100 Mile Wilderness - Shakedown Hike June 2013

Can you see the white blaze marking the AT?

So about a year before my SOBO hike I made a trip to Maine and hiked the 100 mile wilderness as a shakedown for the real thing. I did it at the end of June, which, at the time, I thought would be the same time that I would be starting my hike (later I changed my start time to about the middle of July).

Maine in June is wet and chilly and buggy. Remember, the snow just melted! I had hordes of mosquitoes, so many that people were wearing headnets. I took a headnet, but never wore it. I know I was in trouble when I got out of the shuttle at Abol Bridge and was immediately swarmed before I could even get my pack on! But you can get used to anything, really, if you try. I used a wet bandana in constant motion to keep them away from my head and arms and kept moving. Standing still in some areas was madness inducing!

My plan was to leave my truck parked at Shaw's hostel in Monson, eat one of their famous breakfasts, get a shuttle to Abol Bridge (at the beginning of the 100 mile wilderness), then hike back to Monson (almost exactly 100 miles). This plan worked very well.

I only took 7 days of food, which turned out to be just perfect. I walked into Monson with crumbs left in my pack. Here are the tickmarks for the bean counters:

• Day 1: Abol Bridge to Rainbow Lake/Spring Campsite - 11.2 miles
• Day 2: to Nahmakanta Stream campsite - 17.7 miles
• Day 3: to Cooper Brook Fals lean-to - 15.7 miles
• Day 4: to Sidney Tappan campsite - 17.1 miles
• Day 5: to Chairback Gap campsite - 11.7 miles
• Day 6: to Wilson Valley lean-to - 15.6 miles
• Day 7: to Monson - 10.4 miles

a typical bog bridge

What did I learn? The 100 mile wilderness has a reputation for being very remote and difficult. It's not quite as remote as all that - there are spots where you can pay someone to leave you a cache of food, and there is a hostel that is a boat ride away - White House Landing. I didn't take advantage of any of those.

It is a fairly difficult walk. The trail is not maintained well - it is badly eroded in places and is just root and rock. And the bogs can be difficult to get over.

The first half is fairly flat and not really difficult. In fact, I saw a lot of hikers dawdling in this section, which is a mistake in my opinion. Better to make time while possible, because the second half, when the climbs start, is slow going when you are old and inflexible.

The lakes, ponds, and steams are what really make the 100 mile wilderness memorable. Mountains can be viewed just about anywhere on the trail, but the beautiful and seemingly pristine lakes and ponds are breathtaking.

The best thing? I get to do it all over again when I start my thru-hike!

I reached the road to Monson at about noon on the last day, after doing over 10 miles. It was pouring down rain, of course. Called Shaws and they picked me up a half hour later. Took a shower at the hostel, then jumped in my truck and started driving back to Atlanta. By the first night my feet had swollen up so badly I couldn't get my shoes on! It took a few days for them to get back to normal. I'm sure it was a combination of my age and sitting in the car for a couple of days after all that exercise.

So I averaged just a little over 14 miles a day. Not bad for a difficult section hike. When you consider that I started midday on the first day and ended midday on the last day the record improves a little.