On the Road Indefinitely: A Dirtbag Hiker in the USA
07-09-2014
, 04:28 PM
07-10-2014
, 08:41 PM
07-12-2014
, 12:20 PM
Carter-Moraih Loop and a Presidential Traverse
I took a rest day in Littleton, NH after the Pemi Loop to treat a couple injuries. I’d been using Littleton as kind of a base of operations while I was hiking the Whites. The first injury was a bruised, swollen knee from a fall while descending Bondcliff. I spent most of the day sitting by the Ammonoosuc River, soaking my leg in the cold water. The second “injury” was a little more delicate, but nothing a little rest and a lot of Gold Bond couldn’t fix. I’d been growing tired of Littleton and was happy to be leaving soon.
The Presidential Traverse is a life-lister for many hikers, me included. It’s a little tricky with just one car if you don’t want to pay to stay overnight somewhere when finished. I decided it would be best to park my car at the finish, take the hiker shuttle to another trailhead, do a short hike and camp at the base of the start of the traverse. For me this meant doing a loop in the Carter-Moriah Range and camping at the Osgood tent site, two and a half miles below the summit of Mt. Madison, the first summit of the Presidential Traverse.
The loop I chose in the Carter-Moriah Range was a little underwhelming. It started at the Nineteen Mile Brook Trailhead, and connected the Nineteen Mile Brook, Carter Dome, and Carter-Moraih trails, leading back down the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail. It takes you over Mt. Hight, which has spectacular 360 degree views, and over Carter Dome, which offers little to see. I think a better option for a loop in this range would be to hike up the Imp Trail, continue on the North Carter Trail, and hike the ridge on the Carter-Moriah Trial, summiting Middle Carter, South Carter, and Mt. Hight, before making your way back down via the Carter Dome and Nineteen Mile Brook trails. After that loop, if you’re planning on doing the Presidentials the next day, you have to make a short road walk up to the Great Gulf Trailhead and hike up to the Osgood tent site.
(Map of better loop, except include Mt. Hight)
Osgood is along the Appalachian Trail, so I shared the site with a handful of thru-hikers. I met a southbounder named Ramses who’d been on the trail about a month. He was telling me about starting in Maine and how difficult it was. He had heard things begin to smooth out after New Hampshire and seemed eager to get to some easier terrain. Then he said he was tired of hiking on roots and rocks all day, and I had to agree. I decided then and there the next day would be the last I see of roots and rocks for a little while.
I hit the trail by 7am. The climb up the Osgood Ridge to Madison was tougher than expected and much windier. Osgood isn’t the typical way to start a Presi Traverse, but it offers much better views and more exposure than the more traveled Valley Way trail. The wind was howling throughout most of the day. On the rocky sections of trail you could get in a groove boulder hopping, but every now and then a big gust of wind would come along and knock you off your path. The trail stayed rocky all the way over Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Clay, and Washington.
A lot of the early peaks were lost in the clouds so the views were a little obstructed. On a clear day I imagine it’s pretty incredible, but perfectly clear days are few and far between. Most people I talked to gave me the impression this day was better than average. However, after Mt. Washington the sky opened up and I got an absolutely perfect afternoon of ridge hiking.
The trail after Washington is stunning. It’s a bald ridgeline for miles and miles up and over Monroe, Franklin, and Eisenhower. It was like the awesome ridge from the Pemi Loop on steroids. It is by far my favorite section of trail east of Colorado. Unfortunately, I had suffered some camera issues and I couldn’t capture it.
My phone had been at 43% battery to start the day, which is plenty for a day in airplane mode. I used it to take some pictures early, without paying much attention to the battery. Next thing I know I pull it out to snap a few pictures and I get a 10% warning and I’m at 2% power. I had no idea how that could have possibly happened and I was pretty disappointed. Before I could even reach the Mt. Washington summit my phone shut off and wouldn’t start up again. As soon as I got back to my car and plugged it in it powered on and said I had 33%. Apparently this isn’t an uncommon problem. I just hope it's not a recurring issue.
(These aren’t my photos)
As great as this ridge trail was, the terrain was even better, nice and smooth. I was cruising the rest of the day. The official Presidential Traverse only goes from Mt. Madison to Mt. Pierce, but most people add on Mt. Jackson (ironically not named for the president), and I did as well. If anyone decides to do a Presidential Traverse I strongly recommend adding Jackson. The views are great and you’ll probably get there late in the day when they sun is low in the sky. It’s the perfect way to say goodbye to the Presidentials and the perfect way to say goodbye to the Whites.
