Trail Notes – August 25 (Bemis Mt. Second Peak)

So many options for where to camp tonight. Shelter 8.2 miles, campground 12.something, Rangeley 17.something, or stealth camping along the way. I am in the shelter now, but there was good reason for it!

I wanted to get to Rangeley on Friday, so I had two days to split 17 miles. I was going to do more than 8 today, but you see, .3 miles from this shelter is Long Pond – I’d actually classify it as a small lake. It had cool water, a sandy beach, and tiny waves. Not warm and stagnant like a pond. I dumped my gear at the shelter, changed into my lightest-weight clothing, and walked back to play in the water. Perfection!

Sadly, though I stood there in the water, holding aloft a hiking pole, no one came by to claim it from my hands and thus assert their right to the kingdom of Hikealot. Unless you count the lonely loon that kept calling. Eventually, my arm got tired, and clouds started rolling in, so I called it a day and took myself back to the shelter, hiking poles and all. So much for being Lady of the Lake!

Okay, I have to add a corollary to Ziptie’s Rule of Summoning… When you are changing your clothes out in the open after 3 hours of not seeing anyone, someone will be by within 30 seconds of finishing. I will not do that again! Close call. 

Tomorrow, as I said, Rangeley, where an actual grocery store may be found! Since I calculated my food down to where I have exactly one Knorr pasta dish, one serving of oatmeal, and just enough snacks for tomorrow, resupply is essential. Plus I need to hit the outfitters. But it will not even be a nearo. 9 miles tomorrow, stay overnight, hit the trail again early in the morning.  

Maine’s getting easier. Kinda. A little. For a few days anyway. Those spaghetti roots all over the trail though… Today was a lot of rock whalebacks, kinda sidewalky, easy to walk on. I did like that. 

I hike on!