Make it count: Day #150

Sunday, August 9th - Day #150 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 16.6
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 2021.4/2,193 (92.18%). 171.6 miles left!

ME Route 27 (2004.8) to East Flagstaff Road (2021.4) - Hostal of Maine in Stratton, ME

Total ascent - 5,035’
Total descent - 5,314’

Total States Completed - 13/14

**Rain - Light drizzle at the end of the day into the evening. Most of the hiking day was really nice weather.

—————

Well - the last 4,000’ mountain peak day on the AT for me before Katahdin proved to be a challenging one. 5,000’+ vertical ascent and descent, 11 hours of hiking, tired legs, and scarce water —- all major obstacles.

I don’t know - the course wasn’t too bad. I guess I was just really tired and burnt out. I didn’t get great sleep last night in the bunk room of the Hostal. So today - with about 8 miles to go - everything seemed more difficult. I couldn’t keep up with Slider/Granger, I was out of water and dehydrated, I just fell in a mud hole —-- I was by definition - an unhappy camper.

We peaked Bigelow West Peak and Bigelow Avery Peak today. Of the 10 peaks in Maine over 4,000’ that we came across already - we actually stood on the summit of 6 of them. (Saddleback, The Horn, South Crocker, North Crocker, Bigelow West, Bigelow Avery). Old Speck, Abraham, Spaulding, and Sugarloaf - the AT passes near the summit but doesn’t actually go to the official peak of these mountains.

As I write the blog - the world is a much better place for me. Slider/Granger, Sam and I had pizza and ice cream for dinner (the Hostal has frozen pizzas and ice cream you can buy from them). Dexter and Pearl are here - it was great to talk with them. Shoe Bones is here as well - good to catch up with him. Granger sewed a rip in my new pack - very thankful for her. I got to meet a couple new SOBO hikers.

So - due to Covid - many hikers are beginning their thru hike in July and August and heading southbound to Georgia from Maine. Everyday for the last couple weeks - we see 4-5 SOBO hikers on the course. It’s really an interesting dynamic. Me (being a NOBO) am almost completed with my journey. The SOBOs are just getting started. I don’t think I would change places with them for all the money in the world. It’s been an amazing experience - but under no circumstance would I want to do it over again right now. Maybe when I have time to reflect after my journey - I’ll have a different perspective (my body just needs to heal first)

It’s getting pretty late - almost 10pm. We only got back to the Hostal around 6pm - so the night went by quick. Tomorrow is another big 16+ mile day - but only half the vertical numbers as today. My body is sore and beat up. Here’s to a restful night of sleep.

12 more days to go (3 more hotel stays and 9 nights camping)!!!!! 30,000’ vertical ascent and 26,000’ vertical descent remaining. — I’m not counting or anything.

Goodnight from a really cool Hostal on the AT!