Gentian Pond Shelter
Today I felt generally crummy though towards the end I had improved somewhat. Being as that is not much fun to talk about this will focus all the wonderful wildlife.
The day started with breakfast at Moonbeamz with Bruce/Golden Waldo. He thru-hiked in '98 and now spends summers at White Birches doing shuttles. The food at Moonbeamz was great. It wasn't as if they made anything exotic. It was more that it was evident they used very good ingredients. I highly recommend it if anyone is in Gorham!
After that Bruce gave me a lift to the trail.
The first wildlife I saw were skeeters which swarmed me instantly when I stoped to get something from my pack. I worried this might be the beginning of an epic story of survival but once up in the moutains they all but disappeared.
The I slipped in a muddy patch of trail. When I pitched forward and caught my fall my palm landed in the middle of the shaft of my trekking pole snapping it. I had failed to mention that the night I headed into Gorham I fell off a slippery rock and my pole, being firmly planted about 3 feet above where I ended up snapped probably serving to remove some the energy of the fall. That leaves me with no poles and 12 oz of dead weight in my pack. :(
I took frequent breaks the first being at Trident Col Campsite to relax and get some water. There I saw and mostly heard a huge number of birds. The most prominent call was a raven whose call sounds like a person screaming. In addition there was a flock of ducks making a ruckus along with a flock of something else I couldn't identify from its underbelly. They were white, a little smaller than a duck with mid size wings that have serrated tail edges.
After that I came to Page Pond which explains the large flocks of birds. When I was there though there were no flocks. Instead on the far side of the pond I saw a couple animals splashing around. At first I thought they were birds. With out my glasses it is hard to see 100 yards, but after studing their movements for a few minutes I realized I was seeing two moose splashing around the far side of the pond. In addition dragon flies were busy skimming the water and I listened to the calls of bull frogs. I marveled for a while before pushing on.
The trail was literally littered with rocky outcroppings giving great views and took many breaks to enjoy each one of them.
The trail also had numerous baby toads no bigger than my thumbnail. The ones I saw rapidly jumped about making photos impossible. I forget the breeds name, Banded Toads I think. Their distinguishing characteristic is a black eye shaped patch over each eye.
Finally it was to the shelter which has a very nice view through a notch in the trees. The sky was painted in hues of pastels all night like a Monet painting. Nearby is Gentian Pond, a quiet place with tanic water and toads who splash into the water as I walk by. I am glad I am spending the night here.
With me is Fred, Flyway, a SOBOer named Nolan, Bert and Ernie(their real names), and an all girls summer camp group who have been remarkably quiet.
I hope tonight's sleep mends my many ills
2 comments:
Breaking of the poles is no fun. Lets see, that is now five poles the Whites have taken. Yours, mine, and one of Earl Gray.
These broke in the Carters and Mahoosucs. I was sure I would kill one in the Whites but like always disaster strikes when lest exspects it!
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