it is the only one that I can day-trip to, so all the rest will take some (overnight) planning.
As I left town this morning, I had a little surprise!
is Jesse handling our town's boat-ramp work??
I plan today's hike to go up The Eyebrow trail (1.2 miles), then continuing up Old Speck Trail Trail (2.5 miles), then 0.3 miles up to the summit of Old Speck Mountain (4,170 feet). Instead of going straight back down, I want to take the spur/path (Mahoosuc Trail) down to Speck Pond (1.1 miles). Then, after a quick swim, back to the parking lot (1.1 + 2.5 + 1.0 miles):
Estimated 10.0 miles altogether - let's see how "close to reality" that is.
Into Boston for the Thursday Morning Men's Breakfast, then up into Maine. Right before the trailhead is Screw Auger Falls - a wonderful waterfall area. Lots of people out having fun on a sunny summer day!:
It was a great day for a hike, as evidenced by all the people in the parking lot:
That's "The Eyebrow" looming above the parking lot - I'll be up there soon!
40 minutes later, this is the view from "The Eyebrow"!!
That is Maine Highway 26 going south through Grafton Notch
It is a kind-of-difficult hike, with many rocks, and ups and downs. There is also a lot of moss, saying to me that it gets very wet up here:
2-and-1/2 hours (4 miles) after starting - my selfie on Old Speck (my 1st one in Maine):
Yes, that is a firetower right next to me - fabulous views from the top!:
The trail down to Speck Pond is very hard, but totally worth it! At 3,400 feet, it is billed as "Maine's highest body of water", and is really quite beautiful:
Back up and over the mountain - my last 2 miles was with Steven, from Maryland, who had hiked bits-and-pieces of the AT over the past 10 years, and only had 190 miles at the beginning, and 240 miles at the end to finish it all - pretty impressive for a 62 year old grandfather! Thank You God for a GREAT DAY! 10.86 miles in 6 hours 19 minutes, with an elevation gain of 3,412 feet!
Thursday, July 28, 2016 (left home at 6 AM, home at 11 PM)
37 miles -- down into Boston
189 miles -- up 95 into Maine, then up 26 (1 PM at the trailhead)
10.86 miles -- hiking (6 hours 19 minutes)(I stopped MapMyWalk when I went swimming at Speck Pond!)
189 miles - 3 1/2 hours to get home (including dinner from KFC in South Paris, Maine)
Music today:
Into Boston:
the Miles Davis Quintet - The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965, 1965 - disc 4
the jazz sounded really great.
Morning drive up into Maine:
Jimmy Buffett - Feeding Frenzy: Jimmy Buffett Live!, 1990
The Allman Brothers Band - The Fillmore Concerts, 1971 (2 cds)
On October 10, 1992, The Fillmore Concerts, an expanded version of At Fillmore East, was released as a two-disc CD. As quoted in a review: "Ornery and loud, it's perfect driving music for the road that goes on forever."
Evening drive home:
The Allman Brothers Band - "Mountain Jam", 1971 live
Counting Crows - Films About Ghosts, their greatest hits album released 2003
various artists - For the Lady: dedicated to freeing Aung San Suu Kyi and the courageous people of Burma, 2004
various artists - Folk Live From Mountain Stage, 1997
Bill Morrissey - Standing Eight, 1989
Bill Morrissey - Inside, 1992
Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Art Museums and National Parks (on July 23, 2016 I finished a 6-day trip to Indiana/Kentucky/DC/Connecticut)
hyperlink: dixonheadingwest
http://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/
