6/8/2022 – Appalachian Trail Lodge
It’s raining. And windy.
Numerous hikers headed for Katahdin this morning, waking at 5 AM and shuttling to Baxter State Park at 6 AM. A miserable day to climb.
Met Bandit from Germany this morning and conversed over coffee. Bandit completed the AT in 101 days (very fast!) after starting in late February. He is staying at the Appalachian Trail Lodge awaiting his flight back today to Germany. His feet are still sore a week and a half after finishing. Of course I asked him many questions, about the White Mountains, about Maine, about insects, etc. He usually prefaced answers with, “I don’t want to scare you . . .”
HOW (Hiker On Wheels) from north England stopped in to climb Katahdin, then prepared his bike for a 65 mile ride in the rain. I said “Wow”. He said, No big deal”. Said he wanted to bike into Manhattan. I told him about Susie and Bruce’s recent trip across New York State.
Pre-climb lunch: Pizza at Angelo’s. It smelled so good. I was hungry. Yesterday after 5 AM I’d eaten only a Wendy’s hamburger. However, the taste didn’t live up to the smell. Their House Special was on par with a frozen tombstone pizza briefly heated. Nevertheless, I ate the whole thing knowing this would be my only meal of the day.
The owner began talking weather with another customer. Supposed to rain through Wednesday next week he said. Today is Wednesday that meant a week straight. Must be sunny somewhere in the world he said.
Two elderly and somewhat confused women took a seat in the booth next to me. They ordered drinks and pizzas not on the menu from the owner. They asked the owner “where is the mall? “There is no mall” he replied. “I used to live here in 1971 she said. “Well it’s long gone” he said. After he left, One woman turned to me and asked what street is this? I’m new to this town – don’t know I replied, thinking that if I wasn’t new to this town, you wouldn’t find me in this restaurant. As I pulled out my credit card to pay the bill, the owner asked, how was everything? I felt like the mom in The movie elf, after elf served spaghetti he made then poured maple syrup all over it and asked how is it? “Yum I replied.
The butterflies are beginning to flutter in my tummy.s
Met Happy. She was shuttled from 45 miles into the 100 mile wilderness. She under-estimated her food and rationed but ran way too low on energy. Fortunately for her, another pair had stopped to call for a rescue. The father’s back hurt and he knew it wouldn’t get better. She approached them, and scored a ride into Millinocket. Happy said the streams are flowing. Someone said, it’s not too bad, only knee deep. Happy stands maybe 4‘10“. Their knee deep was her thigh deep. She said the 100 mile wilderness was rough and advised taking it slowly and carefully. She also said it was beautiful.
Fitbit taught the hiker workshop. Very helpful. I Recorded much of it. Gear shakedown went well.
I’ve been scatterbrained. Forgot to pack half my breakfasts (purchased meals at gear shop). Very nearly forgot to buy fuel canisters.
Have taken care of final preparations (I hope). Set up food drop. Reorganized gear to slack pack Katahdin.
No one takes Katahdin lightly. Even those who have climbed it multiple times. It’s a hard day.
Cody (an employee of ATL) said if you can summit Katahdin and get to Monson then you’re in a good position. The trail won’t throw anything at you that you haven’t seen. The rest is mental.
Things are about to get very real very soon.
(Update – Conditions we’re terrible on Katahdin today. Very low visibility and high winds above tree-line. Only 2 of 9 submitted. Many unexpectedly returned to the ATL – pretty soaked.
They were saying conditions may be as bad or worse tomorrow.)