On August 20

From East B. Hill Road to Highway 26

Miles: 10.3

Hours: 10

 

Don dropped me off at East B. Hill Road and I started hiking toward Erin.  I was excited about the idea of a zero day in a real house, with a puppy to boot.  At the beginning of the day I met a man who volunteers with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club and was hiking a few miles to freshen the paint of the white blazes.  He told me that he had proposed to his wife on top of Baldpate Mountain.  He took the picture of me crossing the river.

 

But the climbs were really slow.  There is a picture of a ladder part way down this page that almost did me in.  I got to the ladder and it wasn't attached to anything, so I was afraid that I could tip it backwards because my pack is heavy and awkward.  I climbed to the top of the ladder and for a few minutes couldn't decide how to get off the top of it onto the rock.  There was nothing to hold onto and it was steep.  I was scared.  I thought about turning around and calling it quits.  Finally I decided that Erin had gone out of her way to come pick me up and I couldn't leave her at 26 and not show up there.  So after gathering all my courage I climbed off the ladder on my knees.  It was hard and scary.  I think I might have quit right then if I hadn't known Erin would pick me up tonight.

 

I ended up getting out to Highway 26 an hour after Erin said she would pick me up.  She was really understanding about me being late.  And the best part was that I got to hold her puppy, Charlie, in the car while eating the Pepsi and Snickers bar she brought for me.  She is generous with her trail magic-driving all the way to the trail to pick me up, offering her house and feeding me delicious foods.  She listened to all kinds of trail stories and was wonderful at sharing stories also.  It was a long day of hiking followed by a great night with a new friend.

Action shot-crossing the river!

The bushes/plants are EVERYWHERE.  And for a few days I watched these orange buds on top and was dreaming of when all of these bushes would all flower.  And then I realized the orange buds are new leaves, not flowers.

This tree tipped over, so half of its root system is in the air.  But it is still alive.

A caterpillar on the tree pictured above.

Not sure what this is.

This hand-written sign was in a shelter.  "BIO HAZARD 3 people sick with Trail virus here. Vomit in Lean-To Stay at your own RISK!

-Big Marmot"

See the ladder that almost ended it all?

A climb.

A view.

These shrubs are blueberry bushes.  Wild blueberries literally right in the middle of the trail.  Too bad they aren't in season today.

See the two lines of rocks?  They mark the edges of the trail.  This felt like driving down the express lane on a four-lane highway, it was smooth and clear.  It felt great.

More views.

I climbed DOWN this.  It was hard.

This is a section of path between mountain peaks that is above treeline.  Its called a swag.  I love to be among the meadow grasses that grow here.

This poster was in the bathroom at The Cabin.

 

"The Amazing Appalachian Diet. All Natural. Lose up to 75 lbs. in as little as 3 months.  I ate 4,000 calories a day and the pounds still came off.  The step by step program was so simple to follow.  I blazed my way right to a hot new body.

*potential side effects may include: increased facial hair, intensified body odors, degeneration of basic social skills, muscle soreness, strained ligaments, blistering, chafing, loss of toenails, and death."

Self portrait