Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Day 147- The Last One

Aug 26, 2015
Gentian Pond Shelter(1902.7) to Full Goose Shelter(1912.3) 9.6 Miles 


So much for a relatively easy day. It took us over ten hours to go 9.6 miles. There is a common saying along the AT, "No pain, no rain, no Maine". Well today there was plenty of pain and rain, but at least we finally made it into Maine.  
13 states down, 1 to go

Since we had an "easy" day planned, everybody decided to sleep in. I was up at 6:30, but didn't make any moves to get up until 7:00. I quickly packed up and made my coffee. I was going to drink it by the pond, but I was informed that there wasn't any wild life hanging out there. For the first time ever, I beat Airlock out of camp! It wasn't by much, but nonetheless it happened. 

The first climb of the day was pretty hard. Mt. Success kicked my butt. It was mostly steep boulder scrambles over wet rock. Boulder scrambles have quickly lost there appeal. Halfway up the mountain I was a muddy, soaking wet mess. Every time I thought I had made it to the top, it kept going. At one of the false summits I came across, 2 Bad Dogs, they were sitting down eating breakfast. I asked them if we were at the top yet and they said no. They thought they were at the top of Mt. Success, but decided they must have been at the top of Mt. Failure. I got a laugh out of that at least. 
Terrain going up Mt. Success
Amazing view

The day just went downhill from here. Every time we went up it was over rock faces for a few hundred feet. Then we would turn around  and go down rock faces for a few hundred feet. 
Ugh
Not even sure how we managed this

A few times the terrain was so rugged, we had to take our packs off and hand them down to one another. This terrain is really difficult, but with a sprained ankle it is miserable. It is really hard to get leverage going up the rock faces without putting a lot of force on your ankles. Not exactly ideal for me. I'm not sure which hurt more, going uphill or downhill. 
Team building exercise, passing packs down

Just before we crossed the border into Maine, it started pouring. It made it hard to take pictures, but in the end I made it work. We all wanted to stop and eat lunch, but the rain made it really difficult to take a break. We pushed on as long as we could, eventually the rain slowed down to a drizzle and we ate lunch on the side of the trail. 

The remainder of the day was up and down sketchy, dangerous sections of trail. 
Rebar drilled into rock face to help
Bog boards going downhill 
Sometimes all you can do is sit down and slide
We came down that exposed rock face

By the time we finally made it to the shelter everyone was ready for the day to be over. All I wanted was to wash the mud off of me, a hot meal, and to go to bed. Unfortunately, the shelter and tenting area was over run by three different groups of college kids. It's going to be a long night. I searched everywhere for a place to hang my hammock, but the only place I could find is five feet away from the college kids. It's almost ten o'clock and they are still up. Obviously they don't understand the concept of hiker midnight. I doubt they will enjoy the 5 am wake up call I have planned for them. 

"Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!" - Robert H. Schuller

13 comments:

  1. Hope they settle down for you tonite - but I wouldn't put money on it! Their wake up call sounds like a good lesson for them! Hope you get better weather tomorrow!! Welcome to Maine THE LAST state line you need to cross!!!!

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  2. Welcome to Maine!! Glad your ankle is holding up.

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  3. I'm very happy you are in Maine!! It looks like it was a very tough day. I still worry about your ankle, especially through this kind of terrain. I was hoping you would see a moose or beavers at the pond. Maybe it will still happen. Hope you get some rest. Another day, more to gain. LY

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  4. Hope the rain is over! Good to know you are with Airlock and others so you can help each other. Think I heard that alarm go off at 5 a. m.!

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  5. Congrats on your arrival in the "Finish line state"!
    LOL at the devious tone of the planned "wake up call" let us know how that went :)
    I agree with the comment from Kris a few days ago---you MUST continue to blog about the transition from "trail life" to the "real world". I am sure you have followers that you have inspired to take the challenge of the AT hike in the future-so you will be helping them....and well.....those of us who have become fans---you just can't dump us on Katahdin!
    Hope your ankle is holding up---don't push...remember slow and steady wins the race....you are almost there.
    Stay safe and healthy, and hike on!
    Kathy in NH
    Trail name "the worrier"
    The only hiking I do is in the mall....so I guess I don't really deserve a trail name...but I have visited several locations along the trail, and gave out "trail magic"

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    1. You can have a trail name. Yoda gave her family trail names when we did trail magic. Where is Jokes now? Hope he is doing well. As you read, Yoda was held up a few days with ankle. I think Jokes was behind her then. I'm a big worrier, too!!

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    2. We just visited Jokes in Gorham yest...'The Whites" wore him out---his knee needed a day off.
      He planned to get back on the trail this morning...so maybe just a few days behind Yoda.
      I don't know if you remember, but way back when I first commented on the blog, I said I enjoyed your comments as much as the blog, because you sound just like me!
      Take care.
      Kathy

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  6. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! (Nietzsche not Clarkson)
    So glad you and Airlock are with a group, those butt scoots down would be awful with no help to pass the packs.
    Hope y'all made plenty of noise this morning. Aren't those kids supposed to be back in school now? Sheeesh.
    Congratulations on getting to Maine....wooohoo!

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  8. Yay for Maine! Katahdin is getting awfully big in the window.

    Arionis

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  9. Woohoo Yoda,
    Yay for Maine!! I'm excited you guys are gonna finish this thang as a group!! Mt Failure made me spit out my tea. Can't wait to hear the tales of the famous "hardest mile on th AT" tomorrow!! Here is hoping the ankle holds up so that mile and arm are doable. You got this dawgette so do the dayum thang!!!

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  10. I agree with Kathy the NH Worrier...I am so glad your ankle is holding up and so excited to follow this blog to Katahdin, but I am dreading being dumped. Its been a wonderful journey and I want you to finish but I bet I cry both tears of happy4U & bub-bye.

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  11. Great job and fun pictures. I love that you always take a moment to capture the journey and your captions.

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