Wednesday - We are in the Bigelow Mountains.  This is another story of how the citizens of Maine and the MATC have strived to keep their wilderness.  This area was earmarked by developers back in the 1960's and '70's to become the "Aspen of the East" but a state referendum was forced; and by a 3,000-vote margin defeated by the voters of the State of Maine.  The state purchased the land and created a 33,000 mile wilderness from Stratton to Flagstaff, the very land we are hiking this week.

I'm hiking with Jack today, and we didn't get very far.  We stopped at Horns Pond Lean-to (shelter) and cooked a very nice dinner of meat and vegetables that we had bought in Stratton yesterday.

Thursday - I'm hiking today with Jack, Widget, Jessie, Peach Monkey, Lady Bug and Graymatter.  You know, Lady Bug is Graymatter's lady friend whom he met shortly after he started back in Georgia.  They hiked together until Lady Bug decided to get "off the trail" (sort of) back in Pennsylvania I think.  But she went home and got her car, and she hikes with us sometimes and sometimes she goes into town and slackpacks us.  If she hikes with us, she will get off the trail, hitch or get a ride back to where she left her car and drive it up to where we are at that time.   Romance does happen on this trail.  I've seen it on several occasions so any of you ladies out there looking for a good man - you can find him on the Trail!

It was very windy today on Avery Peak - about 30 mph.  But we did about fourteen miles, stopping at Long Falls Dam Road, and finding a fairly good tenting site not too far from the Road.  We also came across the "2,000 mile marker".

Friday - We hiked the Arnold Trail today.  For you history buffs out there, in 1775 Benedict Arnold and his army of about 1,100 men used this trail on their way to Quebec during the winter where they hoped to surprise the British.  They encountered bad weather and literally bogged down in the streams and ponds.  The men were so weak from this "hike", they could no longer go on.  Doesn't history have a way of repeating itself.  I know a lot of people that feel that way right now!

We stopped at West Carry Pond Lean-to to eat lunch and saw another Moose right by the shelter.

We also crossed the Kennebec River today.  One of Baltimore Jack's old friends, Steve Longley, ran the ferry here for 16 years.  Last year he decided to work full-time at his Trail Post Store at Rivers and Trails, in Caratunk (where we are now headed).   You can imagine my surprise when I came upon the river, expecting a ferry, sort of like a  big raft or ferryboat, only to find out that the ferry is a three-person "kayak".  The ferryman sits a one end and ferries two hikers at a time across the River.  The hiker sitting at the other end has to paddle along with the ferryman, so be sure to sit in the middle.

The Appalachian Thru-Hikers Companion Guide states that the Kennebec River is "the most formidable unbridged water-crossing on the Appalachian Trail."  A thru-hiker drowned in 1985, trying to ford the river instead of using the ferry, so do not try to cross by yourself.  For purists, such as myself, the Guide says that the ferry is the official  route, as well as the original, historical route, of the A.T. across the Kennebec.

We crossed without incident and arrived in Caratunk in good shape about 3:00 p.m.   Caratunk is a rafting and kayaking town.  Jack stayed with Steve Longley, and we  stayed at Caratunk House.  $14 in the bunkhouse, semiprivate room $18 each for two people, or private room - $30 for a single and $40 for a double, including breakfast.  (I don't understand the difference in a semiprivate room and a double room).

I got my laundry done, and spent some time on the Internet, and had a great dinner of Chicken parmesan before turning in.

Saturday - Had a very good day today.  We did 12 miles, stopping at Moxie Pond area to pitch our tents. This area is close to the road, and Lady Bug and some other girls had cars there so we sent to the closest town for pizza.  Boy, was it good.  Nothing eventful happened today. 

Sunday - Rained all day today, starting at very early in the morning.  We got up when it first started sprinkling so we could pack our tents before they got too wet and started early as we are not far from Monson, our last big town stop before entering the 100-Mile Wilderness.  About 22 miles, I think.  Widget's girlfriend and Lady Bug both have cars here so they are going to slackpack us today, thank goodness.

We had to ford another river today.  About four miles before you get to Monson, there is the East Branch of the Piscataquis River.  It is about 50 feet across, knee level, and the water was not running too fast.  I used my poles and made it without any castrophy.  I have my rain pants on over my shorts and my rain jacket, and also my umbrella.  I stayed dry about four hours.  As hard as you try, even with all the rain gear on, you do not stay completely dry. 

You work up a sweat hiking, especially with rain gear on.  I swore to my Mom I was not going to mention this but I think all you future hikers need to know.  When you sweat, your butt gets chafed from all the moisture.  Out here on the Trail, we call it "Monkey-butt".  It's like a very bad rash and can cause a lot of discomfort.  Some hikers also get it on the insides of their legs but thank goodness I haven't.  I use GoldBond baby powder and a roll-on stick called "Superglide".  The roll-on stick works real good except I loaned mine to Thorn back around Harper's Ferry.  He tried to give it back to me after he used it but no way would I take it back (for obvious reasons).  Some people use Desitin which they say really, really works good and fast, but it is a thick white cream that is hard to get off your hands, even with soap and water.  Mom says mothers use it on babies for diaper rash so it must be good.  Be prepared, because no one has escaped it yet.                         