I’m not exactly sure of the distance and elevation gain my hike was. I don’t really like to keep track of things like that. I meet a lot of hikers that get caught up in numbers and become obsessed with them, and that’s not who I want to be. I think I hiked about 20 miles with over 8000 feet in elevation gain, and I knew for sure that I would need a rest day the next day. The rest of July is pretty up in the air and I don't know for certain where I'll be hiking next. I wouldn't mind seeing the ocean sometime soon.
I took a rest day in Littleton, NH after the Pemi Loop to treat a couple injuries. I’d been using Littleton as kind of a base of operations while I was hiking the Whites. The first injury was a bruised, swollen knee from a fall while descending Bondcliff. I spent most of the day sitting by the Ammonoosuc River, soaking my leg in the cold water. The second “injury” was a little more delicate, but nothing a little rest and a lot of Gold Bond couldn’t fix. I’d been growing tired of Littleton and was happy to be leaving soon.
The Presidential Traverse is a life-lister for many hikers, me included. It’s a little tricky with just one car if you don’t want to pay to stay overnight somewhere when finished. I decided it would be best to park my car at the finish, take the hiker shuttle to another trailhead, do a short hike and camp at the base of the start of the traverse. For me this meant doing a loop in the Carter-Moriah Range and camping at the Osgood tent site, two and a half miles below the summit of Mt. Madison, the first summit of the Presidential Traverse.
The loop I chose in the Carter-Moriah Range was a little underwhelming. It started at the Nineteen Mile Brook Trailhead, and connected the Nineteen Mile Brook, Carter Dome, and Carter-Moraih trails, leading back down the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail. It takes you over Mt. Hight, which has spectacular 360 degree views, and over Carter Dome, which offers little to see. I think a better option for a loop in this range would be to hike up the Imp Trail, continue on the North Carter Trail, and hike the ridge on the Carter-Moriah Trial, summiting Middle Carter, South Carter, and Mt. Hight, before making your way back down via the Carter Dome and Nineteen Mile Brook trails. After that loop, if you’re planning on doing the Presidentials the next day, you have to make a short road walk up to the Great Gulf Trailhead and hike up to the Osgood tent site.
(Map of better loop, except include Mt. Hight)
Osgood is along the Appalachian Trail, so I shared the site with a handful of thru-hikers. I met a southbounder named Ramses who’d been on the trail about a month. He was telling me about starting in Maine and how difficult it was. He had heard things begin to smooth out after New Hampshire and seemed eager to get to some easier terrain. Then he said he was tired of hiking on roots and rocks all day, and I had to agree. I decided then and there the next day would be the last I see of roots and rocks for a little while.
I hit the trail by 7am. The climb up the Osgood Ridge to Madison was tougher than expected and much windier. Osgood isn’t the typical way to start a Presi Traverse, but it offers much better views and more exposure than the more traveled Valley Way trail. The wind was howling throughout most of the day. On the rocky sections of trail you could get in a groove boulder hopping, but every now and then a big gust of wind would come along and knock you off your path. The trail stayed rocky all the way over Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Clay, and Washington.
A lot of the early peaks were lost in the clouds so the views were a little obstructed. On a clear day I imagine it’s pretty incredible, but perfectly clear days are few and far between. Most people I talked to gave me the impression this day was better than average. However, after Mt. Washington the sky opened up and I got an absolutely perfect afternoon of ridge hiking.
The trail after Washington is stunning. It’s a bald ridgeline for miles and miles up and over Monroe, Franklin, and Eisenhower. It was like the awesome ridge from the Pemi Loop on steroids. It is by far my favorite section of trail east of Colorado. Unfortunately, I had suffered some camera issues and I couldn’t capture it.
My phone had been at 43% battery to start the day, which is plenty for a day in airplane mode. I used it to take some pictures early, without paying much attention to the battery. Next thing I know I pull it out to snap a few pictures and I get a 10% warning and I’m at 2% power. I had no idea how that could have possibly happened and I was pretty disappointed. Before I could even reach the Mt. Washington summit my phone shut off and wouldn’t start up again. As soon as I got back to my car and plugged it in it powered on and said I had 33%. Apparently this isn’t an uncommon problem. I just hope it's not a recurring issue.
(These aren’t my photos)
As great as this ridge trail was, the terrain was even better, nice and smooth. I was cruising the rest of the day. The official Presidential Traverse only goes from Mt. Madison to Mt. Pierce, but most people add on Mt. Jackson (ironically not named for the president), and I did as well. If anyone decides to do a Presidential Traverse I strongly recommend adding Jackson. The views are great and you’ll probably get there late in the day when they sun is low in the sky. It’s the perfect way to say goodbye to the Presidentials and the perfect way to say goodbye to the Whites.
