Nan's 2014 Appalachian Trail Journal

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September 24, 2014

9/16 Miles remaining 220.4 with a 13.2 hike today. We left the Cabin after the usual breakfast. We were there three nights and found that breakfast was the same every morning. Honey said that Bear cooked breakfast. I guess that he has a limited menu. Anyway, we got a ride to Rte. 17 to start hiking north. After two days of slack packing and getting our resupply, our packs felt heavy. I had also picked up a small blanket at the Cabin since the weather is forecast to get pretty cold and I was afraid my sleeping bag would not be warm enough. We did not get on the trail until 9:00 but it was a pretty nice hike with no big climbs, just the usual rocks, roots, and mud.

Yesterday when we were hiking south doing our slack packing, we passed lots of north bounders but today only saw a few; Chip, Hungry Horse, and a young man we have been seeing but I don’t know his name. We decided to stay at a hostel again tonight to be a little warmer than in our tents. I’m not sure that will be the case here at Hiker Hut. It is a cute little building but off of the grid. Right now there is a kerosene heater and lantern going but they will be turned off when we sleep. There is no bathroom, just a porta-potty, so it is not really much better than a shelter. A shelter is free while this hostel is $20. It is run by a nice couple and they did give us a nice hot meal but it is a little too much money for the accommodations. I think that they are Buddhists because there are prayer flags hanging around everywhere.

9/17 We have 208.5 miles to go. 11.9 miles today. Today we crossed Saddleback Mtn., The Horn, and Saddleback Junior. It was a beautiful day, sunny and clear. The views from the Saddlebacks were amazing. Lots of walking above tree line with 360º views. Last night it did not get as cold as we had heard it would be so we thought that maybe tonight would be okay for camping. We passed up the lean-to and looked for a site at a lower elevation and a bit more sheltered. When we stopped by Piazza Rock Lean-to there was an entry in the log that Warren Doyle had been there near the end of August doing his 18th thru hike. Boy is he a crazy person. Twice is one too many times for me. I am sooooo ready to be finished.

9/18 – 196.5 miles to go. 12.0 miles today to Caribou Valley Road. Ran into several slack packers today that had been at the Cabin when we stayed there. Puzzle was being met at Caribou Valley Road by Miss Janet so we decided to also get a ride into Stratton for the night. Once again, everyone that has internet service on their cell phones was saying that it was going to be very cold. Miss Janet is a die-hard trail person. Every year she follows hikers south to north to shuttle and do whatever to help hikers. This year she has pretty much stayed with Hog Driver as he moves north. He is a retired Air Force pilot and now flies for Delta. His trail name has something to do with the aircraft that he flew (perhaps the A-10 Warthog). Anyway, he does not want to camp out so he has been slack packing with the help of Miss Janet. He told us that he buys her dinner, pays for motel room, buys gas, and anything to keep her happy.

9/19 with 188.2 miles to go. 8.3 miles today from Caribou Valley Road to Rte. 27. Sue, that runs the Stratton Motel, shuttled us back to Caribou Valley Road for the hike over the Crocker Mtn. range. It was a big climb up South Crocker with a little downhill then more of a climb up North Crocker. Nice hike, cool and clear. The trail was pretty good with no horrible cliff climbs or descents. Tomorrow we have the Bigelow Range and then the trail flattens out for some miles and is at a lower elevation. Maybe it will not be as cold. We are hoping to start doing more miles daily to up our average since we are three days behind our schedule. Freckles was having a little trouble with her knee today. Hope that it feels better tomorrow.

Until later, this is Drag’n Fly signing out.

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