Mud!

Last fall, the hiking was wet. It rained every weekend, and when it wasn't raining, the trails were streams. Chuck and I started hiking this season almost 2 months ago. We have managed exactly 4 hikes: once we weren't turned back by snow; once we summited Caribou, once we started up Goose Eye, only to be poured on and turned back by a stream too high to cross. Yesterday, we went to Mt Apatite in Auburn, just to get out of the house. We encountered ankle deep mud covering the trail and the worst crop of mosquitoes Chuck has ever seen!

So, my posts have been as sparse as a sunny day here in Maine. With any luck, we'll be able to hit the trail next weekend! This time we won't forget the bug dope!

Shakedown Hike Redux

Yesterday, Saturday, May 15, Chuck and I hit the trail again. Finally! I know you all have been waiting; Chuck has even been told that one post every 2 weeks is unacceptable. I'd type myself if it weren't impossible.

Anyway, we left the house without a plan. But, it wasn't too long before Chuck announced that we were going to finish what we started two weeks ago. We were going back to Caribou Mountain. We had left Auburn late, so it was 1:45pm before we got on the trail. The leaves are open on the trees and so the smells were a bit different. I was a little nervous as we started hiking, but Chuck kept going, so I followed.

After about 15 minutes, we encountered a horse and rider on the trail. I didn't say anything to the horse, but it looked like Batman. It was wearing some kind hat with pointy ears, kind of like Batman's cowl. Weird. I thought Chuck should take a picture, but he didn't, I think he was a bit intimidated.

A bit later, it started to rain. Chuck put on his raincoat to make it stop and it did. He was watching the rain on the radar on his cell phone and new we were going to stay dry. Note to inventors: Chuck thinks hiking GPS thingys should have a weather radar overlay; someone get on that.

Pretty soon, two giant black dogs came flying down the trail. I started running away, all the while barking like I was chasing something. Chuck eventually managed to pick me up out of the hackle hair, and two pretty girls came running. They were dressed in Spandex (the girls not the dogs) which was a bit strange. They apologized; they thought Lucy had been eaten, and then they went on their way. We continued on.

Three guys came down the trail a little further on, one talked to us about his truck, a gold Toyota with ladder racks that we must have been parked next to. Not really sure what that was all about...

As we started to near the top, the wind picked up. We were now in what looked like scrub evergreens, though we were about a thousand feet from timberline. The wind in those trees was like a jet engine. Very spooky. The summit must provide amazing views on a sunny day. We hiked for the challenge; no whip cream on top for us:(

The hike down was slow, Chuck being careful not to break something; he has a history. He's pretty smart; hiking alone, out of shape and pushed beyond what he should have. And, the way down is always harder... but, he was very careful and everything worked out alright.

It was a fun day; a bit rushed, perhaps, by the late start, but a nice hike nonetheless. Chuck may be ready to start hiking with others:)

Shakedown Hike - Caribou Mountain, Maine

Chuck and I went hiking today. Finally! I have waited all winter to get back out; he did some hiking this winter, but I couldn't go; my legs are too short and I just float on my belly with my legs flailing. It's pretty funny. Anyway...

He had some work around the house to do in the morning, so it was 11:30 before we got off. We were headed for the back of Caribou Mountain in the White Mountain National Forest. After an hour in the car, we were confronted by a tree across the road at a place call Pooh Corner Farm. Chuck went in to ask if we could park there while I waited in the car. When he came back he started getting ready, while I stretched my legs and checked out the scents. There were some pretty strange noises going on, so I went to investigate. It didn't take long for me to find it; it looked like a small horse (which I know about because the first place I lived with my brother had horses), but had really long ears. Hee haw! Chuck said his name was Eyeore. I let Eyeore know, in no uncertain terms, that he freaked me out a bit. I wish Chuck had taken a picture, but he didn't.

The first 3/10 of a mile was on the road to the trailhead. The woods remind me of fall; a carpet of brown and no leaves on the trees. The sound of rushing water was all around us. There weren't any interesting smells, so we just hiked.

The hike was pretty uneventful. Chuck did have to help me across two "streams" rushing with snow melt. Boy, he's out of shape; he huffed and puffed and sweat just poured off him. We ran into a couple coming down who probably thought Chuck was having a heart attack right there on the trail.

As we continued on, the going began to get tougher. Often we were in mud up to my belly, and I had a really hard time. We began to encounter snow on the trail, too. When we hit the border of the Caribou Speckled National Wilderness (that's me near the sign post in the picture), the snow started to cover the trail completely. I was having trouble going on, so Chuck turned around.

The hike out was great, I went ahead of Chuck, waiting only when I was about to go out go sight. It was fun. At one point, I found some great smells and took a short side trip, but as soon as Chuck whistled, I was back on the trail.

I made quite a mess of the car on the way home. Chuck gave me a bath (yuck, I hate baths) when we got there. I'm still pulling sticks out of my hair. Sometimes I wish I was a short-hair like Fenway and Chancey across the street.

Even though we didn't get to the summit, it was a fun day. I'm sure we'll be back this summer to do it again.