Day 85: An Awesome Breakfast, Loons and a Nero 

Summary
Aug 10th

Ore Hill Campsite to Hikers Welcome Hostel

NOBO mile #1791.1

Daily mileage 7.4

Total mileage 767.5

Woke this morning snug as a bug in the hammock. Started packing up around 6:30, then joined the others as the Trail Angels cooked up breakfast sandwiches, and served sliced watermelon, mandarin oranges, cinnamon buns, and the other NOBOers got some coffee water boiling.

I SO made the right choice to stop at Ore Hill. Chafing be danged!! (Gold Bond! You heard it here!)

Thanks again, Trail Angel family!!!

Tarzan and Fuego headed out a few minutes before me, and there was no way I was going to catch them, so I didn’t try. Today’s hike took me over Mist Mtn. and then by Wachipauka Pond via a side trail, before going up and down a few more times and ending at NH RT 25.

Knowing it was a short day helped me power up the ascent to the top of Mist Mtn, which may help prepare me for the big ascents ahead over the next couple of days. There was a beautiful overlook that took on the pond below, with the eastern side of Moosilauke as a slightly unsettling back drop.

Then a fast descent to the side trail, and I was at the shores of Wachipauka Pond. I shed all my gear and found a spot to pull out my ukulele. There were at least 4 loons out on the water, doing their disappearing dive act. Sadly, one of the loons had a fishing bobber somehow tangled up on him, trailing behind him. I wanted to help, but didn’t know how. He never really got close enough, anyway.

But it was beautiful, regardless, and it was cool in the shade. I spent maybe 40 minutes there. There were a few awesome camping sites there, too; it would be amazing to go back and spend a few days there.

There were 2 more miles to go to get to 25, so I just got in a groove to pound them out. Hikers Welcome Hostel is roughly a 1/4 mile from the trailhead, so before long I was signed in, showered and doing my laundry. There’s a good crew here, a mix of SOBO and NOBO hikers, including Greybeard, an octogenarian attempting to break the record for oldest AT thru-hiker. Check out GreybeardAdventurer.com or look him up on Facebook.

The hostel is 400 miles before Katahdin. I’m closing in on 800 miles. Unbelievable!