I wound up hiking 10.55 miles (in 6 hours 1 minute):
It was REALLY COLD in the tent last night:
But the hot water in the shower came on IMMEDIATELY, which is better than any of the Super 8s I have stayed in! Showered-shaved-and-shined, and off to breakfast at The Looney Moose Cafe. Then 3.5 miles up a dirt road, to park next to my hiking buddies:
It is cloudy and in the low 60s - bug spray, but no sun block or hat!
Once again, it is kind-of-a-hard-hike here in the Maine woods:
An hour into the hike I got a good view of the Maine Woods:
Thank goodness for the Applachian Trail white blazes!!
Although the trail goes up next to South Crocker, my first summit today was further north at Crocker Mountain:
Looking north from Crocker Mountain:
Then backtrack the trail south
to the summit of South Crocker:
And that is where the "official trail dotted line" stops. Mount Redington is the only Maine 4000 footer with no trail to the summit. Having said that, so many people have hiked it that there is a worn-down path (narrow) down the backside of South Crocker and up to the top of Mount Redington:
There is an unbelievable amount of moss in the forest on the backside of South Carter:
Nice view from this hike includes a shot from South Carter, looking at Sugarloaf on the left and Spaulding on the right:
Hiking on today's trails, I did a large amount of "trail cleaning" - getting branches and loose rocks off the trail (I can't imagine the original trail-builders envisioned that "loose stuff" on the Trail). As a result, 1) AT hikers will have a more pleasant experience in these Maine Woods, and 2) I was able to make GREAT TIME going back down the trail! (selfless? selfish? - you figure it out)
Back to the car around 2:40, back out to the highway by 3, and grilled swordfish dinner at the Manchester Yacht Club a little after 7!! Thank You God for letting me pull off this great adventure!
fyi This only leaves 2 more 4000 footers in Maine - North Brother and Hamlin Peak of Mount Katahdin:
It has been a cold summer, so I don't want to do these unless there is an "Indian Summer".
Music today from my purple nano:
The Doors - Waiting For The Sun, 1968
Lyrics "Summer's Almost Gone":
Summer's almost gone
Summer's almost gone
We had some good times
But they're gone
The winter's comin' on
Summer's almost gone
Ian Murray - Waiting for the Wind, 2005
Kent Henry - Waking, 2006
U2 - War, 1983 (plus 2008 bonus cd)
Patti Smith - Wave, 1979 (only 3 songs: "Frederick", "Dancing Barefoot", "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star")
Unfortunately, except for her phenomenal debut album, I don't think Patti Smith is very good. Having said that, because of her first album (and her rock-and-roll personality), she deserves to be in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame! These are the 3 good songs from Wave.