I’m not exactly sure of the distance and elevation gain my hike was. I don’t really like to keep track of things like that. I meet a lot of hikers that get caught up in numbers and become obsessed with them, and that’s not who I want to be. I think I hiked about 20 miles with over 8000 feet in elevation gain, and I knew for sure that I would need a rest day the next day. The rest of July is pretty up in the air and I don't know for certain where I'll be hiking next. I wouldn't mind seeing the ocean sometime soon.
07-12-2014
, 01:13 PM
On the trail, breakfast is usually a whole wheat bagel covered in peanut butter. I stuff a bunch of nut bars and cheese or peanut butter crackers in a side pocket of my pack and eat those throughout the day. Dinner is usually one of those Lipton Rice (or Pasta) Sides or cous cous. Throw in a snickers bar or peanut M&Ms for dessert. It's just all a function of weight, calories, and price. I try to go with whatever works best.
Off the trail I pretty much eat whatever I want. I try to get a ton of calories to make up for when I'm hiking. Weight of course isn't an issue so it's just about calories and price.
Off the trail I pretty much eat whatever I want. I try to get a ton of calories to make up for when I'm hiking. Weight of course isn't an issue so it's just about calories and price.
07-14-2014
, 11:29 AM
Acadia National Pahhk
Into Maine I went. I knew there was a Planet Fitness in Bangor so I headed straight there for a shower. I expected to hang out in Bangor for a couple days, but it was clear to see that place is a ****hole. The University of Maine is one town over in Orono. College campuses are usually good places to spend a lot of down time. They’re often visually appealing and people will leave you alone. Unfortunately, most of the University of Maine campus resembles a housing project and I had no intention of staying. The whole place was just flat and hot and lacked character. It was like there was somehow no shade there and the sun just beat down on everything. I made my way closer to the coast.
Ellsworth, Maine is where I settled. It’s a nice little town on the Union River and has an awesome library. The library is a stone’s throw from downtown and it sits on a hill overlooking the river. There’s a big, shaded, grassy area outside and they leave their wifi on 24/7. I spent the rest of the evening reading outside. I finished The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton. By finished I mean I decided I was done with it. It’s mostly just a long introduction about Christian hermits that went off to live in the desert in the 4th century then about fifty pages of saying/stories about them. The introduction was excellent and was what initially drew me in, but the sayings/stories didn’t live up to the hype. I read about half of them before giving up. This paragraph of the introduction is what really got my attention:
The next day was another day spent at the library. I didn’t mean to stay so long but I started reading Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami and I couldn’t put it down. I haven’t quite finished yet but I will soon.
Finally, I was off to Acadia National Park for some day hiking. Acadia is a small park on Mount Desert Island, just off the coast of Maine. There is no backcountry camping there, so day hiking is pretty much your only option. I grabbed a map and started putting together some hikes. I had skimmed some of Joe’s Guide to Acadia and knew of a few areas I wanted to go. Joe is a photographer named Joe Braun who I had previously known about from his Joe’s Guide to Zion, which is far and away the best resource for trip planning in Zion National Park. Not to mention, he takes incredible photos.
I was really excited to do some “iron wrung” hikes, but the two best trails (Precipice and Jordan Cliffs) for those were closed due to Peregrine falcon nesting. I settled for the less intense Beehive Trail near Sand Beach. It was pretty fun. I felt like a kid on a jungle gym, only this jungle gym was granite and iron, and it had a bit more of a drop. The trail was short and the views were decent. I went a little ways up Champlain Mountain then ended up turning back and making a loop over Gorham Mountain, taking the Ocean Path back to Sand Beach. I have a serious sock tan to get rid of so I hit the beach for a couple hours before doing some more hiking.
The next hike took me to the Jordan Pond area of the park. I started along the pond for a little ways before turning east to climb Pemetic Mountain. Then I came back down near the north side of Jordan Pond, made my way up and down South Bubble, continued to the west side of the pond and climbed Penobscot Mountain and back down to where I started. Both Pemetic and Penobscot were really cool. Towards the summit you get to these huge fields of giant slabs of pink granite that are fun to walk along. Plus you get awesome views the entire time. Every Acadia view seems to have mountains, lakes, ocean, and islands all at once. It’s a unique and awesome place.
