July 3, 2006 - Hurd Brook Lean-to to Rainbow Spring Campground
I was up and gone after breakfast at 6:45 a.m. It was beautiful hiking and very scenic all day. I was around Rainbow
Lake all day. The water here is very clean and clear. This camp site had a nice spring which flows into the lake. I set
up my tent on the hill and put my ground cloth on top in case it rains and relaxed. I washed out a shirt and shorts
and washed up for the second time today. It was a clear and cool day, absolutely beautiful. This camp site has an
outhouse and a food hanging area and a fire pit. I found a fifty cent piece at the lake when I got here. I found out
that a shelter south of here has a nice tarp which I can replace my tent with in a couple of days. Several others
camped near me at different sites.
July 4, 2006 - Rainbow Spring Camp to Rainbow Stream Shelter
Happy Fourth of July!!! It rained last night and my tarp over the tent worked pretty well but I still got a little wet. I left
camp at 6:45 a.m. and it started to rain hard soon thereafter. I walked 4 miles to the Rainbow Stream Shelter on the
worst trail so far on my second journey. It was very muddy and wet. It was impossible to make time or keep your feet
dry. I got to the shelter at 9:30 a.m. and I will stay here and try to dry out. It was also starting to rain again. The rain
came and went several times today. Welcome to Maine. Many people are here in the shelter. We are all like wet
rats. The trail crosses in front of the shelter and two logs are the way to cross. It is very easy to fall in. I made it even
though another hiker took my picture with a flash as I looked up. It blinded me for a second or two and I almost lost
my balance.
July 5, 2006 - Rainbow Stream Lean-to to Wadleigh Shelter
I hiked 8.1 today to Wadleigh Shelter. It was fairly easy hiking today until I got to Nesuntabunt Mountain. It was real
steep up to the top and even steeper coming down the other side. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club, M.A.T.C. was
up on top building steps and they were doing a great job on a tough trail. This mountain had no view and it was a
real climb each way. Sometimes the trail should just go around a mountain if no view is to be had. It was pretty up
there though. I got to the shelter and hung out my wet stuff. I got my tarp here to replace my junk tent and got my
water at the nearby creek. There would be a lot of people here tonight. The shelter was full and there were tents all
around. One man had a hammock which I tried out and liked. I will order one when I get to the next town. One of the
hikers who stayed here was Flapper. I stayed with him at Mount Collins Shelter in the Smokys in 2005. He ran out of
time in 2005 and is finishing up the trail this year. We laughed and talked a lot and I got a good picture of him. Four
of the thru-hikers had stopped at the White House Landing today and pigged out there on hamburgers and pizza.
Three of them got very sick in the night. We think it could be food poisoning. There was a vegetarian in the group
and she didn’t eat any meat. Just beware when eating out to have your meat cooked thoroughly. Getting sick in a
wilderness area is no fun with help far away. One of the thru-hikers who got sick was so ill he had to get off of the
trail after 2040 miles. This was only 30 miles from the end.
I was up and gone after breakfast at 6:45 a.m. It was beautiful hiking and very scenic all day. I was around Rainbow
Lake all day. The water here is very clean and clear. This camp site had a nice spring which flows into the lake. I set
up my tent on the hill and put my ground cloth on top in case it rains and relaxed. I washed out a shirt and shorts
and washed up for the second time today. It was a clear and cool day, absolutely beautiful. This camp site has an
outhouse and a food hanging area and a fire pit. I found a fifty cent piece at the lake when I got here. I found out
that a shelter south of here has a nice tarp which I can replace my tent with in a couple of days. Several others
camped near me at different sites.
July 4, 2006 - Rainbow Spring Camp to Rainbow Stream Shelter
Happy Fourth of July!!! It rained last night and my tarp over the tent worked pretty well but I still got a little wet. I left
camp at 6:45 a.m. and it started to rain hard soon thereafter. I walked 4 miles to the Rainbow Stream Shelter on the
worst trail so far on my second journey. It was very muddy and wet. It was impossible to make time or keep your feet
dry. I got to the shelter at 9:30 a.m. and I will stay here and try to dry out. It was also starting to rain again. The rain
came and went several times today. Welcome to Maine. Many people are here in the shelter. We are all like wet
rats. The trail crosses in front of the shelter and two logs are the way to cross. It is very easy to fall in. I made it even
though another hiker took my picture with a flash as I looked up. It blinded me for a second or two and I almost lost
my balance.
July 5, 2006 - Rainbow Stream Lean-to to Wadleigh Shelter
I hiked 8.1 today to Wadleigh Shelter. It was fairly easy hiking today until I got to Nesuntabunt Mountain. It was real
steep up to the top and even steeper coming down the other side. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club, M.A.T.C. was
up on top building steps and they were doing a great job on a tough trail. This mountain had no view and it was a
real climb each way. Sometimes the trail should just go around a mountain if no view is to be had. It was pretty up
there though. I got to the shelter and hung out my wet stuff. I got my tarp here to replace my junk tent and got my
water at the nearby creek. There would be a lot of people here tonight. The shelter was full and there were tents all
around. One man had a hammock which I tried out and liked. I will order one when I get to the next town. One of the
hikers who stayed here was Flapper. I stayed with him at Mount Collins Shelter in the Smokys in 2005. He ran out of
time in 2005 and is finishing up the trail this year. We laughed and talked a lot and I got a good picture of him. Four
of the thru-hikers had stopped at the White House Landing today and pigged out there on hamburgers and pizza.
Three of them got very sick in the night. We think it could be food poisoning. There was a vegetarian in the group
and she didn’t eat any meat. Just beware when eating out to have your meat cooked thoroughly. Getting sick in a
wilderness area is no fun with help far away. One of the thru-hikers who got sick was so ill he had to get off of the
trail after 2040 miles. This was only 30 miles from the end.
Flapper and Goat
July 6, 2006 - Wadleigh Shelter to Potaywadjo Shelter
I was up early and told Flapper good luck and goodbye. I had an easy day of hiking with great views of Lake
Nahmakanta. The trail skirts around the mountain overlooking the lake. It was a beautiful day and the views were
outstanding. I stopped and took many breaks. I have been walking and staying at the last few shelters with Orlando,
and a brother and sister pair, Matt and Tracy. Matt and Tracy are carrying Hennessey Hammocks and I got in one of
theirs yesterday. They are carrying about 3 times as much food as they need and I have been helping them eat it
up! We made it to Potaywadjo Spring Shelter. This shelter has a big spring and I think it is the biggest on the entire
trail. This shelter is new in the last few years. It also has a great outhouse. Maine is famous for neat outhouses and I
took pictures of many of them.
I was up early and told Flapper good luck and goodbye. I had an easy day of hiking with great views of Lake
Nahmakanta. The trail skirts around the mountain overlooking the lake. It was a beautiful day and the views were
outstanding. I stopped and took many breaks. I have been walking and staying at the last few shelters with Orlando,
and a brother and sister pair, Matt and Tracy. Matt and Tracy are carrying Hennessey Hammocks and I got in one of
theirs yesterday. They are carrying about 3 times as much food as they need and I have been helping them eat it
up! We made it to Potaywadjo Spring Shelter. This shelter has a big spring and I think it is the biggest on the entire
trail. This shelter is new in the last few years. It also has a great outhouse. Maine is famous for neat outhouses and I
took pictures of many of them.
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