The day’s hike started with a gentle climb up a small mountain with no real views, and after that things were pretty much level the whole way. As a result I made good time, covering 10 miles by 11 am.
Trillian and Fresh passed me mid morning and I didn’t see them again. Ratman and Joker passed me around noon, and I caught up to them at the shelter I had been planning to stay at. They were taking a smoke break before trying to get another seven miles done (eighteen so far at that point). They are trying to get to the summit of Katahdin Saturday because they have prebooked a shuttle. It’s doable but a couple of preyy long days. I told them about the site I was heading for just three miles north, right in a lake, with rumors of loons to sing you to sleep. But since Joker didn’t know what a loon was the idea didn’t have much appeal for her. I headed on.
It got quite hot from noon to six. A tiny sprinkle late in the day but luckily no thunderstorms, which you would expect after such hot humid air. I met several SOBO groups, a father and his 18 year old son (the father said he wanted to tie a tow rope to his son!), planning to reach Georgia by December, and three guys my age
The campsite is a good ten minutes off trail, which may be one reason no one else is here. (Also there just aren’t a lot of hikers on trail.) There’s a very spacious open area under pines, with room for at least ten tents. It’s closed in so there aren’t great views of the lake, but the loon has already been singing a bit. I did find an opening in the trees with a good view but there was nowhere to sit.
I’m not terribly fond of the cold soaked dinner I made (potato navy bean dill soup). For one thing it’s unsalted. For another it’s cold. And I seem to have made a third too much. I do miss my tasteless but salty and hot Knorr sides! But I wanted to try a week without a stove, and needed to cut down on pack weight. It will do.
Fewer than 50 miles left!
Mile 2130.1 to mile 2152.3 = 22.2 miles
