Monson, ME – mile 2075 – 94.8 percent of the trail complete

September 29th – Route 4 (Rangeley, ME) to Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Total miles on the AT – 10.7
Elevation gain – 2998ft
Elevation loss – 1673ft
Start time: 10:55am
Finish time: 5:50pm
Total hiking time: 5:55
Weather: sunny, mild

Mom and Dad left at 5:30 this morning to get back home for appointments. I slept till 7:30 and enjoyed the Inn’s full complimentary breakfast, which is usually only a continental breakfast – lucky me!

I got a pretty quick ride 9 miles back to the trail and had a leisurely pace throughout the day. I stopped at Piazza Rock Lean-to, which is where I spent my first overnight with my dad when I was eleven years old. The lean-to has since been replaced by a newer one. I met my first thru-hiker on that trip and that is where the dream began. Strange to be manifesting that dream 28 years later. I coincidently ran into an older couple there today from Phippsburg, ME, where my parents live.

The weather above tree line was perfect – little wind and warm sun. Couldn’t have asked for better. Starting to get a lot of “congrats” from day hikers. I feel like a rock star.

I am staying the night at Poplar Ridge Lean-to. It was in this area three years ago that an older lady thru-hiking north got lost off the trail. They found her body only six months ago; she was lying in her tent. The autopsy showed she had survived a month but her journal apparently indicates that she gave up trying to get “unlost” after only three days. Such a shame. There’s no way anyone is getting lost here this year. The trail is so well marked with huge white blazes every 15 to 20 yards, obviously put in since the tragic disappearance. A sobo I camped with three nights ago thought he saw her ghost here. He passed an older woman on the trail going north that fit her description who didn’t say anything to him.

September 30th – Poplar Ridge Lean-to to Crocker Cirque Campsite
Total miles on the AT – 14.2
Elevation gain – 3197ft
Elevation loss – 3405ft
Start time: 7:20am
Finish time: 4:15pm
Total hiking time: 7:30
Weather: sunny with increasing clouds, cool

The high ridgeline was smooth going and I was able to make decent time through this section. Beautiful views during a steep climb down Sugarloaf Mtn., where the last blaze was cut to complete the AT in 1937, and up to this campsite where I shared a fire with three other nobos. One of them started March 7 and he still has 500 miles that he skipped to go back to and complete after he gets to Katahdin.

Against my better judgment, I am only going 7.3 miles to Stratton and will spend the rest of the day watching football. I hope the weather holds out after that so I can make the big push through the rest of Maine, but I’m hearing that Monday might not be very good. Gotta stretch tonight.

October 1st – Crocker Cirque Campsite to Maine 27 (Stratton, ME)
Total miles on the AT – 7.3
Elevation gain – 1498ft
Elevation loss – 2832ft
Start time: 7:40am
Finish time: 11:45am
Total hiking time: 3:40
Weather: overcast, cool

Not too cold over the Crocker peaks, which are both tree covered. I’m staying in the same motel I stayed in 21 years ago when I attempted to hike all of Maine. I paid 25 dollars then. This time around it’s 70 dollars. Last chance to rest up before the big push to Katahdin.

October 2nd – Maine 27 (Stratton, ME) to Little Bigelow Lean-to
Total miles on the AT – 15.3
Elevation gain – 4187ft
Elevation loss – 3791ft
Start time: 7:55am
Finish time: 5:45pm
Total hiking time: 8:30
Weather: cloudy, cool, late afternoon drizzle

The last difficult day! Or so I hope. The terrain gets a lot easier from here, knock on wood. We went over our last 4000-foot peak until the end (Katahdin is 5267). It was a long day made longer by a dark dreary cloudy sky. But at least it wasn’t too cold and there wasn’t much wind above tree line. I’m staying in the shelter, a rarity for me. 2-Pak and Crash Pad are here too.

For some unknown reason, I thought I had already done this section between the top of Bigelow and Caratunk. I’ve been saying for years that I’ve hike two thirds of Maine. But I have no recollection of this section whatsoever. I must have made it up in my mind at some point. So weird!

October 3rd – Little Bigelow Lean-to to Pierce Pond Lean-to
Total miles on the AT – 17.7
Elevation gain – 712ft
Elevation loss – 1314ft
Start time: 8:10am
Finish time: 4:30pm
Total hiking time: 7:05
Weather: mostly cloudy, cool

The trail opened up today and I was able to increase my stride – the longest mileage day I’ve been able to do since before the Whites, actually the longest overall I’ve done since Vermont. The caretaker at Horns Pond Lean-to said the rest of the way after Bigelow is like the yellow brick road. Well, there were a few “bricks” loose today – a few rocky parts but overall pretty easy going.

