8/17 Very Good Day

18.9 hiked today, 2114.3 miles N, 59.7 miles left
Cooper Brook Falls Shelter

This morning I have been thinking about the last several days. At night when I make my notes I find myself struggling with writer's block. Now I think I know the the cause. With the days till the end countable on one hand my mind has surged ahead of my feet. However today I will write as I hike so the short term memory can do most of the work.

It had rained last night but the comforts of the shelter kept me dry. After I had slid into my sleeping bag I saw a face whom I hadn't seen in a long time, Ninja. It was late and she seemed occupied with her friend Spence and I was asleep so we spoke very little. At 2 AM we spoke much more due to the at least three relentless mice. I am very fortunate in that they completely ignored my food bag. However they found Ninja's and Spence's and they were not detoured by the mouse hangs or the attempts on their lives. One by one they would climb down the hangs to the food bag setting the seemly useless tin can protection rattling. Then one of us would turn on our headlamp, spot them, and then strike a blow hard enough to the rope or bag to send them flying through the air out of the shelter. Sooner than that one had a chance to climb back another would start the journey down the hang. I personally knocked two off the food and the others had at least twice that many hits. Finally one managed to chew a hole into Spence's food bag and climbed in. That was where it met it's end. The food bag was batted around until the motion stopped and the dead mouse was retrieved and tossed into the woods. The mice, I think, mostly got the point as they only woke us up a few more times after that. I feel kind of bad for the mouse but not that bad.
As a result of the mice I slept in later than I had hoped but I slept well enough and I packed quickly hitting the trail by 8. Almost immediately I passed through a small bog.
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The woods were still covered in drops from last nights rain and the temps cool due to the shade. As a result I was soaked from the wait down and running cool which was OK by me as it made the climbs more comfortable.
The first summit was Hagas Mt.. At the top there was a nice spot to sit and while seated I spotted two hawks. I think they had a nest near the trail as they were watching me closely and think I could hear the squawk of chicks. They were very shy however. Whenever they landed they would perch themselves on one of the bare pine trees behind me. I could hear their claws on the wood but when I turned to look they would get spooked and fly off. They liked to land in the upper branches of bare bleached dead pine trees. They had a wing span of maybe 1-2 feet and they were largely tan with periodic dark feathers on their wings. I watched them for about half an hour catching only glimpses of them through the trees soaring high above. I also spotted what I thought might be a nuthatch but it was on a branch and not the trunk so I think I was mistaken.
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I am on White Cap and what a day it is! The view from here is awesome. I think it may be the best of the whole trip. It isn't quite 360 degree due to a line of pine trees that run over the peak but there is a short trail that leads to the other side of those so it is 2 180º views. There is a bench of sorts here and I have been spending the last 45 minutes or so enjoying the view, writing a letter to Dana, and having the type of deep thoughts that come when it appears the world is laying before me. There is a cloud of flys buzzing around but they aren't biting so they are not bothering me. There even was a dragon fly a minute ago. I wonder what is doing up here so far away from water? I am eating my lunch which consist of some cheese and fairly crumpled tortillas. The wind is very gentle and it is quiet up here minus the flies, some birds, and the occasional buzzing/snapping sound of a grasshopper going from rock to rock. I can literally se the end from here. Katahdin looms as an imposing ridge-line. It stands alone with only lakes and lowland forest around it.
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The climb down White Cap was just as scenic as the summit. Constant stunning views as I rounded it's northern face and started my descent. That just reinforces my feelings that that was the best mountain thus far.

I am now Crawford Pond and it is an awesome swimming hole. I took a short skinny dip and the water was perfect. There is a sandy beach that slowly descends into the water and the temperature was that kind of temp where after you take the plunge feels wonderful all over. I splashed around for a couple minutes and now I am enjoying looking out at the waters. By the shore I have noticed bubbles coming up through the sand. They are popping up a every few seconds from several places along the shore. When I stand in the sand it release a short flurry of them to. I wonder what is causing them? Decomposing plat matter below, maybe some geothermal vent which would explain the nice water. The gas doesn't smell like much so I can only guess at it's origins.
I am in the middle of what is called the 100 mile wilderness but I have to say at this point I have been disappointed. I have crossed several maintained roads and yesterday and today I even saw traffic. Today it was a pickup truck with a man and woman hauling a trailer home. I think I have been in more remote places elsewhere on this trail though I have to say the views are better here.
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The day went fast. I took my time taking almost three hours of breaks including a nap at East Branch Lean-to. What a difference it makes when the terrain is mostly flat and smooth. I stroll along at over 3MPH and hardly break a sweat. I got here about 6:30 to an empty shelter thought here is a couple tenting nearby. I was going to go by and chat after dinner but it has started to rain so I am going to stay in the dry shelter. Given the mice problems as of late I set up a rope hang just outside the shelter where they won't find it. However I also discovered an abandoned metal bowel. This is much larger than the tuna cans people usually use a mouse protection so I have hope that it may work better. I have pounded a small hole in the center using one of my tarp stakes and a rock and have rigged it up just like a normal mouse hang. In addition I found a discarded camping knife that I have treaded into the whole arrangement so that if a mouse disturbs the hang it will rattle hopefully waking me before my food gets trashed. I will hand my food from this tonight and keep the rope hang outside set up as a backup if the mice can get by. All the shelters in the hundred miles have been trashed with garbage strew all over but at least I can recycle these two items.
My food bag is getting light and I can feel the end draw near. I am all alone which surprises me a little but I have a couple good books to read one which I found literally on the trail earlier.
Today has been awesome. The temps were perfect, the views stunning, swim very nice, trail not to tough, and I made it in before the rain!