It was getting late in the day and I got the idea to climb another peak to watch the sunset. We had gotten some killer sunsets in Ellsworth the past two nights but there was no real good place to view them. I took a drive around Somes Sound to the west side of the island with the intention of watching the sunset from the summit of Acadia Mountain. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. Clouds rolled in quick. There would be no visible sunset tonight. I still climbed Acadia and took in the views. After the descent I went for an evening swim in Echo Lake before leaving Mount Desert Island and crossing back over to the mainland for the night.
I’ve been in a little bit of a funk these past couple days. This might sound a little crazy but I always feel like something is leading me when I go on trips like this. I’d been following it until now but I lost it. I’m not completely sure where I’m supposed to go next. I’m going to hang out in Ellsworth today, but I feel like I have to leave by tomorrow morning at the latest. I’m not even sure I’m supposed to be here now. I’ll just have to wait and see where the day goes.
(For you Randal_Graves)
Into Maine I went. I knew there was a Planet Fitness in Bangor so I headed straight there for a shower. I expected to hang out in Bangor for a couple days, but it was clear to see that place is a ****hole. The University of Maine is one town over in Orono. College campuses are usually good places to spend a lot of down time. They’re often visually appealing and people will leave you alone. Unfortunately, most of the University of Maine campus resembles a housing project and I had no intention of staying. The whole place was just flat and hot and lacked character. It was like there was somehow no shade there and the sun just beat down on everything. I made my way closer to the coast.
Ellsworth, Maine is where I settled. It’s a nice little town on the Union River and has an awesome library. The library is a stone’s throw from downtown and it sits on a hill overlooking the river. There’s a big, shaded, grassy area outside and they leave their wifi on 24/7. I spent the rest of the evening reading outside. I finished The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton. By finished I mean I decided I was done with it. It’s mostly just a long introduction about Christian hermits that went off to live in the desert in the 4th century then about fifty pages of saying/stories about them. The introduction was excellent and was what initially drew me in, but the sayings/stories didn’t live up to the hype. I read about half of them before giving up. This paragraph of the introduction is what really got my attention:
Quote:
The flight of these men to the desert was neither purely negative nor purely individualistic. They were not rebels against society. True, they were in a certain sense “anarchists,” and it will do no harm to think of them in that light. They were men who did not believe in letting themselves be passively guided and ruled by a decadent state, and who believed that there was a way of getting along without slavish dependence on accepted, conventional values. But they did not intend to place themselves above society. They did no reject society with proud contempt, as if they were superior to other men. On the contrary, one of the reasons why they fled from the world of men was that in the world men were divided into those who were successful, and imposed their will on others, and those who had to give in and be imposed upon. The Desert Fathers declined to be ruled by men, but had no desire to rule over others themselves.
Finally, I was off to Acadia National Park for some day hiking. Acadia is a small park on Mount Desert Island, just off the coast of Maine. There is no backcountry camping there, so day hiking is pretty much your only option. I grabbed a map and started putting together some hikes. I had skimmed some of Joe’s Guide to Acadia and knew of a few areas I wanted to go. Joe is a photographer named Joe Braun who I had previously known about from his Joe’s Guide to Zion, which is far and away the best resource for trip planning in Zion National Park. Not to mention, he takes incredible photos.
I was really excited to do some “iron wrung” hikes, but the two best trails (Precipice and Jordan Cliffs) for those were closed due to Peregrine falcon nesting. I settled for the less intense Beehive Trail near Sand Beach. It was pretty fun. I felt like a kid on a jungle gym, only this jungle gym was granite and iron, and it had a bit more of a drop. The trail was short and the views were decent. I went a little ways up Champlain Mountain then ended up turning back and making a loop over Gorham Mountain, taking the Ocean Path back to Sand Beach. I have a serious sock tan to get rid of so I hit the beach for a couple hours before doing some more hiking.
The next hike took me to the Jordan Pond area of the park. I started along the pond for a little ways before turning east to climb Pemetic Mountain. Then I came back down near the north side of Jordan Pond, made my way up and down South Bubble, continued to the west side of the pond and climbed Penobscot Mountain and back down to where I started. Both Pemetic and Penobscot were really cool. Towards the summit you get to these huge fields of giant slabs of pink granite that are fun to walk along. Plus you get awesome views the entire time. Every Acadia view seems to have mountains, lakes, ocean, and islands all at once. It’s a unique and awesome place.