We got into Monson about 5:00 p.m. and went straight to Shaw's Boarding House.  We will stay the night and do our big re-supply here.  Mom sent me a box  (my last box from home) with phone cards, deodorant, maps of Maine, my Backpacker Magazine, four new video tapes, and lots of food - Lipton Noodles of every variety, Lipton Rice, tuna and chicken in the foil packets, Ramen Noodles, Macaroni and Cheese, Chocolate Chip and M&M health bars, and several bags of GORP (good old raisins and peanuts with M&M's mixed in).  She finds these big bags at the grocery store and re-packages them into several Zip-loc bags for me.

After receiving this box, I will not have to buy very much at all and in fact can spread some of the food among the other hikers.

We are 117.8 miles from Katahdin.  Still counting on summiting on October 8.  I am really praying that the weather  holds up.

Jack has found me a ride with him from Katahdin back to Hanover for "the Gathering", and he heard from Sasquatch (remember the preacher-hiker from Damascus).   Sasquatch will be at "the Gathering", and he will take Greenman and me back to Erwin, Tn. to Miss Janet's where Mom and Pooh Bear will pick me up on Thursday, October 16.  We will head back to Georgia for the 14 miles I need to make up, go from there to Alabama to take Greenman home, and then hit the road back to Texas.

Here are some statistics furnished by the ATC (as of 09/21/03) that are interesting:

             2003 Hikers beginning Trail at Springer Mountain, Ga.          1,750
             Still on Trail at Neel's Gap (30 miles from start)                   1,400
             Still on Trail at Fontana Dam, N.C.                                     1,028
             Still on Trail at Harper's Ferry, WV (unofficial half-way)            741
             Finished Complete Thru-Hike - Mt. Katahdin                            76

Hey, Magic Hat - good to hear from you but am sorry your fun hike had so much rain.   At times, it has been completely miserable out here, raining day after day after day.  Keep in touch via my e-mail - hudson1010@aol.com - about future hikes.

It was good to hear from Melanie in Louisiana - I hope to inspire many of you to hike the A.T.

Pauline - In 40 years, when you want me to check on your son to make sure he hikes - and finishes - the Trail, well, it will be time for me to retire and hike the trail again so I will just go with him.  In the meantime, Pooh Bear and I hope to hike New Zealand some time soon so stay in touch.

To my friend Bill Rogers in N.C. - I'm glad you have so enjoyed my adventure.  When I first started out, I never dreamed I would share it with so many wonderful people.

Hey, Rick - my Campnfan - Maybe next summer I will kayak the Mississippi with Bohdi - from beginning to end.  That ought to be interesting, and a very different experience from hiking.

Bgone - I just saw your note on my Guestbook.   I'll have Pooh Bear e-mail you later about exact dates but I hope to be at Miss Janet's on Tuesday, October 14, or Wednesday, October 15, and will be there for a couple of days.  Will try to hook up with you then and also my friend Tim Rich.

My Mom has something she wants me to add for all you Starbuck fans who can't stand leaving home without your Starbuck favorite.  General Foods, who makes the International Coffee mixer brands in the little tin cans such as mocha, chocolate, Kahlua, etc., they have recently put out Chai Latte tea which is my sister's very favorite Starbuck item.   And she says it tastes remarkably like the real thing.  So you can buy a can, pour it into a Ziploc bag, and bring it along on the Trail and have something special to look forward to drink while you are cooking your dinner at night.

I will have some really good pictures on the website this week so look for them around the weeks of June 30, July 7, and July 14, and also on the Miscellaneous Photos Page - my trail angels' picture from Caledonia State Park - Scott, Robbie, Allison, Roni, some from the Outfitters in Harper's Ferry (Ron and Laura's place), and some of the shelters, so look for  them.

I hope to hear from you during the week.  And for those of you who are already organizing their backpacks, I love this old Spanish proverb:

             ON A LONG JOURNEY, EVEN A STRAW WEIGHS HEAVY.


NOTE FROM MOUNTAIN DEW'S MOM:  Just as sister-in-law Brenda was posting this week's journal (it is Saturday, Oct. 4), we got an e-mail from Rocketman in Plano, Texas.   His brother Orbit, who is a couple of days behind Mountain Dew, decided to hitch a ride from Caratunk on to Millinocket because he wanted to climb Mt. Katahdin even though he could not finish his thru-hike.  He stayed in Millinocket overnight but was unable to summit because of the heavy snows.   We are hoping the snow will stop by the time Mountain Dew gets there.  The one good thing  we pin our hopes on, other than praying the snow stops, is that Baltimore Jack is with him; and if anyone can ascend safely, it is Jack.  We don't know if we will hear from Mountain Dew before he gets to Katahdin, but we will keep you posted on the website, even if it is a daily basis.