Journals

According to Pittsburgh:

SEPTEMBER 13, 1997 - SATURDAY
   we all went to breakfast, then I drove the multitudes to the trail crossing south of MOXIE POND, after which I returned to the motel. PANTHER FAN and I headed for the trail where it crosses a logging road near the WEST BRANCH of the PISCATAQUIS RIVER. this is where the ladies will end their hike. BUZZY, JOURNEYMAN, STARLIGHT, LEWIS & CLARK, and REPACK passed on by during the day...
   a thunder storm set in before the ladies arrived. they were drenched, but in good spirits when they did arrive. we moved up the road just about a tenth of a mile and set up camp. our large tarp covered the ladies tents, and our small tarp covered the table and chairs. the tarps were edge to edge and sloped in opposite directions...
   the rain mostly stopped, but we stayed under the tarps and played cards, ate supper, then played cards again. it was an all around great evening, with much laughter...

SEPTEMBER 14, 1997 - SUNDAY
   the ladies hiked out in marvelous weather. PANTHER FAN and I headed to MONSON ME for breakfast, then headed out to scout road crossings ahead...
   we returned to MONSON and to SHAWS BOARDING HOUSE where we will be staying for two nights in the bunkhouse. we will also be taking meals there...
   we picked up the ladies at ME 15 and took them to SHAWS. there was quit a crowd there before the evening was over. nineteen people sat down to supper: an array of veggies, plus ham. the atmosphere at SHAWS is sooooo laid back...

SEPTEMBER 15, 1997 - MONDAY
this is a day off from the trail for all of us. TIMMY hung around SHAWS awaiting PETER PANs arrival. NTOs husband and daughter, YVONNE, arrived to see her. all of us, excluding TIMMY, headed for GREENVILLE ME to see what mischief we could get into. we had wanted to take a boat cruise of MOOSEHEAD LAKE, but the boat only goes out on weekends. we headed for the ROAD KILL CAFE and had lunch. after lunch, NTO, SUNSHINE and I took a plane ride from MOOSEHEAD LAKE to MT. KATAHDIN and back. it was a float plane, meaning that we took off and landed on the water. this was a very thrilling thing to do. we roughly followed the trail as we flew towards KATAHDIN, seeing three MOOSE along the way. what an adventure...
supper, conversation and MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL back at SHAWS. it don't get much better than this...

SEPTEMBER 16, 1997 - TUESDAY
after breakfast at SHAWS, I dropped the ladies at the trail crossing on ME 15. I returned to SHAWS for a shower. PANTHER FAN and I, with TAGALONG and PETER PAN following in individual vehicles, headed for the trail crossing along a logging road near LONG POND STREAM. we lounged around all day awaiting all of the various hikers that we are supporting...
everyone eventually arrived. we ate supper and said goodnight...

SEPTEMBER 17, 1997 - WEDNESDAY
   we watched the hikers as they crossed the LONG POND STREAM. SUNSHINE got wet as she slipped from a rock. everyone else made it across dry...
   PETER PAN and PANTHER FAN headed for GREENVILLE ME to run some errands, and TAGALONG and I headed to the logging road at the WEST BRANCH of the PLEASANT RIVER. this is where the hikers will end their day...
   after PANTHER FAN and PETER PAN arrived, we all got in the SLACKPACK VAN and headed out to scout road crossings ahead. we, unfortunately, could not get to the road crossing for tomorrow, the road deteriorated to a point of impassability (is that a word?). we got to a crossing that is at an intermediate spot on the followings days hike. what this means is that our hikers will have to BACKPACK for a day-and-a-half before we can relieve them of their burdens...
   the hikers arrived, we broke the bad news, then we drove up the road to a campsite for the night...

SEPTEMBER 18, 1997 - THURSDAY
   first thing in the morning, the ladies had a river to ford with full packs on. TIMMY and SUNSHINE used duct tape to secure their flip-flops to their feet. NTO wore boat shoes. they all made it across the WEST BRANCH of the PLEASANT RIVER without falling in. it was a fun filled few moments with many photo opportunities...
   I headed out on a road trip too determine if I could get to this afternoons road crossing from another direction. I was sort of hoping that there was no way to to get to he trail crossing, because to do so would bring much wrath, since the ladies really would not have had to backpack this section. but, alas, I was successful in getting to within 1/2 mile of the trail crossing at WEST BRANCH PONDS ROAD (I believe this is actually named KOKADJO - B POND ROAD. the documentation seems to be incorrect)...
   PETER PAN, TAGALONG and PANTHER FAN had headed in other directions, running errands and scouting out road crossings. they were successful in finding a road crossings ahead that will eliminate all further backpacking trips. we all met up at a pre-arranged road junction, then headed for the trail crossing that I had discovered. I hiked in a few miles, to the LOGAN BROOK LEAN-TO, in an effort to locate the ladies. they had intended in finishing their hike at this shelter, and I was to give them the option hiking out to the road crossing. the shelter was populated by a small group of section hikers (MAINEiacs, as we have come to call the locals). we traded stories and laughed a lot while awaiting SUNSHINE, TIMMY, and NTO. the ladies did arrive in short order, thinking that their hiking day was done, and greeting me with mixed feelings. they had just had a tough, tough hiking day punctuated with the assault of WHITE CAP MOUNTAIN, and were not extremely happy to hear that they could have done it without the evil backpacks. they were happy to hear that there would not be any further need to strap on the backpacks through the final days of their hike. NTO sang her wonderful Appalachian Trail song , IT DON'T GET NO BETTER THAN THIS, for the MAINEiacs, then we all hiked out to the van, pulling GRIN-N-BEAR-IT along with us...
   the evening ended very positively with a good hot supper of CHICKEN TACOS...

