold drinks and an Ultra Beer for Blue. She found it in the back of her car, which it just so happened, had fallen out of Blue’s pack. No open container laws in Maine, or in Homespun’s car, so Blue was free to indulge.

Such an amazing day and much to see and do on the trail. We met new hikers, many Sobo’s and one special lady named Grateful. She was finishing her hike from last year, and happened to be on Day One. I love talking with other hikers and Blue calls me The Ambassador of the Trail. But she is just as much as a spokesperson as I. That woman can talk and love on everyone she meets. I think Jesus has designed a perfect team of “Godly Women of the Trail.”

There is definitely a Revolution going on. The hikers I have met, ones I have hiked with are mainly Christians. The Men we have been hiking with, Cassain is a Priest, and Oatie and Garfield both belong to the same church and share a strong faith. Mary Poppins is a Methodist, and Couch to Trail and Braveheart are both Christians. Grateful loves the Lord and so many others have a deep relationship with Jesus. It appears that my sweet Lord may be herding in his flock to the Appalachian Trail! And I just happened to be here at the right time for whatever it is that He is doing. Pretty exciting times, I do say!

Disclaimer. My miles are not a true indication of the amount of effort. Except for today. We had a strict wake-up and departure time. The weather guessers are forecasting rain by noon, so good reason to head to town. Blue keeps a watchful eye on the weather and already booked us a place to stay in Bethel. Much to my surprise.

Today was a quick hike up and over Old Speck Mountain. Maine’s third highest mountain, and the Mahoosuc Range’s highest point, Old Speck is a massive peak that dominates the surrounding area. The summit is also home to a fire tower, which helps provide some of the best views in the region. It was cloudy and overcast so no views were recorded.

We made it to the top fairly quickly and ran into Cassain, Oatie and Garfield. The three men were all headed to Bethel and being there were no views, we all headed down the mountain together. I had secured a ride, one for Blue and I with Homespun, and her husband Doogie was picking up the men. The trail down was some granite stairs and fairly easy, after all we have done in past few days. Before long, we past the waterfalls and turned into the parking lot. There is something quite nice when he hear traffic, as that is the confirmation that town is near.

Blue and I went to our Motel, but no one was there to check us in. The rooms won’t be ready till 3pm, so Homespun gave us a ride to town. It’s another ten miles and definitely, not walking distance. Blue, me and the men all got rides to the local diner. Breakfast was over so lunch was on the menu. Honestly I didn’t care what I was eating as long as it didn’t require hot water to make it palatable. I ordered a Burger, Fries and Coleslaw along with an IPA. Blue had her Chicken Spinach Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts and an Ultra Beer. It was outstanding and it didn’t matter how long it took to get our meal. I was extremely happy and so was my belly!

After lunch, we walked around Bethel. We found a Bakery with Fancy Coffee and Blue was ecstatic. Afterwards we made it to the grocery store and bought makings for dinner and fruit to take back to the trail. Then our driver, Homespun picked all five of us up and drove back to the Motel. Now this is when it gets better. Homespun tells me she’s gonna leave her car so we can drive to town tonight! Seriously? Yep, that’s what they do in Maine. So she left her car, a nice Jeep Cherokee so we could drive to town, and eat some more. Cassain and the men took her up on the offer, but Blue and I were content staying in our room, taking showers, doing laundry and making dinner in the communal kitchen.

Norman was quite happy staying in the room and eating his fill of strawberries. Silly monkey. I thought all he wanted was bananas but I guess any fruit will do.

Today I was able to talk to Dad. He decided to move into an Assistive Living Facility that just opened last year. It’s a real nice place, he can keep his dog Buddy and stay in town. It gives me so peace knowing Dad will be there, still living on his own and being well nourished. He said the odds are a bit skewed in his favor. There’s only 12 men and over 30 women! Dad will be a sought after commodity with all his storytelling and sharp mind. And now, Mom is smiling down from heaven above, knowing Dad will be well cared for and loved. Our wonderful God had a perfect plan, all along. We just needed to find the path.

What a wonderful evening of sleep. I woke up at the crack of dawn, and ready to move out. With the rain we had last night everyone was waiting for the rocks to dry out. So we finally left at 7 AM.

Today was much better day weather wise. It’s amazing how the lack of rain can change your attitude. Even with my wet clothes on, I was ready to tackle Mahoosuk Notch and Arm. The fact is that we have been paralleling the Mahoosuk Trail for the past three days. It’s the last section that is considered part of The White Mountains, and it has lived up to the hype. For the next mile northbound, the Mahoosuc Trail (AT) travels through Mahoosuc Notch, one of the hardest and most fun sections of the entire Appalachian Trail. It is composed of car and building size boulders that are sky high.

