Maine #8 (Sugarloaf) and #9 (Spaulding)

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 - Continuing in the middle group (Maine's Middle Mountains), this year's peaks (Saddleback Mountain, The Horn, Mount Abraham and The Bigelows) are X-ed out, and today's peaks - Sugarloaf and Spaulding - are in the purple circle:


I wound up hiking 11.5 miles (in 5 hours 41 minutes):


You know you are WAY UP HERE when the US-Canada Border is only 37 Miles away:


As opposed to my hikes out west, which were "relatively level" (except for Texas Pass and Jackass Pass), these "4000 footers" (especially here in Maine) are HARD


The first half-mile is actually on the "road", before you get to the trail. Then 0.15 miles down to the South Branch Carrabassett River. But then it goes (almost) straight up for then next 3 miles, which took just about 2 hours. There are some spots where it is hand-over-hand climbing up rock! (which also means that you have to be VERY CAREFUL going down!!).

Pretty woods going up:


With a nice break-out view looking south:


Found some berries:


Deede taught me: "Red Is Dead"

Got to the top of Sugarloaf at 4:12:


Nice view from the summit of a lot of Maine:


Back down to the "Trail Intersections":

Continue south along the ridge trail (not much of a "ridge"):

and take the side-trail up to Spaulding Mountain summit:


At this point, it is 5:42 in the late afternoon, and I have 5 miles to go to get back to my car - it will be dark in 2 hours, so I better MOVE IT! Only one picture going down, of a really interesting moss-covered rock:


I made it back down to the river safely, crossed over, and up a little trail in the almost-dark. Then the final 1/2 mile back to my car - I didn't use the headlamp, but I had it just in case! PB&J sandwich for dinner (plus chips and nuts), and the gate at the Cathedral Pines Campground was OPEN when I got there. Nice chat with a lady/owner/employee in a golf cart, found my spot (#72), and set up my tent in the light of the Fit's headlights. Brushed my teeth in their bathroom (hot shower tomorrow morning!), and crawled into bed. Thank You God for letting me pull off this great adventure!

Music today from my purple nano:

Afro Celt Sound System - Volume 3: Further in Time, 2001

Wikipedia lists their genre as: "Worldbeat, Celtic fusion, ethnic electronica", and it is a pretty cool album. Guest vocalists include Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant.

Joe Jackson - Volume 4, 2003 (plus a bonus CD of live material from the 2002 UK tour.)


Lyrics "Love at First Light":

And if we untangle the webs that we weave
Then maybe there's room for more laughter

Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers, 1969

Do you want to keep the "hippie dream" alive?
Just listen to some Jefferson Airplane albums - LOUD.

- the youthful revolutionary/"Get Together" sentiment of "We Can Be Together"
- the longing for the Biblical "Good Shepard":
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep

- let's go live on a commune - lyrics to "The Farm"
Bought myself a farm way out in the country
Took to growin lettuce, milkin cows and honey

- of course, the entire song "Wooden Ships" - people on the shoreline: Leave Us Be
- please take extra effort to hold on to the Dream, and not get dragged down by/into the Revolution.

RaynCo. - Wait, 5 songs

Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus, 1978 live double album