July 4 Rainbow Stream Lean-to, ME to Abol Bridge, ME 15.1 miles walking. Then to Monson, ME

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The nightly storm rolled through sometime after midnight. This morning the river has not changed level even with the nights rain. CC was stressed over the crossing this morning and did not eat much. It will be a quick trip to the bridge and the truck as rain is in the forecast with the barometer falling steeply since going to bed last night. The crossing went off without a hitch, besides CC almost making herself sick with worry. I have the crossing on video so you will be able to see it later.

We were out of the shelter by 7AM and across the stream by 7:30. The first part of the walk was good without much water being on the trail. We managed to get our boots somewhat dry and were reluctant to get wet today. The fog hung close to the ground and the ponds and lakes looked beautiful. We have yet to hear a Loon, I would like to hear that lonesome cry echo across the water. Soon enough we did find the “Appalachian Stream.” We could tell there had been a real bad storm move through the area over night. The trees had been thrashed by hail and wind causing the forest floor to be covered in green foliage and small branches. You could also see there had been lots of water flowing down what is supposed to be the trail. All the low areas were ponds. Our almost dry boots were now soaked again, I quit trying to avoid all but the deepest water. You get to a point where you are so wet you just forge ahead through the water and try to keep your feet under you. There were quite a few folks who stayed at a campsite north of our shelter. I think we saw 10 - 12 people walking south this morning, boy I’m glad we chose to stay in the shelter and not push on to the camping area. We had been told it was muddy, after all the rain and wind last night the place looked quite uncomfortable.

We made the next shelter about 12:30. Just before the shelter there was a stream which was more a river! The rock placement was such I believed we could rock hop across without having to get real wet. Wet like the man and woman who were waist deep in the water working their way back to the shelter side shore. We felt bad as we bounced past the woman like children playing with day packs, while she labored under her heavy pack and the pressure of the water. Sitting in the shelter eating lunch they came up after putting their shoes back on. They had started the section three days earlier and had decided to go back south and do a section in Virginia. They were from Florida and were turned back by the high water levels. As we headed out the wind picked up some. Rain was on it’s way.
The last three miles went up over a small mountain along some ledges. The terrain here looks much like Alaska, short pine trees, moss and rolling hills. The clouds dropped wrapping us in a blanket of gray soft light, like a baby blanket. CC had put on her pack cover first thing this morning, I had procrastinated or maybe just had a positive attitude and had not. The rain started slowly and I took time to throw the cover on and my rain jacket. No sooner than we started walking the sky opened up and CC was forced to put her jacket on. The remaining miles were wet, but our spirits were not dampened as the vehicle was at the end of our walk! The last bit in the woods was as per normal, up a hill. Breaking out on to the road we were both elated about finishing the “100 Mile Wilderness!” Being the long weekend for the 4th of July many people were at the camp ground. Crossing the Abol Bridge five rafts full of people headed down stream for a days excitement on the water. I wonder if they knew the water levels were as high as they are.

Dropping our packs in front of the store door we went in to get ourselves a treat/reward for completing our walk. That done we headed for the vehicle to change into warm, dry cloths and head for Monson. One thing to remember, if you change cloths outside in Maine in the summer.... Be prepared to be feasted on by mosquitoes and black flies. The drive to Monson was wet like the week prior, rain most of the way. Arriving at the trail head we were met by a fellow who is a free lance writer for the Bangor paper. He was doing a report about how the high water levels were effecting the hiking in the north woods. We headed for town to do laundry and have supper. We made it to bed by 10PM tired but dry, clean and warm.

Patrick, Deborah Mooney aka OD & CC
All Who Wander Are Not Lost

For Photos and Video: http://odandccslongwalk.shutterfly.com/

OD and CC have been marking their path with a GPS using SPOT Satellite Messenger and can be tracked at the following link. It keeps track of their last 7 days: http://tinyurl.com/o2g53z

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