We hiked for a few miles and camped at Pierce Pond. This is where Parkside drowned only a few days prior while swimming.
The next morning we went to Harrison's and had 12 apple/raspberry/blueberry pancakes, 2 eggs, and 3 sausage links. Wonderful breakfast!
That's it for now, hanging hammocks in a lean-to tonight with TZ Brown, Next Time, Listen, and Little Foot.
We'll catch you in Stratton tomorrow Carpe!
Live the adventure!
~ Shadow and Void Grimm
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June 25, 2012
Apparently Randy was telling his boat that as I crested the last class 4 near where they were eddied. Lucky for me he's quick with a throw bag and his aim is particularly good. The rope landed right ahead of me and I was able to grab it with one hand, run it over my shoulder, and grab on with the other hand.
Apparently, the force of a single person going through those rapids with 4800 cfs propelling them is enough to jerk a raft out of an eddy. As I was being pulled in, I felt a bump on the back of my head (my raft) and something grab my shoulders. Nick, the guide from my raft had caught me so I threw back the safety line and was hauled into the boat. One hell of an awesome experience!
After that, we spent another night in a log cabin at Northern and added 3 more to our group for a total of 17.
The next day we were ferried across the Kennebec with much lower and slower water by Steve who was celebrating his 55th birthday.
Cont'd on next post.
Apparently, the force of a single person going through those rapids with 4800 cfs propelling them is enough to jerk a raft out of an eddy. As I was being pulled in, I felt a bump on the back of my head (my raft) and something grab my shoulders. Nick, the guide from my raft had caught me so I threw back the safety line and was hauled into the boat. One hell of an awesome experience!
After that, we spent another night in a log cabin at Northern and added 3 more to our group for a total of 17.
The next day we were ferried across the Kennebec with much lower and slower water by Steve who was celebrating his 55th birthday.
Cont'd on next post.
During the trip, we went through a bunch of class 3 and 4 rapids on the Kennebec river. I was one of three lucky rafters to be tossed out at the first rapid in a 12 mile stretch of white water.
That section is called Upper Alley. I absolutely enjoyed the ride and was having a blast. With me for this were Carpe and Chitty Chitty. Carpe seemed to have a decent time of it but Chitty Chitty did not have such a good time. I floated along near her for most of the ride and ashely told get things to do to distract her and keep her as calm as possible. Eventually she and Carpe were picked up by our raft but I was too far off for that.According to Randy, the guide for the other raft, Upper Alley is the worst section to go involuntary swimming because if the rapid classes through that section and how long it is. If you're not picked up at the end, it's a long ride till the boats can catch up.
cont'd next post.
That section is called Upper Alley. I absolutely enjoyed the ride and was having a blast. With me for this were Carpe and Chitty Chitty. Carpe seemed to have a decent time of it but Chitty Chitty did not have such a good time. I floated along near her for most of the ride and ashely told get things to do to distract her and keep her as calm as possible. Eventually she and Carpe were picked up by our raft but I was too far off for that.According to Randy, the guide for the other raft, Upper Alley is the worst section to go involuntary swimming because if the rapid classes through that section and how long it is. If you're not picked up at the end, it's a long ride till the boats can catch up.
cont'd next post.
Been a few days on trail since the last update. Sitting in a lean-to waiting fire the rain to slack off a bit. Not sure whether we're going to camp here for the night, continue to the next campsite, or grab a ride into Stratton, ME. So nice not having to force decisions and live easygoing.
The group of 8 jumped to 14 while we were in Caratunk and we ended up spreading ourselves over two logdominiums at Northern Outdoors. Carpe and I spent about four hours grey blazing in order to find some of out hiking troop, which we have begun calling "The Merry Hikers of Sherwood."
White blazing = hiking the AT.
Grey blazing = driving down ATV roads or any gravel roads.
Yellow blazing = driving on paved roads.
Blue blazing = traveling down waterways near the trail.
Earlier that day, 14 of us went white water rafting, as Void mentioned, filling two rafts. It was a great time with a nice lunch of steak, chicken, pasta salad, and beans. Our guides, Nick and Randy were amazing.
cont'd next post.
The group of 8 jumped to 14 while we were in Caratunk and we ended up spreading ourselves over two logdominiums at Northern Outdoors. Carpe and I spent about four hours grey blazing in order to find some of out hiking troop, which we have begun calling "The Merry Hikers of Sherwood."
White blazing = hiking the AT.
Grey blazing = driving down ATV roads or any gravel roads.
Yellow blazing = driving on paved roads.
Blue blazing = traveling down waterways near the trail.
Earlier that day, 14 of us went white water rafting, as Void mentioned, filling two rafts. It was a great time with a nice lunch of steak, chicken, pasta salad, and beans. Our guides, Nick and Randy were amazing.
cont'd next post.
June 20, 2012
It took 3 days to hit it up at Caratunk, ME. We are staying with about 6 or 7 others in a cabin. There is a pool and hot-tub so we are gonna be taking a dip sometime in the very near future. Tomorrow we are planning on going for a white water rafting trip and head out again to Stratton the day after. As Andy (or rather, "Shadow" as his trail name is) has started saying, "Hiking the Appalachian Trail is just a really long adventure broken up with days of hiking in between". Caratunk is pretty empty, there is nothing really here except a couple lodges and white water rafting groups.