It was getting late in the day and I got the idea to climb another peak to watch the sunset. We had gotten some killer sunsets in Ellsworth the past two nights but there was no real good place to view them. I took a drive around Somes Sound to the west side of the island with the intention of watching the sunset from the summit of Acadia Mountain. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. Clouds rolled in quick. There would be no visible sunset tonight. I still climbed Acadia and took in the views. After the descent I went for an evening swim in Echo Lake before leaving Mount Desert Island and crossing back over to the mainland for the night.
I’ve been in a little bit of a funk these past couple days. This might sound a little crazy but I always feel like something is leading me when I go on trips like this. I’d been following it until now but I lost it. I’m not completely sure where I’m supposed to go next. I’m going to hang out in Ellsworth today, but I feel like I have to leave by tomorrow morning at the latest. I’m not even sure I’m supposed to be here now. I’ll just have to wait and see where the day goes.
(For you Randal_Graves)
07-16-2014
, 11:46 AM
The Bold Coast
Not long after I made that last update I had a moment of synchronicity and I knew I was back on track. Everything started to seem flat and hot again. It was time to hit the coast. The coast I'm referring to is what's known as The Bold Coast, a section of coastline in northern Maine, roughly from Milbridge to Lubec I remembered seeing something about the Bold Coast Trail a while back and it piqued my interest
The trail starts at a small parking lot off Route 191, a few miles north of Cutler, ME. It's a short loop hike with an option to make it a figure eight if you want to spend a little more time on the trail. You walk through some mossy woods for 1.4 miles before reaching an area overlooking the Grand Manan Channel and turn to hike along the coast. Just before I got to the coast, a chilly fog had moved in. As I got to the edge, the fog was so thick I couldn't even see the water just below me. It felt like the Earth was flat and I was walking along the edge of it, looking into an abyss.
The fog cleared out a little for most of the rest of the shoreline, and I got to see some decent views. The trail basically hugs the shore, with some walks along cliffs and cobble beaches at Black Point and Long Point coves. Sometimes it ducks back inland for a bit but not for long. There’s a little up and down here and there but nothing to cause shortness of breath.
In about 3.4 miles you'll reach a few campsites spaced out down the trail. I had passed a couple hikers (the only other people I saw) earlier who seemed to be moving slow so I left the first site for them. It looked like a good one. The second one I saw was on a cliff right beside the ocean (technically the Gulf of Maine I think), near a point called Fairy Head. It would be windy and cold and I had my doubts, until I saw a buoy named Paul, the name of my favorite roommate ever, and I decided to stay.
I finished reading Kafka on the Shore. It's going to take me some time to process it. I have a lot of questions and will need the help of the internet to fully understand it. Part of me thinks there might not even be one ultimate answer to it all. Despite the bit of confusion, I definitely enjoyed it. Even if you only take it at face value the story alone is great.
I wanted to wake up and see a sunrise on the water, but the morning was still foggy and rain had moved in. It rained for hours. I hate packing up camp in the rain so I tried to wait it out, but eventually I had to give up. Rolling up a wet, muddy tent and stuffing it into your pack is not an enjoyable experience.
Although packing in the rain is something I loathe, hiking in the rain has always been fun for me. It's funny, if I accidentally step in a puddle on a dry day I'll be cursing myself, but on a rainy day I go splashing through the puddles without a care in the world. Rainy days can bring a good kind of "f**k it" attitude that's almost therapeutic in a way.
The trail after the campsite follows the coast for just a little longer before you're off into the mossy and boggy woods again for 4.4 miles, all the way back to your car. If you really enjoy seeing the ocean you can opt to just go back the way you came along the coastal trail, an option I considered but the rain changed my plans.
All in all this is a short and sweet hike. On a clear day the views are excellent. On a clear night you can see every star in the sky.
I made my way up the rest of The Bold Coast, all the way to the Canadian border. The weather stayed pretty foggy and wet but it seemed to fit the area well. Somewhere along the way I decided I'm not leaving Maine without climbing Katahdin. There was a time I considering putting it off, but it would be crazy to come all this way, be so close to it, and not make the climb. Right now I’m just waiting out the weather, actively checking the National Weather Service website. The best looking day seems to be Friday, but it looks like there might be a chance tomorrow could turn out well. I’m going to keep checking throughout the day and either go to Millinocket tonight or tomorrow, depending on which day looks best.
