August 12 - Warnings

Post date: Aug 14, 2012 9:47:55 PM

While there was little rain today during the hike, the rain of the past few days was evident with its moist fingerprint present on the rocks requiring climbing as well as the rocks to be hiked on. "Five Pair" met several SOBOs and after initial greetings their conversation began with “Let us warn you” regarding an upcoming issue.

The deviant nature of the trail designers was also on display today as the trail took a path away from the woods and had the hikers cross over major root covered trail and algae encrusted, wet rocks. As a bonus and consistent with the previous warnings, "Five Pair" then encountered slimy wooden planks with similarly covered hand rails constructed over streams and wet terrain below. The hiking was as slow on these planks as anywhere on the trail due to the extremely slippery nature of the walkway and the prospect of falling into the water below should you take a spill.

On a positive note, "Five Pair" had the constant companionship of "Duke” today as he hiked with her for most of the day. "Five Pair" was amazed at "Duke’s” innate sense of trail direction. In one instance, "Five Pair" hiked into an area where the trail crossed a road and became worried that "Duke” may have taken a wrong turn but as she approached the trail head, there was "Duke" sitting waiting for her arrival and with a wag of the tail and jump, welcomed her happily.

This day also included a somber visit to Pierce Pond where tragically in June, hiker Paul Bernhardt… trail name "Parkside" ... drowned when he was overcome by severe cramping during his swim in the cold pond after his 20 mile hike. After attending services in New York, "Parkside’s" hiking companions returned to AT and on June 29 they reached the summit of Katahdin with some of Parkside's ashes. Parkside Blog His parents have erected at the site warnings regarding swimming after hiking and how swimmers should manage such cramping events in the hope of preventing a reoccurance of "Parkside's" tragedy.

"Five Pair" made it to the ferry at Kennebec River, over to the northern bank and on to Northern Outdoors where she met up with "Keeper" and "Alpo". Also there was "Frenchie" and later arrived "Metric". A big dinner was had and the day ended in a dry cabin.

2033.0 miles complete/151.4 miles to go