Met up with a bunch of folks we've been staying with on the trail usually. We have, Pikey (he's pretty awesome, great stories and lots of advice about almost anything), Hoofer (Pikey's girlfriend and she is an all around hilarious person (gotta get a link to the video when it goes up on YouTube of her "trampolining" on a water trampoline), Carpe (He got injured a bit ago and has since been traveling with us via vehicle and just having fun with us and driving us places, badass that he is), Anchor (he is a funny man and great hiker, haven't been with him for too long though but he fits in pretty well), Littlewing (his older but shorter brother is apparently named Condor which is pretty funny, and he is trying to do the hike before he has to go back to college), Scrum (He's been around for about 2 days and he has a very awesome laugh), Bev/Trooper (we all call her Bev, but have since trail named her trooper for now but still call her Bev, she is awesome, hikes at her own pace and has a dog that everyone loves), and lastly we have Riffle (Bev's dog. He loves Pizza, and he apparently has more energy at the end of a hike than everyone in camp put together. and i quote "He finished the hike for the day, played fetch with a stick for an hour, and then rolled around and tore up ferns all over the camp area").
Andy has been trail named "Shadow" as i said before because i am the one always in front and he is always behind me like my shadow. I am trail named "The Void" because i eat so much. and together, Shadow and I were trail named "the Grimm Brothers" by Pikey and Hoofer.
Anchor and Littlewing didn't see our tracks going tot he top of Moxie Bald Mtn yesterday so they said we hadn't (we have pictures though) and then we said well, Shadows don't leave footprints and if they did, Voids would suck them up anyway.
Lastly, Pleasant Pond Mountain was a pain in the butt... and that is putting it very VERY gently. what Anchor and Littlewing thought would take them maybe 2 hours to do took them more like 3 or 3.5, what we thought would be about 2 false summits ended up being more like 7+ and we went downhill about 5 times as much as we thought we were going to have to. Instead of climbing about 1400 feet like we had expected it was more like 1800 or 1900. It has since been renamed "NOT-Pleasant Pond Mountain".
Signing out and going for a swim,
Void and Shadow Grimm
Met up with a bunch of folks we've been staying with on the trail usually. We have, Pikey (he's pretty awesome, great stories and lots of advice about almost anything), Hoofer (Pikey's girlfriend and she is an all around hilarious person (gotta get a link to the video when it goes up on YouTube of her "trampolining" on a water trampoline), Carpe (He got injured a bit ago and has since been traveling with us via vehicle and just having fun with us and driving us places, badass that he is), Anchor (he is a funny man and great hiker, haven't been with him for too long though but he fits in pretty well), Littlewing (his older but shorter brother is apparently named Condor which is pretty funny, and he is trying to do the hike before he has to go back to college), Scrum (He's been around for about 2 days and he has a very awesome laugh), Bev/Trooper (we all call her Bev, but have since trail named her trooper for now but still call her Bev, she is awesome, hikes at her own pace and has a dog that everyone loves), and lastly we have Riffle (Bev's dog. He loves Pizza, and he apparently has more energy at the end of a hike than everyone in camp put together. and i quote "He finished the hike for the day, played fetch with a stick for an hour, and then rolled around and tore up ferns all over the camp area").
Andy has been trail named "Shadow" as i said before because i am the one always in front and he is always behind me like my shadow. I am trail named "The Void" because i eat so much. and together, Shadow and I were trail named "the Grimm Brothers" by Pikey and Hoofer.
Anchor and Littlewing didn't see our tracks going tot he top of Moxie Bald Mtn yesterday so they said we hadn't (we have pictures though) and then we said well, Shadows don't leave footprints and if they did, Voids would suck them up anyway.
Lastly, Pleasant Pond Mountain was a pain in the butt... and that is putting it very VERY gently. what Anchor and Littlewing thought would take them maybe 2 hours to do took them more like 3 or 3.5, what we thought would be about 2 false summits ended up being more like 7+ and we went downhill about 5 times as much as we thought we were going to have to. Instead of climbing about 1400 feet like we had expected it was more like 1800 or 1900. It has since been renamed "NOT-Pleasant Pond Mountain".
Signing out and going for a swim,
Void and Shadow Grimm
June 14, 2012
Andy and I made it to Monson. 100 Mile Wilderness is over with! we've decided that more food would not be a bad thing if we can manage it. Sending a bunch of stuff home to lighten our packs. Met some awesome people along the trail and in Monson. Taking at least one 0 day. We stopped off at Hiker's Haven (a re-opened stop near the end of the wilderness going SOBO) and had some absolutely phenomenal burgers. If you hike, I say stop there. We are staying at the Lakeshore House/Pub while resting. (www.thelakeshorehouse.com) Its nice and cozy with a largeish town not too far away with some extra things we can do. Food is delicious.
June 8, 2012
In two days. Katahdin was
In two days. Katahdin was wet and cold with 60+ mph winds. Been fairly relaxed pace and weather since then. Next update from White Cap or Monson.
Almost halfway through the 100
Almost halfway through the 100 mile wilderness. Sumitting White Cap Mountain
June 2, 2012
So we met up with Smokey the Bear. He said he had to leave Virginia because he w
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