North Pond
July 16, 2006 - Leaman Brook
Shelter to Shaws Hostel in
Monson
The bugs about carried me off in the
night. I need to get something to
sleep under in Monson. I left shelter
by 6 o’clock on this morning of
returning to civilization after 14 days
in the wilderness. I made good time
but stopped near the road to talk to
two former thru-hikers out for the
day. I showed them my belt buckle
too. I got to the road and discovered
that my old goat army hat was gone!
The rope had come loose and it fell
into the trail. I saw some hikers at
the road going into the wilderness
and let them know about it and that I
would be at Shaw’s tonight. I would
go into the woods tomorrow and
backtrack if need be to find it. Shaw’
s was dropping people off at the trail
so I got a ride back into town with
them. How funny it is this life on the
trail. The two former thru-hikers
brought me my hat two hours later at
Shaw’s. My old hat is almost worn
out but it has hiked the whole trail
with me and is my buddy. I have
even named the old hat
Frankenstein because of all the
stitches in it to keep it together!
After dropping my pack at the hostel
I went to the grocery store and
bought some food. I got most of my
food out of hiker box at hostel along
with stove fuel. I will send unwanted
items back tomorrow at post office.
There were 6 other people here
tonight. I bought a bug screen tent
like a dome here to keep the bugs
away from me in the shelters. It cost
$40.00 but I have to have it.
Shelter to Shaws Hostel in
Monson
The bugs about carried me off in the
night. I need to get something to
sleep under in Monson. I left shelter
by 6 o’clock on this morning of
returning to civilization after 14 days
in the wilderness. I made good time
but stopped near the road to talk to
two former thru-hikers out for the
day. I showed them my belt buckle
too. I got to the road and discovered
that my old goat army hat was gone!
The rope had come loose and it fell
into the trail. I saw some hikers at
the road going into the wilderness
and let them know about it and that I
would be at Shaw’s tonight. I would
go into the woods tomorrow and
backtrack if need be to find it. Shaw’
s was dropping people off at the trail
so I got a ride back into town with
them. How funny it is this life on the
trail. The two former thru-hikers
brought me my hat two hours later at
Shaw’s. My old hat is almost worn
out but it has hiked the whole trail
with me and is my buddy. I have
even named the old hat
Frankenstein because of all the
stitches in it to keep it together!
After dropping my pack at the hostel
I went to the grocery store and
bought some food. I got most of my
food out of hiker box at hostel along
with stove fuel. I will send unwanted
items back tomorrow at post office.
There were 6 other people here
tonight. I bought a bug screen tent
like a dome here to keep the bugs
away from me in the shelters. It cost
$40.00 but I have to have it.
Shaw’s
Mosquito Netting
July 17, 2006 - Monson to Horseshoe Canyon Shelter
I got up early and had a fine breakfast a Shaw’s. Every thing you could think of and all you could eat for $6.50. I
went to the post office and sent back my unwanted stuff and the library did not open till later. I left town around 9:00
a.m. The hostel owners took me back up to the trailhead. I hiked up a beautiful river valley and took a break at a
river ford. I jumped in and relaxed in the water. When I got out of the water the yellow deer flies about carried me off.
I live in Florida where they can be bad in July but I have never seen them like this. There were 100 around me as I
tried to get dressed and I dressed while running around swatting at them! They leave a bloody welt on you if they
bite you. I got to Horseshoe Canyon by 3:30 p.m. The mosquitoes are bad here. I got water without my platypus
water bag tonight. Squeaky Clean was going to the outfitter today and going to get it replaced for me. At around 6:
00 p.m. it started to hail and rain very hard. It came down in buckets and was very windy and just plain terrible. I am
glad I was in a shelter when this hit. I must have left my pipe tobacco at the hostel. I can not find it anywhere. I am
making yellow rice with venison hamburger for dinner. Everyone must have stayed at Monson another day because
they didn’t make it to here tonight. I stayed alone on this cool and stormy night. The cozy I made for my cooking pot
is working out well. I picked up two partially fill Isopro canisters too for my Pocket Rocket. I use these up first and
keep my little alcohol stove for backup as of now. I set up my new bug screen here tonight and will see how it works.
It is free standing and is about 3X3 and 30 inches high. Your feet still stick out but if they stay in the back you are
protected. I have my little smudge pot going tonight to try and keep the bugs out. It is helping but they are here in
great numbers. My dinner was a free one out of a hiker box and not too good either. It must have been old and didn’
t soak up the water well. There are two different trails coming to this shelter. I got water on the trail at the side trail.