Not long after I made that last update I had a moment of synchronicity and I knew I was back on track. Everything started to seem flat and hot again. It was time to hit the coast. The coast I'm referring to is what's known as The Bold Coast, a section of coastline in northern Maine, roughly from Milbridge to Lubec I remembered seeing something about the Bold Coast Trail a while back and it piqued my interest
The trail starts at a small parking lot off Route 191, a few miles north of Cutler, ME. It's a short loop hike with an option to make it a figure eight if you want to spend a little more time on the trail. You walk through some mossy woods for 1.4 miles before reaching an area overlooking the Grand Manan Channel and turn to hike along the coast. Just before I got to the coast, a chilly fog had moved in. As I got to the edge, the fog was so thick I couldn't even see the water just below me. It felt like the Earth was flat and I was walking along the edge of it, looking into an abyss.
The fog cleared out a little for most of the rest of the shoreline, and I got to see some decent views. The trail basically hugs the shore, with some walks along cliffs and cobble beaches at Black Point and Long Point coves. Sometimes it ducks back inland for a bit but not for long. There’s a little up and down here and there but nothing to cause shortness of breath.
In about 3.4 miles you'll reach a few campsites spaced out down the trail. I had passed a couple hikers (the only other people I saw) earlier who seemed to be moving slow so I left the first site for them. It looked like a good one. The second one I saw was on a cliff right beside the ocean (technically the Gulf of Maine I think), near a point called Fairy Head. It would be windy and cold and I had my doubts, until I saw a buoy named Paul, the name of my favorite roommate ever, and I decided to stay.
Spoiler:
I finished reading Kafka on the Shore. It's going to take me some time to process it. I have a lot of questions and will need the help of the internet to fully understand it. Part of me thinks there might not even be one ultimate answer to it all. Despite the bit of confusion, I definitely enjoyed it. Even if you only take it at face value the story alone is great.
I wanted to wake up and see a sunrise on the water, but the morning was still foggy and rain had moved in. It rained for hours. I hate packing up camp in the rain so I tried to wait it out, but eventually I had to give up. Rolling up a wet, muddy tent and stuffing it into your pack is not an enjoyable experience.
Although packing in the rain is something I loathe, hiking in the rain has always been fun for me. It's funny, if I accidentally step in a puddle on a dry day I'll be cursing myself, but on a rainy day I go splashing through the puddles without a care in the world. Rainy days can bring a good kind of "f**k it" attitude that's almost therapeutic in a way.
The trail after the campsite follows the coast for just a little longer before you're off into the mossy and boggy woods again for 4.4 miles, all the way back to your car. If you really enjoy seeing the ocean you can opt to just go back the way you came along the coastal trail, an option I considered but the rain changed my plans.
All in all this is a short and sweet hike. On a clear day the views are excellent. On a clear night you can see every star in the sky.
I made my way up the rest of The Bold Coast, all the way to the Canadian border. The weather stayed pretty foggy and wet but it seemed to fit the area well. Somewhere along the way I decided I'm not leaving Maine without climbing Katahdin. There was a time I considering putting it off, but it would be crazy to come all this way, be so close to it, and not make the climb. Right now I’m just waiting out the weather, actively checking the National Weather Service website. The best looking day seems to be Friday, but it looks like there might be a chance tomorrow could turn out well. I’m going to keep checking throughout the day and either go to Millinocket tonight or tomorrow, depending on which day looks best.
07-16-2014
, 06:23 PM
...that buoy...wow 
Seems like one of those, "Maybe there is a God?" moments.
Seems like one of those, "Maybe there is a God?" moments.
07-17-2014
, 12:54 AM
Quote:
^^ If it had been chewing on a Redskins blanket I would be in church this Sunday
Is he still living with you guys? I miss you Paul.
How many Paul's does it take to Chang a lightbulb?
[spoiler] Answer:
[spoiler] Christine, I haven't changed a lightbulb in 2 or 3 months [/spoiler] [/spoiler]
Gahhhh
Is he still living with you guys? I miss you Paul.
How many Paul's does it take to Chang a lightbulb?
[spoiler] Answer:
[spoiler] Christine, I haven't changed a lightbulb in 2 or 3 months [/spoiler] [/spoiler]
Gahhhh
Great thread/pics.
07-17-2014
, 03:05 PM
I didn't even leave it on the floor...gah.
Nice update. Glad you got back on track mentally. The Bold Coast hike looks beautiful.
07-17-2014
, 04:38 PM
In Millinocket, hopefully climbing Katahdin tomorrow. The sun finally showed itself a little today and a climb could have been possible, but tomorrow still looks good. However, wind might be an issue for the route I want to take.
