ElizabethClose

July 28- climbed katahdin with dad and KyleJuly 29-30 hang out in Millinocket and rest my sore legs
July 31- shuttle to katahdin stream and hike south. Trying to take it real slow and lots of breaks for my feet. Meeting a few NOBO hikers and some section hikers finishing the 100 mile wilderness. Interesting range of attitudes from grim determination through relief and up to giddy excitement. I made it to Hurd lean to and it was filled with youngish guys and a couple of dogs so I hiked on. About two miles down was a nice clear spot in a clump of pines where I set up. It was supposed to get down to 50 overnight so I used the under quilt. Apparently sent my long johns ahead so I didn't have clean night clothes except my sweater. Tucked my day clothes into the under quilt to keep them warm for morning. Kept hearing A squirrel chittering over near my bear bag so i sent up a small prayer for safety for my food. Took two Benadryl and passed out. Mile 19.7- 14.7 miles of hiking


Aug 1- as I was packing up a lady hiked up. I had met her at the hostel two days prior and she was hoping to see me yesterday. We chatted a few minutes and she headed south. I was hiking by 7. The sunlight is different here. Sun is up by 5:15 and sets by 8. Seems like 45 minute shift and I'm wasting daylight by sleeping until 5. Probably doesn't matter a lot since I'm taking long breaks to rest my feet. I'm hoping for 14 miles a day but will be ok if I get 12. Coyotes howling toward 6:30 pm was a bit creepy. Three girls hiked up asking why they howled like that and how far to the shelter. Then they asked where I was headed. I said Pollywog stream campsite and they said "alone? you're brave!!" Made it to campsite before sundown. Soaked my feet in the stream after setting up camp. Kept hearing rustling in the brush and chewing noises. Not cool to wake up to that in the night. Mile 33.7


Aug 2- some little rodent chewed a hole in my bear bag! They only chewed into one bar but that could have been bad! I duct taped the hole shut and packed all the snacks into aN odor blocker bag. We will see if it works! Long hot day with lots of climbing and roots and rocks... And beautiful views and lots of lake/pond/stream ... I guess it balances. Met Joe and son Carl at lean to around 2pm. Nice chat and they booked past me pretty soon. Just before 7 I came up to camp site they were in and decided to stay. Set up hammock and took dinner to central area to cook and talk. When I came back to hammock a chipmunk had chewed into a Baggie of granola and was sitting right there filling his cheeks while I stood 3 feet away. I chased it and it kept coming back. I'm going to wake up to something chewed I just know it!! Mile 44


Aug 3- up early but didn't get moving until 6. Nobody chewed my bear bag last night woohoo. Said bye to Jason and headed out by 7:15. Pretty flat terrain today. Joe Carl and Jason passed me in a pack around 11:00 saying they were stopping at sand beach about a mile ahead. I decided to stop too and soaked my feet in the shallows while filtering water. Jason and Carl were swimming. I don't have shorts or I'd definitely be in there swimming too. Water was so clear. Piles of mussel shells on the beach - too neat for animals. I got to Jo-Mary road at 4 and decided to keep going. It started sprinkling a little but never got serious so I passed up the lean to which was overflowing with people. It got late and I wasn't seeing any good sites so I hung my hammock barely off trail. Two guys hiked by as I was setting up and didn't acknowledge me. Made me feel kinda dumb but I wanted to hang before dark so I set up where I could. Right by the trail... You can't stop me! Mile 62.1. Wow 18 miles today. This is the last of the flat terrain. I pick up my food drop at mile 63 and then hike up a huge mountain.


Aug 4 - woke u p at 430 hiking by 5:45. About 6:30 a trail runner passed me and when I got to the road his crew was filming him eat and stuff. I waited for him to go so I wouldn't hold him up. After he left out the crew told me he is trying to break the record of 46days 8hrs 8minutes. The cameraman asked if I'd interview. LOL I answered a few questions for him and then he said it might be on discovery channel. I guess it's sponsored by red bull. They gave me a couple nice cold ones. I never had cranberry before! I might actually drink red bull if it tastes nice. My food drop was not too far off the road so I added that to my pack. WOW! I think I added 10 more pounds of food and I still had 3 days worth I hadn't eaten yet. After the 1000 foot climb I sat for a minute and some NOBOs came by and I gave them free pick from my snack bag. Lighten my load and give them a treat. Win-win! I passed a guy by a spring on the down side of the mtn who said it was supposed to Tstorm at noon. I made it to lean to by 1 and it was growling so I sat and cooked and waited for it to pass. Pretty rowdy thunderstorm and I was happy to be in shelter. Looked clear so I Headed out around 2:30 but by 3:30 it started pouring again so I whipped out my rainfly and huddled under it using my sticks to keep it off me. About 4:15 Jason hiked up soaking wet and it had stopped enough I gathered up and hiked 2 miles with him to the next lean-to. It was pretty treacherous with rocks and roots on the trail wet and a pretty steep climb so it was 6:30 by the time we got there. As we set up out hammocks it rained a little more. So done with today!!! I dug out some hot chocolates and some heed/lemonade for dinner. Hung my 20 lb bear bag and got to bed by 8:30. Only 9.5 miles today but all the breaks meant my feet felt fine at bedtime. WooHOO


Aug 5. - dawdled around and didn't get packed up and hiking until 9am. The white cap peak was worth the climb even with a 50 lb pack. A lot of moose poo on the trail. Surprised me to see it so far up. I thought moose were swamp/pond critters. Met up with Jason in afternoon and we hiked the rest of the day. His map showed a campsite a couple miles past the lean-to but the only ones we saw were too small for us both to fit. I saw a bear near one site but he decided to get away from the bear place. Just before 7pm we passed a one hammock site and I insisted he stay. He was stumbling he was so tired and he hadn't eaten yet. I went down trail about half mile and saw the gulf Hagas cutoff trail which was my 10 mile marker. There was a reforestation sign but I went down a little way and found a perfect campsite ... Except for the deadfall leaning over it! I set up anyway. Poor life decision but I'm too tired and the sun is setting in 30 minutes. No way I'm night hiking in Maine. They'd never find my body. I got water in the crystal clear stream and got my bear bag hung and threw my rainfly up in the almost dark. Laying here journaling and the wind started to blow. If the tree falls on me in the night ... This won't get posted so you'll never know that I set up knowing I was being stupid! 10 miles hiked today ending at mile 82.0 which puts me at 1299 total miles.