I got out to the road in an hour. Three hikers were already set up to hitchhike, mwhich made me worry about how long it would take for them to be picked up before I could hitch. Luckily a woman in the parking lot said she had room for three, and off they went. I spent five minutes hitching – about three cars – and a guy in the parking lot whom I’d seen packing his car offered me a ride.
He dropped me off at the inn in downtown Rangely. I had a slightly pricy bur very filling second breakfast of huevos rancheros. I then walked about half a mile to the IGA to shop. I noticed there were traffic cones and temporary signs indicating no parking, all the way to the store. After I shopped, I chatted with some people standing beside several trucks carrying double loads of logs, and learned that they were going to be part of the annual Rangely logging parade!
I walked back to town, past the inn, to the outfitters where I bought a new pair of shoes (Topos) and a dry bag for the tent, since the original tent bag was about to fall apart. I started back and the parade was now in full anticlimactic swing! Girls from a dance school or cheerleader class sat on a platform in fancy dress, swinging their legs. Pickup trucks with business logos on their doors tossed candy on the street. Sooo many firetrucks, there must be an arsonists’ club nearby. It was fun to watch, but had the unfortunate side effect of blocking all southbound traffic, so I couldn’t hitch. I walked back to the IGA since I figured I might at least get a ride from one of the shoppers. Within three minutes I got a ride from Tom, a very friendly thirty something. We talked about hiking and canoeing the whole way back. I was on trail again around 11
Much of the day was climbing and descending several connected mountains which would have had great views except for the fog and occasional drizzle. I climbed Saddleback mountain (which had several peaks), The Horn, and Saddleback Junior. Many sections were on granite slab at angles ranging from flat to 45 degrees or more. Miraculously my shoes held to the granite even when wet. I did fall a few times. At one point I thought I’d snapped my tibia, but it was just a small shin cut.
I made it to a lean-to (the very modest shelters in Maine are called lean-tos) around 6:30. It was still raining off and on. A couple doing a four day section hike, Boghopper and Roots, were setting up, and another hiker was already hidden inside mosquito netting and a sleeping bag.
Mile 1975.1 to mile 1988 = 12.9 miles