The water was not too easy to get out. The big creek is very close coming from the south but the hike down to get it
is steep and hard to get to. I went the steep way when I needed water the second time and it was hand over hand
climbing to go 50 yards down to the little creek. On the way back to the shelter I counted big lightning very close to
here and barely got back to the shelter before it rained hard again. There was nickel sized hail for 5 minutes and it
is getting cold. Water dammed up at the entrance of the shelter 5 inches deep. It dropped 15 degrees in 15 minutes
just now with the hail. I came over soupy terrain today in places. I bet it is under water now. My sitting pad, Roy was
cut up tonight to put new insoles in my boots. They work well but will not last long. I will buy new ones when I can. R.I.
P. Roy.
July 17, 2006 - Horseshoe Canyon Shelter to Moxie Bald Shelter
I was up late last night. My bug screen worked fine but was not perfect. It will work fine for now. It was fairly easy
hiking today. I had to ford two rivers today and got naked and swam both times. I jumped in again at the shelter
which overlooks a real nice lake. You can see Moxie Bald from the lake too. The bugs are still bad here tonight and
the smoky fire doesn’t even help. I had to wear rain gear to keep them boogers off of me. I saw 4 thru-hikers today
and one section hiker, Design Wizard, who carried a pack similar to mine. I am using the last of the natural bug
repellent that I got at Cloud Pond Shelter. It smells good but doesn’t last like 95 percent deet. At 4:21 p.m. the bugs
are bad! Lemon Lime and Bone Fish are here, brother and sister from Miami, along with another through hiker with
out a trail name yet. I think I stayed here in 1981. It is an old shelter with dates back to 1963. The baseball bat floors
have been covered with sawn timbers.
I got up early and had a fine breakfast a Shaw’s. Every thing you could think of and all you could eat for $6.50. I
went to the post office and sent back my unwanted stuff and the library did not open till later. I left town around 9:00
a.m. The hostel owners took me back up to the trailhead. I hiked up a beautiful river valley and took a break at a
river ford. I jumped in and relaxed in the water. When I got out of the water the yellow deer flies about carried me off.
I live in Florida where they can be bad in July but I have never seen them like this. There were 100 around me as I
tried to get dressed and I dressed while running around swatting at them! They leave a bloody welt on you if they
bite you. I got to Horseshoe Canyon by 3:30 p.m. The mosquitoes are bad here. I got water without my platypus
water bag tonight. Squeaky Clean was going to the outfitter today and going to get it replaced for me. At around 6:
00 p.m. it started to hail and rain very hard. It came down in buckets and was very windy and just plain terrible. I am
glad I was in a shelter when this hit. I must have left my pipe tobacco at the hostel. I can not find it anywhere. I am
making yellow rice with venison hamburger for dinner. Everyone must have stayed at Monson another day because
they didn’t make it to here tonight. I stayed alone on this cool and stormy night. The cozy I made for my cooking pot
is working out well. I picked up two partially fill Isopro canisters too for my Pocket Rocket. I use these up first and
keep my little alcohol stove for backup as of now. I set up my new bug screen here tonight and will see how it works.
It is free standing and is about 3X3 and 30 inches high. Your feet still stick out but if they stay in the back you are
protected. I have my little smudge pot going tonight to try and keep the bugs out. It is helping but they are here in
great numbers. My dinner was a free one out of a hiker box and not too good either. It must have been old and didn’
t soak up the water well. There are two different trails coming to this shelter. I got water on the trail at the side trail.
The water was not too easy to get out. The big creek is very close coming from the south but the hike down to get it
is steep and hard to get to. I went the steep way when I needed water the second time and it was hand over hand
climbing to go 50 yards down to the little creek. On the way back to the shelter I counted big lightning very close to
here and barely got back to the shelter before it rained hard again. There was nickel sized hail for 5 minutes and it
is getting cold. Water dammed up at the entrance of the shelter 5 inches deep. It dropped 15 degrees in 15 minutes
just now with the hail. I came over soupy terrain today in places. I bet it is under water now. My sitting pad, Roy was
cut up tonight to put new insoles in my boots. They work well but will not last long. I will buy new ones when I can. R.I.
P. Roy.
July 17, 2006 - Horseshoe Canyon Shelter to Moxie Bald Shelter
I was up late last night. My bug screen worked fine but was not perfect. It will work fine for now. It was fairly easy
hiking today. I had to ford two rivers today and got naked and swam both times. I jumped in again at the shelter
which overlooks a real nice lake. You can see Moxie Bald from the lake too. The bugs are still bad here tonight and
the smoky fire doesn’t even help. I had to wear rain gear to keep them boogers off of me. I saw 4 thru-hikers today
and one section hiker, Design Wizard, who carried a pack similar to mine. I am using the last of the natural bug
repellent that I got at Cloud Pond Shelter. It smells good but doesn’t last like 95 percent deet. At 4:21 p.m. the bugs
are bad! Lemon Lime and Bone Fish are here, brother and sister from Miami, along with another through hiker with
out a trail name yet. I think I stayed here in 1981. It is an old shelter with dates back to 1963. The baseball bat floors
have been covered with sawn timbers.
Home
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