Blue and I stuck together like glue. Once we entered the Notch, it was “game on.” We were so blessed that we had good weather. If it would’ve been raining, we’d have to stay at camp. But the skies were clearing and we were playing on rocks. The fact is that there are different kind of boulders. There are the ones you walk or skip across, and then there are these boulders, that you climb. Our hiking poles were stashed and Norman gave me some pointers. Anytime you see a tree, use it! You can hang from it, pull yourself up, or you can use it’s roots to climb up and over. There are many uses for trees, roots and limbs. Have some fun, but please do not throw me over the ledge, AGAIN!

We were super cautious. I felt almost meditative as I was going through this notch. I was slow and calculated and both Blue and I were fixed on one another. Sometimes she would take a low route and I would take a high route to find the best option. It was like working out a puzzle to see what goes where and how to find a solution. It took us 2-1/2 hours to go one mile! Yep, you read that right. It was painstakingly slow but neither one of us fell or hurt ourselves, and there were many opportunities for all of that!

I think the best part of this was doing it with my friend. Blue is athletic, adventurous and honestly, there’s no one else I could have expected to do this with me. She is cool as a cucumber and flexible as Gumby. She has grace like a cat and strength of an ox. And best yet, she doesn’t complain. And there is a lot to complain about!

Once through the Mahoosuk Notch, we had lunch and refueled for the next part, Mahoosuk Arm. It is one of the steepest climbs on the Appalachian Trail, with the trail climbing 1500 feet from Mahoosuc Notch to the edge of the arm in just one mile. It was a doozy. There were not the super exposed cliffs like we had in Wild Cats, but it had rocks that were wet from yesterday’s rain and mossy covered slabs. It definitely had its challenges.

At the top of the mountain, though, is a nice, rocky slab with space to sit and rest. When Blue and I arrived, we opened up our packs and dried out everything we owned. Sleeping bags, tents, clothes, and even Norman caught some rays! We stayed for a couple of hours, basking in the glorious sunshine and looking at the mountains of Maine. We could finally see them.

We headed down the mountain around 5:30pm and made it to Speck Pond. Speck Pond Shelter 3414’ is the highest elevation shelter on the AT in Maine (Avery Col Tentsite is higher, but has no shelter), and is located at one of the highest alpine ponds in the state. The shelter, rebuilt in 2017, is large enough for ten or twelve people. There are six wooden tent platforms just uphill from the shelter. Blue and I found platforms and started building our homes for the night. Mary Poppins was already in her tent resting. For someone who has been sick for close to two weeks now, that gal must use her umbrella to fly over the trail.

Well today was one of my favorite days on trail. The sun started shining, the wind was non-existent and the trail, well it wasn’t much of a trail but a climbing exercise. Yet, when it was all said and done, it truly was a fabulous day. I am so grateful for these memories. And I am so blessed to have a body that allows me to push myself at any age. I am sure there will come a time that I may not continue rock climbing and bouldering, but until then, I’m going to thank my lucky stars and God above, for allowing me to experience such a place as this, the strength to continue and the food to nourish me. It truly is magical, especially when it’s not raining!

Some nights are a bit longer than others. I woke up no less than ten times last night. My mind was on overload. At 5am, I just decided it was time to get ready for the day.

Blue and I needed water so down to the pond we went. There were many bullfrogs croaking and jumping from lily pad to lily pad. But still no moose. I sure hope by the time I finish this trail, that I will get a chance to see one of these elusive beasts. For now, I just keep looking.

Mary Poppins took the lead and she was out of sight fairly quickly. The weather was looking pretty grim and she’s not one to stick around when it rains. Blue and I continued on and witchin a mile or so, we found a good water source. Being our pond was lackluster, we emptied our pond water and replaced it with fresh stream water. We are getting a bit spoiled with good water and no need to drink tannin-colored water when you can get good clear stream water.

Once filled up, we started one of our 8-10 crazy climbs today. I’ll just cut to the chase. Today takes the cake for over the top insanity. No continuous boulder fields but why am I doing, this kind of stuff on a designated hiking trail? Our first was just a straight up rock climb in the rain! There was no sitting on a vista checking out the view. Today we had no views, just clouds, wind, and rain.

I honestly am so tired that I can’t really write about all the obstacles that we had. But I’ll tell you, it was like nothing I have ever done. I was throwing my hiking poles down to the ground below me more often than not. There were slippery, mossy covered rocks that I was not sure how I would get up or down. There were ladders, metal rings attached to rocks, wooden posts that would act as a foothold if you could reach them, and then there were rocks that I just prayed that somehow, someway, I would hang on for dear life. There was a lot of praying going on today.

Thank goodness for Blue. Honestly, you would be out of your mind if you didn’t have a partner through todays hike, if you can even call it that?! Having a partner allows you to talk out different routes, show you possibilities, or just have someone to laugh with when the next “oh my gosh” climb presents itself. I was thinking that there is no one else in this world that would consider doing this with me, outside maybe Sally Miller, because this is absolute insanity!

