Date: 8/7/04
Starting Location: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Destination: US 201
Miles: 21.3
Total Miles: 2031.7
Well, so I lied awhile back when I said that my last 20-mile day was actually going to be my last. So, now I'll say it again: "This is my last 20-mile day." There. A much easier stretch of trail today for Chris, Anna, and I to race along on, and with our early start we were gunning to catch the canoe ferry across the Kennebec River which only runs until 4pm.
Passed several scenic ponds along the way, but didn't have much time to stop and admire them with 21 miles to do before 4:00. We all arrived at the river at 3:50 in perfect time to catch one last ferry ride with Steve, the ferrymaster. A good thing too, since the current 8-foot water level in the river would have made fording impossible and would have forced us to camp at the river and wait to catch the ferry in the morning.
It felt really great to have my strength back for bigger miles and it was awesome to barely make the ferry and have 20+ miles in the bag by 4 in the afternoon—it's really an indescribable feeling of satisfaction when things work out that well. Things just continued to work out for us today as we caught a hitch back to a hostel with Steve, who happens to own the place in addition to running the Kennebec River ferry, and we sat all afternoon sipping beer and relaxing. Just the threee of us in the bunkhouse here with, of course, the superdog Beau for a night in tiny little Caratunk, ME.
