Monson, ME

We are in Monson, ME to do our usual "chores"-resupply, EAT, shower, and do laundry and get a warm dry bed for a night! The hostel we're staying in is very busy once again it's raining. Does that seem like a broken record? We did have a couple nice days and two nights of no rain but guess we're in for another round of rain. ME has been getting an unusual amount of rain this summer! We're definitely seeing it on the trail! There is no end to the mud, puddles and water on the trail. One SoBo forewarned us of an upcoming mud pit to be careful. He slipped off the plank and was covered with mud to his knees! Yikes! Some hikers will just walk through the mud and puddles but we try to avoid them as much as we can although sometimes there's just no way to do that! One time I sunk down to my ankles in the mud and it almost pulled off my shoes! One hiker told us about meeting someone who said they sunk up to their hips in the mud and almost could not get out. It's like quicksand!

We are heading into the 100 mile wilderness. Supposedly they say there's no roads, no towns, no city noise! But there are lots of bogs and swamps! SoBos have said the mud and puddles were nothing compared to what we're about to come upon in the 100 mile wilderness! So we were hoping for no rain during this 10 days that we will be hiking through it but guess we'll have to get through it sun or rain, mud, puddles and bogs...and it sounds like rain unfortunately! Then we'll hit the northern terminus-Katahdin! That's suppose to be a difficult mountain to climb. We've had a lot of difficult climbs already so I think we're ready. Dan's says he wants to be sure we have lots of food during that climb for energy!

We've had to ford a lot more rivers than the guide book had listed because of all the rains. Most have been no more than thigh deep and most have been strong currents. Only one has been easy-ankle deep and no current! But we're getting used to them. I just hike through with my shoes on-they wash off all the mud from my shoes. Dan usually changes into his Keen sandals, otherwise his feet get sores on them from the wet socks!

There have been lots of blueberries! As we hike we stop at times to eat a couple handfuls! They've been very tasty and I wish there was a way to load up on them and somehow send some home to freeze for later enjoyment!

Does anyway know the difference between a pond and a lake? We've passed many ponds that seem like lakes, they're so big and pretty!

Supposedly ME has lots of moose. We've seen lots of droppings and prints but no moose. Only have heard from 3 hikers that they've seen one on their hike. Guess these moose are shy since we haven't seen any. When we were in the Grand Tetons National Park last fall we saw them all the time!

This computer will not allow pictures so I'll have to upload them some other time! We've hiked over 1500 miles now and have about 112 miles to Katahdin. Then we'll rent a car and head south to VA. We'll have some 500 miles to finish the southern part of the trail! Hope to be done by the end of September. We're still feeling the wear and tear on our feet and legs but we'll get through it!

Thank you all for your support and for your generous donations to Children's Hunger Fund for our cause for hunger relief! Our small part is worth more to the children that we are helping! God Bless!