June 5
Today we hiked from Katahdin Springs campground down to the Abol Bridge campground. It was a little less than ten miles. Within the first twenty minutes of hiking, I managed to make a wrong turn. I was climbing over a tree and it didn't seem right. Luckily at that point a couple was hiking from the other direction.
I made my way back on the path and to the first foot bridge. It looked petty awesome for the first few minutes, but as I was crossing, I misstepped and my right leg landed in the water. My shoe and leg were totally drenched. I got across and took a break to wring out my socks.
Most of my hike was uneventful. There was another foot bridge that was across a busy stream. I was having trouble figuring out how to cross. Luckily, there was someone sitting across on the other side. I got halfway across and tossed my pack to him. The bottom got a little wet, but it made it across. I had to step in the stream to make it across, drenching my feet for the second time of the day.
After getting across, I introduced myself to my new friend. His name is Willie* and he's a freak with a bunch of guns - his words, not mine. After hearing this, I decided to run back down the trail to see how far back Matt was, to see if he needed any help crossing the stream. He made it across with a dry pack, but wet feet. At some point we were along the trail and our pace matched Willie's. Since he was a 'freak with guns' and Mathieu is in the military, they had tons to talk about. I let them follow and have their girl chat while I tried to pick up the pace and lose our new friend.
It finally happened when we set down for lunch. Willie went ahead while we sat on a bank to eat. We thought we had lost him at some point, but then he appeared from the woods to say he had a guy problem, but returned feeling tingly. Matt and I are both confused. He stayed with us the rest of the way.
The last two hours of walking, our packs felt the heaviest. It was a pleasant sight to see the campground. We went to the store to get a space, and the lady recommend the lean-tos down the road. Matt ran down to take a look while I threw back a couple of Yoo-Hoos. There was only one person down there, so we headed out.
There ended up being two lean-tos, so Matt and I took one and left Willie and our new friend Jacob* take the other. Matt made a fire, which unofficially made our site the party site. Willie and Jacob came over to eat their dinner.
We were eventually joined by two other folks who had hiked Kat today, meaning they had done around a twenty mile day. We sat around and hung out until just before sundown. Willie ended up staying until around ten. It was nice when he finally went away. Matt and I joked about him coming over during the night and me waking up to see his face staring back at me.
Sadly, it happened.
I woke around seven and saw him and was very sad. Matt got a better show than me. Apparently, Willie stripped down in front of the lean-to. We both pretended to be asleep until about ten. Willie then asked us what time we were headed out and I told him around one or so, thinking he would go on without us, but he hung around until past noon. We'll have to spend another night with him tonight. Hopefully it won't be so bad.
I have many more things to say about Willie, but they deserve their own email. I also don't want to scare anyone.
* I change all names to protect the innocent and the guilty.
I made my way back on the path and to the first foot bridge. It looked petty awesome for the first few minutes, but as I was crossing, I misstepped and my right leg landed in the water. My shoe and leg were totally drenched. I got across and took a break to wring out my socks.
Most of my hike was uneventful. There was another foot bridge that was across a busy stream. I was having trouble figuring out how to cross. Luckily, there was someone sitting across on the other side. I got halfway across and tossed my pack to him. The bottom got a little wet, but it made it across. I had to step in the stream to make it across, drenching my feet for the second time of the day.
After getting across, I introduced myself to my new friend. His name is Willie* and he's a freak with a bunch of guns - his words, not mine. After hearing this, I decided to run back down the trail to see how far back Matt was, to see if he needed any help crossing the stream. He made it across with a dry pack, but wet feet. At some point we were along the trail and our pace matched Willie's. Since he was a 'freak with guns' and Mathieu is in the military, they had tons to talk about. I let them follow and have their girl chat while I tried to pick up the pace and lose our new friend.
It finally happened when we set down for lunch. Willie went ahead while we sat on a bank to eat. We thought we had lost him at some point, but then he appeared from the woods to say he had a guy problem, but returned feeling tingly. Matt and I are both confused. He stayed with us the rest of the way.
The last two hours of walking, our packs felt the heaviest. It was a pleasant sight to see the campground. We went to the store to get a space, and the lady recommend the lean-tos down the road. Matt ran down to take a look while I threw back a couple of Yoo-Hoos. There was only one person down there, so we headed out.
There ended up being two lean-tos, so Matt and I took one and left Willie and our new friend Jacob* take the other. Matt made a fire, which unofficially made our site the party site. Willie and Jacob came over to eat their dinner.
We were eventually joined by two other folks who had hiked Kat today, meaning they had done around a twenty mile day. We sat around and hung out until just before sundown. Willie ended up staying until around ten. It was nice when he finally went away. Matt and I joked about him coming over during the night and me waking up to see his face staring back at me.
Sadly, it happened.
I woke around seven and saw him and was very sad. Matt got a better show than me. Apparently, Willie stripped down in front of the lean-to. We both pretended to be asleep until about ten. Willie then asked us what time we were headed out and I told him around one or so, thinking he would go on without us, but he hung around until past noon. We'll have to spend another night with him tonight. Hopefully it won't be so bad.
I have many more things to say about Willie, but they deserve their own email. I also don't want to scare anyone.
* I change all names to protect the innocent and the guilty.
