Day: |
105 |
Date: |
Friday, 15 August 1986. |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
27.2 |
Daily Other Miles |
0 |
Total
AT Miles: |
2020.2 |
Total All Miles |
2078.2 |
Weather: |
Mild, overcast. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch:
Biscuits and peanut butter. Dinner: Macaroni cheese, instant
pudding. |
Aches: |
None bad. |
Animals Seen: |
Moose, weasel (?). |
People Seen: |
1 AT Thru-Hiker (southbound), 10 overnight
hikers, 2 day hikers, some others. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 4:30pm and packed up in the dark,
putting everything in garbage bags in preparation for the big
crossing. After breakfast, I headed down to the river which was now
much lower and covered with a patchy mist. Quite attractive. I
carried a pole for support but, apart from some slippery rocks, the
crossing was something of an anticlimax and, at its deepest, the
water was only mid-thigh. On the northern bank, I rearranged some
things and put on my shoes and socks before setting off on a long
day of 27 miles. Fortunately, the first six miles were road-walking
and I covered them in good time. The first of those miles took me
through the little village of Caratunk where everybody seemed to be
still asleep as I tip-toed through. I took my first break at
Pleasant Pond Lean-To before the steep climb up Pleasant Pond
Mountain. I didn’t bother taking the side-trail to the summit. The
Trail descended the other side through deciduous forest and it was
here I disturbed and saw my first moose. It trotted off into the
forest. I continued to make good time and took my second break at a
very pleasant spot on the shores of Moxie Pond. Then followed the
ascent of Moxie Bald Mountain from the shoulders of which there were
excellent views towards the bluish mountains in the distance. I had
lunch at Moxie Bald Mountain Lean-To on the shores of pretty Bald
Mountain Lake and chatted to a female school-teacher from
Philadelphia and a southbound AT Thru-hiker. With weather reports
indicating scattered afternoon showers, I walked the remaining seven
miles to my target Breakneck Ridge Lean-To through mixed forest with
plenty of bogs. Already there, with a fire going, was Gary, who was
out for a few weeks shakedown in preparation for doing the AT next
year. We talked a fair bit and I went to bed at 8:30pm. A big, but
good, day. I was initially worried a bit about Gary, who seemed the
Rambo-type with knives etc., but he loosened up after a while. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track (2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|