I've been reading almost non-stop; more Vonnegut. I flew through God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. It was good. It seemed to have a little less plot that his other works. He's always relied heavily on his characters to get his ideas across but there's usually a good story too. There could have been more of a story to this one. Still a good read. It's been a few years since I read Cat's Cradle and I'm re-reading it now. I forgot how great it is. Also, I just went to the library and read about 50 pages of Christopher Moore's A Dirty Job. I'm going to check it out when I'm back in DC for a couple weeks.
If anyone ever has any book suggestions I'm all ears. This year I've liked a lot of this quasi science fiction kind of stuff: Kurt Vonnegut (Cat's Cradle, The Sirens of Titan, Player Piano), Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451), Aldous Huxley (A Brave New World). Last summer I was reading a lot of Herman Hesse. Siddhartha and Demian are two of my all time favorites. Steppenwolf was decent and I couldn't make it through The Glass Bead Game. I want to read some more Haruki Murakami and I've also wanted to try some Tom Robbins stuff. I've started Another Roadside Attraction twice and really enjoyed it, but for some reason I never finished. I gave Skinny Legs and All a quick attempt but couldn't get into it. I'm starting to ramble. Recommend some books.
Thanks for the support
You forgot about Karen's vagina bags! Gotta spread the awareness, she's depending on us
I've been reading almost non-stop; more Vonnegut. I flew through God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. It was good. It seemed to have a little less plot that his other works. He's always relied heavily on his characters to get his ideas across but there's usually a good story too. There could have been more of a story to this one. Still a good read. It's been a few years since I read Cat's Cradle and I'm re-reading it now. I forgot how great it is. Also, I just went to the library and read about 50 pages of Christopher Moore's A Dirty Job. I'm going to check it out when I'm back in DC for a couple weeks.
If anyone ever has any book suggestions I'm all ears. This year I've liked a lot of this quasi science fiction kind of stuff: Kurt Vonnegut (Cat's Cradle, The Sirens of Titan, Player Piano), Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451), Aldous Huxley (A Brave New World). Last summer I was reading a lot of Herman Hesse. Siddhartha and Demian are two of my all time favorites. Steppenwolf was decent and I couldn't make it through The Glass Bead Game. I want to read some more Haruki Murakami and I've also wanted to try some Tom Robbins stuff. I've started Another Roadside Attraction twice and really enjoyed it, but for some reason I never finished. I gave Skinny Legs and All a quick attempt but couldn't get into it. I'm starting to ramble. Recommend some books.
Thanks for the support
You forgot about Karen's vagina bags! Gotta spread the awareness, she's depending on us
07-17-2014
, 05:02 PM
07-19-2014
, 09:45 AM
Katahdin: “The Greatest Mountain”
It rained non-stop for two days and stayed cloudy for another. I was starting to think I might never see the sun again and be stuck with this farmer’s tan forever. Finally, the clouds broke. It was time to climb Katahdin.
Katahdin, named by the Penobscot Indians, means “the greatest mountain.” It’s the highest peak in Maine, and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. There are a handful of ways to climb Katahdin, all varying in degree of difficulty. I chose to start at Roaring Brook, climb the Helon Taylor trail to Pamola Peak, and traverse the infamous Knife Edge to Baxter Peak, the highest peak on Katahdin. I would take the Saddle Trail and Chimney Pond Trail back down to Roaring Brook.
I signed in at the ranger station at 6:45am and was on my way up the Helon Taylor trail. This is one of the less common ways to the summit. It breaks the tree line faster and has way more exposure than the other approach trails. I think that’s why people steer clear of it. But I’m always a sucker for more exposure and unobstructed views. There’s a good deal of climbing in the woods, and of course a good deal of climbing after the woods, but once you break the tree line this climb turns into a hamster wheel. You can see the summit from a long way out. You climb and climb and climb, but it never seems to get any closer. The views are excellent the whole way up, so I couldn’t really complain. I made it to the summit of Pamola Peak, the end of the Helon Taylor trail, around 8:30.
Nothing beats a summit after a tough climb. You’re dying for air, your heart is pounding, and you’re trudging along exhausted, making those last few steps. You’re too tired to think, too tired to make any conscious observation. All there is when you see that view from the summit is natural reaction. There is no analysis. For that short moment you’re not really human, you’re just another sensory creature on this Earth. The voice in your head is silenced. You have no capacity to pass any judgment. You’re just standing on top of a mountain taking it all in. It’s as if you were a mountain goat in the Rockies or a marmot in the Sierras, as if you were only organs, flesh, and bones, as if the apes never got stoned.