We passed a lot of “ponds” today. I put that in quotations because these “ponds” are really lakes. They’re big. We’re camping at Pierce Pond. A thru-hiker drowned here four years ago. He cramped up in a cold spot after a twenty-mile day and was swimming alone.

Daddy, Wakaflocka, Crash-pad, and 2-Pak are all here. There was a nice fire and we talked a lot about what it means to be able to have gotten this far and be so close to finishing. There’s excitement for all of us. I think we all feel good about ourselves.

My shin hurts and I need to keep an eye on it. It’s the same shin that forced me off the trail in July. I spent lots of time massaging and stretching it tonight. My right hand also still hurts from all the force I put on my hiking pole over the last 225 miles up and down these mountains. Hoping rest will help.

Heard the cry of the loon tonight out on the lake. I heard it also at Sabbath Day Pond almost a week ago. Folks mentioned in the register last night that they saw a moose swim across the pond. Didn’t see one tonight.

October 4th – Pierce Pond Lean-to to Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Total miles on the AT – 9.7
Elevation gain – 945ft
Elevation loss – 779ft
Start time: 8:10am
Finish time: 5:15pm
Total hiking time: 4:10
Weather: becoming sunny, mild

We went over the Kennebec River today, the biggest river crossing without a bridge. Fortunately the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conference) provides a ferry service free of charge at certain hours. A man in a canoe paddled me across. You could try and ford the river but it’s waist deep and the depth fluctuates depending on how much water is released by dams upstream. A thru-hiker drowned in 1985. A white blaze is plastered to the bottom of the boat – the boat is the official trail according to the ATC. Fording is discouraged.

Only 86 year-round residents live in Caratunk, but two miles west is the Northern Outdoors, a resort where hiker can use the shower, hot tub, and of course enjoy a few beers.

I was proud of myself for doing all of the above yet still getting back on the trail. I’m camping with Daddy and Wakaflocka yet again. They make the best fires and they’re already aflame by the time I arrive at camp. However, it’s not too cold and it is supposed to get into the 70s the next three days.

October 5th – Pleasant Pond Lean-to to Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to
Total miles on the AT – 22.0
Elevation gain – 2825ft
Elevation loss – 3384ft
Start time: 7:10am
Finish time: 5:45m
Total hiking time: 9:30
Weather: mostly sunny, mild

I’m discontinuing the use of a hiking pole with my right hand because now my wrist is messed up from overuse and it hurts to type.

A 22 mile day. My longest mileage day since the day I entered Vermont on August 31st. Feels pretty good.

Beautiful views early in the day from the top of Pleasant Pond Mountain and Moxie Bald Mountain. The clouds hung low in the valley and at first they looked like lakes. The valleys are on fire with yellows, reds, and, oranges. Certain parts of the trail are littered with colorful leaves. The red ones look like rose petals and it makes me feel regal to walk over them., but maybe that’s because I’ve watched Coming to America too many times.

Ran into a few hunters out looking for bears. I’m pretty sure they’re not supposed to be near the trail but I’m also pretty suse they didn’t know that.

“Be careful out there. There’s bears around. I’m mean we’re…” the one man lifted his gun…”but you…”

After I finished explaining that I had seen 13 bears but not one in Maine, we chatted a bit more and they were on their way. Monson tomorrow. The last trail town!

October 6th – Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to Maine 15 (Monson)
Total miles on the AT – 9.0
Elevation gain – 881ft
Elevation loss – 449ft
Start time: 8:00a
Finish time: 12:30pm
Total hiking time: 4:00
Weather: sunny, warm

I have entered Monson, the last town before Katahdin. Tomorrow I head into the 100-Mile Wilderness. I have packed food for eight days, which should be enough to get me to the top of Katahdin from here in 114 miles. If not, Abol Bridge Campground is exactly 100 miles from here. There is not a single place in between to resupply.

A slow trod today over mostly easy terrain, but after 22 miles yesterday there was not much left in the tank. Got a hitch into town from a day hiker out with his beagle. He tried to thru-hike and started March 4th, but injuries forced him off.

I am staying at the infamous Shaw’s Hostel in Monson. A good vibe and should be a comfy stay.

If all goes well I will have completed my thru-hike by my next entry.