I can say, without a hesitation, that this is a “one and done” kind of hike. No way, no how would I ever come back and do this again! I took little pictures today because it was raining #1, and I was unable to do much of anything but focus on my three foot space. Life is full of challenges and this will go down as the biggest obstacle that I have attempted. Being that I have not made it to Mt. Katadrin, I cannot even consider the statement of accomplished. Honestly, it is one day at a time and today was one tough and trying day.

One thing that has changed is I have arrived in Maine. Hikers say this is their favorite state on the trail. I cannot imagine that being my case as I have seen little but rain, clouds, and hurricane force winds. As Blue and I reached one of the many summits today, I was actually blown over by a gust of wind that threw me onto a rock carin. This has never happened to me before. It was a huge force of nature that can pick up a 150 pound woman with a 30 pound pack and knock me down! Nothing but fun in the State of Maine.

Blue and I made it to camp 12 hours after we started this morning. We did less than one mile per hour, a heck of a lot of climbing and descents, but we arrived with a sense of humor and a smile on our face. It was not a fun day, but it was rewarding to say the least. We arrived without any permanent injuries or damage. Well maybe my poles took some abuse today and Norman, he’s ready to go back with the Blue Hairs in the Bingo Hall. He was pretty unnerved when I took off my pack and tossed it down a ledge. We will be going to counseling tomorrow and see what we can do about all this abuse. Poor guy is frazzled! But then, so am I.

Waking up in a hotel room seems like I’m cheating. It’s so easy. My packing was all done last night so honestly all I have to do is get dressed, brush my hair and teeth and head down for breakfast. No wonder Blue and Mary Poppins wants to stay here.

Rob, our Private Taxi Driver was right on time. He originally was scheduled to give a guy a ride to Boston but he canceled. Rob has been our ride to and from the trail for the past week. He’s prompt and reliable, and a really nice guy. We all piled in his car and he took us back to the trailhead, right where he picked us up yesterday. This is very important to Mary Poppins as she’s a purist and cannot miss any portion of the trail. Even crossing the roadway is super important to her. So every single step was covered, from the roadway onward.

Our morning was a road walk for about 1/2 mile. It was nice to start out with something level. We walked across the Androscoggin River on a road bridge, next to Shelburne Dam. Reflection Pond feeds into the River and they were releasing tons of water downstream! You definitely wouldn’t want to swim here.

We turned onto a dirt road and started our ascent to Mount Hayes. We crossed over many rocky outcrops, one of several false summits to Mt Hayes. Though the outcrop is mostly surrounded by trees, and blueberry bushes, there are some views southwest to Mount Washington and Madison, as well as south to the Carter-Moriah Range. I don’t know if we will ever get away from Mt. Washington? It seems to follow us to every summit.

We met up with Cassain, Oatie and Garfield once we made it to Mt. Hayes. They were ready to leave and we took over their spot. It was a beautiful rock outcrop with more blueberries and great views of the Presidential’s. We stayed for a bit and ate some lunch.

Today was a lot of climbing and descending, but I never even looked at the elevation profile until I got to camp. We just kept climbing and going down. Most of the climbs were exposed, the closer we got to the summits. I must be getting used to the bouldering as I don’t get too overly concerned any longer. It’s funny what you consider reasonable after you have done a lot of unreasonable stuff. I always think of Mimi when I climb or descend something that is a bit more technical. Mimi would be all uptight, wanting to notify someone on the Board of the ATC or AMC. She is the Safety Police! And honestly, we should have one. There is some sketchy routes that should not be intended for hikers, especially hikers with large backpacks, but for climbers with equipment. The only equipment I have is a First Aid Kit with some bandaids and KT Tape.

We had quite a few ponds that we passed today. And much more Moose Droppings. Still looking for Mr. or Mrs. Moose but haven’t seen one yet. Blue and I passed too many lakes to not have a swim. One of the last lakes we came to was Dream Lake. It is one of several alpine lakes in the Mahoosuc Range. Though there is no shoreline access, Blue and I made our way to the bog and went for a dip. The lake was extremely shallow so quite warm. It had a mucky bottom but was soft to the feet. We pulled ourselves across the bottom with our hands until we could float. It was so refreshing after sweating all day on these 4000’ ascents. This will be our new normal. Hike hard and then swim.

After our dip we still had another three miles to camp. Mary Poppins went ahead to secure us a spot on the ground. I’m done with wooden platforms! Blue and I waltzed in around 6pm and Mary Poppins had us all squared away. We had a perfect little patch of ground that we could all pitch our tents and relax for the night. It is near a ledge and has a nice view of the valley below.

Today I was able to talk with Joanie, the other sister. She was on her way to Dad’s house and plans to stay as long as possible. I’m so fortunate to have a wonderful family, who steps up and cares for each other. Joanie is exactly what Dad needs right now. She is the salt of the earth, the wind beneath his sail and the calm before the storm. I’m sure they will have much to talk about as they plan his next steps. I love you Dad and Joanie. Have a wonderful day and know there are many who are praying for you. Much love from the trail!