The “trail” from Pamola Peak to Baxter Peak is what’s known as the Knife Edge. Katahdin has claimed 19 lives since 1963, most of them due to bad weather, but every now and then someone falls from the Knife Edge. It’s just over a mile of nothing but up and down narrow, jagged rock. For as intimidating as it sounds, it was a hell of a lot of fun. It had views in every direction and the possibility of death with every step. About three quarters of the way across, I saw clouds rise from the ground below me. I had to race them to the summit if I wanted to get more good views. I didn’t win. I made it to Baxter around 9:15 and the fun was over.
Clouds had moved in. They stayed off the ground a little and I was able to get some decent views and along the Saddle Trail. It reminded me of those bald ridges I hiked in the Whites, but it was a lot wider. Once the Saddle Trail connects with the Chimney Pond Trail you’re back in the woods all the way to Roaring Brook. I signed out at the ranger station at 11:45am. This hike was a lot less difficult than people let on, and a lot more fun. Katahdin isn’t as mean as she looks.
I’m making my way back to DC now. I’m going to try to make some money for about a week and a half, then go to the beach with my family for a week. I’ll probably hit the road again shortly after that. There’s a chance I do one more day hike before I make it to DC. My sister sent me this article with a bunch of super touristy hikes and I think she might be offended if I don’t do any of them. It looks like there’s one in Connecticut right off I-95, so I’ll probably do that real quick and keep her happy. Till next time.
It rained non-stop for two days and stayed cloudy for another. I was starting to think I might never see the sun again and be stuck with this farmer’s tan forever. Finally, the clouds broke. It was time to climb Katahdin.
Katahdin, named by the Penobscot Indians, means “the greatest mountain.” It’s the highest peak in Maine, and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. There are a handful of ways to climb Katahdin, all varying in degree of difficulty. I chose to start at Roaring Brook, climb the Helon Taylor trail to Pamola Peak, and traverse the infamous Knife Edge to Baxter Peak, the highest peak on Katahdin. I would take the Saddle Trail and Chimney Pond Trail back down to Roaring Brook.
I signed in at the ranger station at 6:45am and was on my way up the Helon Taylor trail. This is one of the less common ways to the summit. It breaks the tree line faster and has way more exposure than the other approach trails. I think that’s why people steer clear of it. But I’m always a sucker for more exposure and unobstructed views. There’s a good deal of climbing in the woods, and of course a good deal of climbing after the woods, but once you break the tree line this climb turns into a hamster wheel. You can see the summit from a long way out. You climb and climb and climb, but it never seems to get any closer. The views are excellent the whole way up, so I couldn’t really complain. I made it to the summit of Pamola Peak, the end of the Helon Taylor trail, around 8:30.
Nothing beats a summit after a tough climb. You’re dying for air, your heart is pounding, and you’re trudging along exhausted, making those last few steps. You’re too tired to think, too tired to make any conscious observation. All there is when you see that view from the summit is natural reaction. There is no analysis. For that short moment you’re not really human, you’re just another sensory creature on this Earth. The voice in your head is silenced. You have no capacity to pass any judgment. You’re just standing on top of a mountain taking it all in. It’s as if you were a mountain goat in the Rockies or a marmot in the Sierras, as if you were only organs, flesh, and bones, as if the apes never got stoned.
The “trail” from Pamola Peak to Baxter Peak is what’s known as the Knife Edge. Katahdin has claimed 19 lives since 1963, most of them due to bad weather, but every now and then someone falls from the Knife Edge. It’s just over a mile of nothing but up and down narrow, jagged rock. For as intimidating as it sounds, it was a hell of a lot of fun. It had views in every direction and the possibility of death with every step. About three quarters of the way across, I saw clouds rise from the ground below me. I had to race them to the summit if I wanted to get more good views. I didn’t win. I made it to Baxter around 9:15 and the fun was over.
Clouds had moved in. They stayed off the ground a little and I was able to get some decent views and along the Saddle Trail. It reminded me of those bald ridges I hiked in the Whites, but it was a lot wider. Once the Saddle Trail connects with the Chimney Pond Trail you’re back in the woods all the way to Roaring Brook. I signed out at the ranger station at 11:45am. This hike was a lot less difficult than people let on, and a lot more fun. Katahdin isn’t as mean as she looks.
I’m making my way back to DC now. I’m going to try to make some money for about a week and a half, then go to the beach with my family for a week. I’ll probably hit the road again shortly after that. There’s a chance I do one more day hike before I make it to DC. My sister sent me this article with a bunch of super touristy hikes and I think she might be offended if I don’t do any of them. It looks like there’s one in Connecticut right off I-95, so I’ll probably do that real quick and keep her happy. Till next time.