HIKE MAINE III

“BSP called...no Chimney Pond for us tomorrow...Dry Pond is armpit deep...”

“Dang. I guess getting to CP the hard way, via Helon Taylor and down Dudley is out of the question?

Whatever will be will be though. I'm packing the Jetta now and should be on the road within the hour.”

“Oh, and I'm tossing in 2 tents and some tarps.”

“We'll have enough tents for a small army. I threw in a couple of tents, too. I'm looking at all my gear spread out trying to eliminate what I don't really need before I pack it.

How's the lobsterfest going?”

“hiya! The boys all showed up for the lobsterfest (and skeetah bait). It's really humid and bobo and me just got out of the shower, but he started groping me so now he's sleeping outside. Maybe i'll give him another chance tommorrow if he sobers up!

pffft! Who needs Pennsy when the capn is in town!!!”

“woot! woot!”

“Woot, woot... hmmm, you and bobo showering together??? It's gonna be Maineiac orgyfest what with the rain and bobo's monster tent, isn't it???

LOLOLOLOL... have a great time, all... hehehehe ;-)”

“SB and I are home, Skiracer and Sherpa also came out early. Pics and report to follow. You can not believe what a time we had!!!

You'll have to wait for morning....”

“SB and I headed up to Twigeater's with a very ominous weather report, compliments of a couple hurricanes. We didn't care if we could go or not, we were heading thataway for fun!

When we got to Twigeater's place, she is sweeping the floor in preparation of the gang arriving. Then she tells us that they have closed the trail and that we can not go. Dry Pond is a raging stream, armpit deep for a hundred yards or so. I am so incredulous that she has to tell me again.

Oh well, on with the lobster and clams. Shortly after we arrive, Cap'n Bobo and Lumberzac arrive. Pepsi arrives later with Twigeater's neighbor, Karen. We all have our fill of Lobster and clams. The evening fuzzes out for me as I fall asleep, but there is plenty of good times and, ahem, liqiud refreshment.

In the morning, we are weighing our options, Pepsi is considering the White Mountains, we are slowly moving, and the phone rings!!!! They have opened the trail!!! It is only waist deep and going down!!! On to Dysarts to meet up with everyone else!

Lumberzac has taken it hard from last nights frivolity, but we all eat and head on out. At the park, we load up and head up the trail. Lumberzac has to stop often, and we are all concerned for him. He came all this way, and he may not be able.... We check on him throughout the trip, Pepsi offers to take his pack, but he'd have none of that. He made it up, what a soldier!!! The stream is raging at dry Pond, but all get across dry.

At the lean tos, we find out we are the only ones there and can use the bunkhouse. No skeeters in there, so into the bunkhouse. The persied meteors that Twigeater promised appered. We all take our pads out to the field to enjoy the view. More frivolity for the night, and moose sightings!!!! He munches bushes all over, then beds down in front of the cabin. The moose was to hang around the whole trip. That night, I had to escort my bride to the outhouse. Bullwinkle is out there all the time. I nearly walk into him, half asleep. SB is freaked but I get her to the outhouse. Moosy is unconcerned about us as long as we do not bother him. Get 12 feet from him and he'll bolt.

That night, Pennsy falls out of his top bunk and lands on his butt. He klimbs right back up but is plenty sore after that.

In the morning, after eating, we have to empty the bunkhouse, in case the party who rented it shows up. Lumberzac is better and able to do it!!! Pennsy is sore but plenty able. Twigeater and Skeetah Bait head up the Saddle trail, while the rest of us go up Dudley. At Index Rock, where Pennsy and I decided not to klimb last year, Pepsi goes right up it. It is so easy, once you know how. Pennsy does the jig Twigeater requested on top. We spend a good deal of time there. It seems to be the highlight of the day.

We cross the knife edge, taking in the view all the way. Twigeater and SB are waiting for us at the top. SB is enjoying the view for the first time!!!!

We continue down the tablelands to Hamlim Ridge, which is a bit of a mini Knife edge and head back to Chimney Pond with bugs chasing us.....

We gather at Twigeater's leanto and we all chow on everything. Lumberzac tells us he has never even seen a moose before, and he sees this one up close and personal. It all goes downhill from here!! It doesn't get any better.