SEPTEMBER 19, 1997 - FRIDAY - five days to KATAHDIN
   the ladies are back on track with their teeny-tiny day packs. they hiked out in good spirits from WEST BRANCH PONDS ROAD (KOKADJO - B POND ROAD?). the rest of us headed out to search for the best accommodations for the night. we discovered the JO-MARY CAMPGROUND and secured a sight on the banks of beautiful UPPER JO-MARY LAKE with a killer view of MT. KATAHDIN. PANTHER FAN did some laundry, and we all took much needed showers...
   I picked up the ladies at JO-MARY ROAD at the end of their hike. As a practical joke, I told them only that we had found a primitive campsite. they were pleasantly surprised to discover that they could get showers and put on clean clothing, and that we had such a wonderful scenic campsite. they did want to kick the crap out of me for leading them on though...
   PETER PAN offered to treat everyone to PIZZA, so we saddled up and headed for MILLINOCKET ME. as we were leaving, laughter broke out in the next campsite (where BUZZY, TAGALONG, JOURNEYMAN, and STARLIGHT were staying). it seems that a number of SQUIRRELS were busy eating pine cones in the trees above, and were dropping them rapid fire on the campers. it was a rather funny thing to witness...

SEPTEMBER 20, 1997 - SATURDAY - four days to KATAHDIN
   todays hike was wet and cold. the temps have finally caught up with the season. it will officially be autumn in a day or two, and MOTHER NATURE is preparing...
   the ladies hiked from JO-MARY ROAD to the SOUTH END of NAHMAKANTA LAKE. NTO was chilled to the bone when she arrived at the destination. without hesitation she said we were going into MILLINOCKET and stay at a motel. earlier in the day, PANTHER FAN and I had set up camp at a primitive campsite a few miles away. BUZZY, TAGALONG, JOURNEYMAN, and STARLIGHT were set up next door, so we bid them a good evening and headed for town...
   we ate at a chinese restaurant, then went to dreamland...

SEPTEMBER 21, 1997 - SUNDAY - three days to KATAHDIN
todays hike is from the SOUTH END of NAHMAKANTA LAKE to POLLYWOG STREAM. it is a short day for the ladies, but the road crossings dictate it. we spent a leisurely morning in MILLINOCKET, then headed for the trail...
the trail has virtually flattened out, with the goal (KATAHDIN) often in sight, beckoning. the cry is now "ROOTS, ROCKS, and MUD!" the ladies were happy for an easier day... we stayed at the primitive campsite that had been set up since the day before. this evening, BUZZY, TAGALONG, JOURNEYMAN, and STARLIGHT headed for a motel in MILLINOCKET. the temps dropped quickly as the evening progressed. we played cards (hearts) until out fingers had no more feeling...

SEPTEMBER 22, 1997 - MONDAY - two days to KATAHDIN
the hike today is from POLLYWOG STREAM to the ABOL BRIDGE over the WEST BRANCH of the PENOBSCOT RIVER. it is a long hike, again dictated by road crossings. the temps were cold, but the day was clear and gorgeous. the views of KATAHDIN were tremendous, especially from ABOL BRIDGE...
again we stayed in MILLINOCKET. this time it was for me and not for the ladies. the STEELERS were playing a MONDAY NIGHT football game which I did not wish to miss...

SEPTEMBER 23, 1997 - TUESDAY - last hike before KATAHDIN
a cold wet day that could not dampen the spirits of the ladies. they hiked from ABOL BRIDGE to KATAHDIN STREAM CAMPGROUND, with BAXTER PARK. MT. KATAHDIN is pulling hard, and we oblige...
we spent the night in the park at the FOSTER FIELD group camping area. BUZZY, TAGALONG, JOURNEYMAN, and STARLIGHT were with us also. PETER PAN had stayed in MILLINOCKET awaiting some people who would be with us on our last day of the hike. there was another game of hearts that lasted until well after dark...

SEPTEMBER 24, 1997 - WEDNESDAY - assault on KATAHDIN
   as we ate breakfast, PETER PAN arrived with TIMMYs father, and four other family friends from ILLINOIS. TIMMYs father had flown from NORTH CAROLINA, and the others had driven. we broke camp and were at to KATAHDIN STREAM CAMPGROUND early. the temps were low, but the enthusiasm was high. after a few pictures the ladies, with two of the ILLINOIS folks in tow, headed up the mountain. PANTHER FAN and I headed to the other side of the mountain. I dressed, and prepared for an assault of the summit from this side...
   I hiked to within a mile of the summit before the winds and the cold defeated me. before I turned around, I had a joyful rock scramble up the CATHEDRAL TRAIL. all in all, I hiked a respectable eight miles...
   we did not know which side of the mountain that the ladies would come down, so we tried our best to cover all avenues. SUNSHINE and NTO came down while we were enroute from one parking area to another, but they found a fire and stayed warm. TIMMY and her friends arrived a bit later. it had been an extremely difficult hike, but smiles were everywhere!!!
   we headed for MILLINOCKET and a motel. supper was delivered PIZZA, as we celebrated in our room. sleep did not come easily...

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