Day 123 - Pierce Pond Lean-to (August 9)

We got a late start because we could not fit on the first shutle. I think the first ones out stopped for breakfast because it took an hour and a half for Sue (hostile owner) to return. When we did get to the trail, we knew we would not have enough time to make it to the Kennebec River ferry before it closed so Memphis Tim, Limeonaid, and I decided to take our time to the shelter.

We stopped at the 2,000 mile marker in road to take pictures. This is a maker someone made in a previous year. We already crossed the 2,000 mile mark yesterday. I remember looking in the guide book at the mileage remaining when we had just passed the 2,000 miles to Katahdin mark. That distance was unimaginably large. Now the distance remaining is the same as the distance traveled to get to the 2,000 mile to Katahdin mark. I still can not imagine walking 2,000 miles even though it is something I already did.

It turned out the ferry was closed and will likely remain closed for days due to high water. The ferry is a canoe that somene uses to take hikers across the river. There is a hydroelectric dam upstream that releases water unexpectedly due to electric needs. People have drowned trying to cross the river so the ferry service was started.

We slogged out another 16 miles today. The terrain was relatively flat, but the trail is under water in many places. The trail is wet and slippey. It takes all of your concentration to keep from falling. Just another 155 miles remaining. I'm hoping to be at Katahdin in 7 days, and then take one day to summit. I don't know if this is possible with conditions as they are.

We had floating bog bridges to cross a one section. This seemed like it was something out of a tv reality show like Survivor. The bridges would sink to the bottom when you stepped on them, but you never knew what angle they would be when you finally put all of your weight on them. They were also very slippery.

We hear that we have to ford a couple streams that will be very high. It sounds like the worst that can happen is you might have to swim. The water is cold, but maybe not cold enough for hypothermia if the weather does not worsen.

We went to Harrison Camp in the afternoon to let them know we wanted in on beakfast. We met Shilow's son there who has a truck and is shuttling people around the river. It looks like we have a way around the Kennebec.

The loons are singing tonight. The thru hiker guide book talks about how rugged and unspoiled Maine is. This area is filled with logging roads and cabins on all of the lakes. The Boundary Waters is unspoiled, not Maine.