That night, the bunkhouse is again available. We take one side and Skiracer and Pennsy (on the bottom bunk) take the other side.

In the morning, After hugs and good byes, Skiracer, Sherpa and we head out, back to reality. We may rejoin the gang at the end of the week.

Pics are uploading right now. Soon, I'll have the address and post it.”

“http://community.webshots.com/user/uphillklimber2

Some pretty good shots!!!”

“What a treat after all the rain on Friday night!!! We were bummin hard, thinkin oh @#$* why now do we have to get a hurricane! But the weather turned out absolutely great!

The "raging" river was an interesting crossing, more for some, than others. :) After gettin to Chimney Pond, when we found out about having the cabin vs. the lean-to, well let's say, I was all over that. Now I really don't mind sleeping in the out- of-doors...but the black flies were all over me! Guess they didn't bother anyone else too much though.

Well, Twigeater and I made it from Chimney Pond up Saddle and over to Baxter Peak in about 2hrs, not bad. We leap frogged with some other girls and a park ranger, but ended up leaving the girls behind about half to three quarters of the way up Saddle. I think this is first time I've made it to the top of the Saddle Trail without being totally exhausted.

When we finailly made it to Baxter Peak the sky clear on one side of the Knife Edge and cloudy on the other. Twigeater and I just took a seat and enjoyed the view watching others reach the top in the different directions. We commented on how each time we've been up there it's been over-cast or cloudy. When the rest of the gang arrived fog rolled over the top. Poor Pennsy...he also commented that every time he arrives it's foggy. We just kinda smerked and said what took you so long, shoulda been here an hour ago.... :) JK Pennsy, there always next year.

Well after a nice long relaxing lunch break, Twigeater and I decided to join the gang for the trip back down via Hamlin Ridge. I had never gone this way, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Well for the most part, it wasn't too bad, there were a few hairy spots for me, but made it and actually enjoyed it. Still owe Skiracer for that comment though....smirk Monkeyboy and I were dragging behind(more like I dragged Monkeyboy behind)when we caught up with the rest after the few hairy spots. He says to me "turn around", so I was thinking that my pants were grimy from siding on my butt, he wanted to "see any brown spots" on my behind. LOL I have to admit it was pretty funny, but you know what they say, payback's a #&%!$...JK We'll see on the next trip who's pulled the wool over on them, eh, eh, eh....

Very enjoyable trip over all. With promises from Twigeater for the Moose sighting, metor showers, good weather, and good company. It was great to meet more TT'ers. BTW, I hope Lumberzac has learned his lesson, unfortuately the hard way. :) Bobo was great fun and company to be with. Pepsi you rock! One heck of a backpacker! Keep it up. It was good to meet Yam, didn't really get much time to talk too much though, maybe next time. Sherpa was always in for a good laught, what a nice guy...carrying all that stuff. Always good to see Pennsy, Skiracer, and Artex. With Artex being closer, probably do more trips together? Well can't wait to hear how the rest of the week went, I'm sure well....too bad we couldn't have stayed, but someone's gotta work sometimes. That always seems to get in the way, gotta find another way. LOL”

“It happened again!!! Sigh...just can't walk away from the computer for a minute ;)(JK)....that last post was/is Skeetah bait...I was logged in.”

“Just got back and have to unpack and get some sleep. Absolutely fantastic trip with fantastic people.

A few quick notes:

Twigeater planned the bestest trip ever. I even got to sleep in the gear room.

Bobo packed in the sunshine.

Monkeyboy forgot to mention his headstand beside Index Rock but I'm sue the pictures will surface. Skeetah bait is a very patient woman and is quite possibly keeping him alive.:)

Pennsy's jinx is broken. We climbed to Baxter Peak via the Cathedral Trail yesterday and had
excellent views.

We accompanied twigeater over the Northwest Basin Trail to Davis Pond, the only trail on Katahdin that she hadn't hiked yet. She has now redlined Katahdin.

Pennsy, Zac and I hiked South Turner this morning on the way out and saw 3 more moose (a mommy and 2 babies) on the way down. Another excellent hike.

Skeetah bait is great, and patient (I guess she has to be)

It's not taking Artex long to get the Florida out of his legs. It was great seeing him again and meeting yam, skiracer, and craig.

Much more later but I must un-pack and sleep.”

“I have to agree with pepsi. the folks we have met at these trailtalk trips are some of the greatest we have ever met.

Great people, great fun!!!”

“I couldn't have asked for a better trip. Great scenary, great buttkicking hiking, and great company. A huge thanks to Twigeater for another outstanding trip.

My quick trip report: Yam's flight got rearranged a bit Friday night. Instead of flying in to Portland, ME, she came into Manchester, NH at a later time. After calling Pennsy to figure out how to get there, I was off and picked her up with no problems.

After picking up Yam the night before, we shoved off the nexty morning around 6:30am. We got to Dysarts near Bangor in plenty of time, and saw Pennsy in the parking lot. A short time later, everyone else arrived, including a very hungover Lumberzac. The poor lad did not look good, and barely touched his homefries. What a waste.

Anyway, we got to Baxter and the weather report called for a 100% chance of rain on Sunday. No worries, at least the trail to our campsite at Chimney Pond was open. As Yam and I were getting ready at the trailhead parking lot, we chatted with a ranger who said the chance of rain was less, and it'd be clear by the morning. Turned out, it never rained at all, aside from a few drops the last night that I never would have noticed had I not gotten up to pee at 2 am.

As the others have said, it was really cool having the bull moose hang around that first night and the days to follow. I'd never seen a bull, only females, so this was a real treat for me.

That night, we slept in the bunkhouse because it was supposed to rain. Pennsy somehow fell out of the third row bunk in the middle of the night. Hearing that and the reactions of others who woke up quicker than I did was a surreal experience, to say the least. He bruised his butt, and no one would massage it for him.

Itinerary for Sunday called for climbing up the Dudley trail, and traversing Knife Edge to the summit of Katahdin. Dudley was very, very steep, and a lot of fun to climb. We "Gollomed" up most of it. The Index Rock was a great. I had always wanted to skirt up it, and was glad to get the chance. Knife Edge was also a blast. Probably the most terrifying 1.1 miles of trail on the East Coast if you have vertigo.

We summited Katahdin and then descended down the Hamlin Ridge trail. That night, more shannagans.

Monday morning, some hiked out. The rest of us split into two groups. Half of us climbed Katahdin again via the Cathedral trail, and the other half went up Saddle. We all met up at the ridge and hiked over towards Dudley pond.

This stretch of trail was amazing. We didn't see anybody on it, and it was downright beautiful. Yam, Bobo, and I decided to wait along there while the others skirted down to the pond.

The Monday night, Yam and I turned in early. We woke up early the next day and hiked out ahead of the others to allow time to get to the airport. We got to Portland in plenty of time, and I showed Yam what little I know of the city.

Notes:

Twigeater - what a hoot! Thanks again for the trip. I'm hoping to plan some trips for next year which will potentially alleviate some work on your end.

Pennsy - You're an animal! I suggest buying a futon for your home. You see, they're lower to the ground.

Skiracer - Glad you're closeby. I know you're busy studying and what not, but let me know when things cool down and we'll plan a trip.

Pepsi - I prefer Diet Coke, but to each their own. I know you also dig the Whites, so let's do a trip soon.

Bobo - You funny! I enjoyed hanging out with you along with the Yamster on the ridge while the others hiked down to Dudley.

Lumberzac - Glad youth prevailed and the hangover didn't.

Monkeyboy & SkeetahBait - Great seeing both of you again. The moose pics are great. We'll have to watch a Patriot game or two together this season.

Sherpa - I'm impressed with your hiking prowess, but would expect nothing less from a native Mainer.

Yam - (I saved the best for last) I'll censor myself here and just say it was a blast. ;-)

My pics turned out great, and I'll try to get them up soon.”

“Yammy's home (I think)... lets hear some more taltrip tales!”

“I think these reports should have their own seperate thread. I'll cut and past these ones into a new one.”

“When all is said and done, I agree. I have done official trip report threads before. I think the trip reports get lost if they are in the planning threads.”