Happy Feet

Hi Everyone! I'm in Stratton, Maine to resupply for the next 4 days. I arrived yesterday afternoon, and was picked up at the trail head by the hostel owner in town named Sue. She's a former thru-hiker from 2005 who now runs a hostel alongside her motel and restaurant. It's a nice place, with all the usual amenities plus a kitchen to cook in! I made chicken pot pie last night...delicious!, and watched Mission Impossible.

This morning has been busy. I hiked into town yesterday with a sore big toe on my left foot. It was red, inflammed, and just not looking too good, so I had it checked out this morning. The closest doctor to Stratton is in Rangeley. I was in and out of the clinic shortly after arriving. My toe has an infection around the nail, but will be healing up shortly. I have a prescription to take if it gets worse. Dr. Knapp also told me to soak it in warm water everyday. I've been trying to think how I'm going to do this without sticking my foot in my eating bowl! There is not much else I have to hold hot water for that. Maybe a light bulb will appear sometime today.

Now I am ready to get back on the trail once more. Sue will be picking me up this afternoon to take me back to the trail head. Four days until I reach Monson, Maine. This is the last town stop before the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, Katahdin. Monson is 114 miles from the end, and is the start of the 100 mile wilderness which my guidebook describes as being 'the climax of your odyssey.' This stretch of trail comes into contact with nothing but a few logging roads, and an old man with hamburgers in the middle. Supposedly you come up to a pond with an air horn, blow the air horn once and only once, and the guy motors his way across the river to come pick you up and take you back to his place. I've heard it's not cheap, but that probably doesn't stop most people from the 1 lb burger he sells. I know I generally get pretty carnivorous after being in the woods for a while. I'm really looking forward to the section!

Still no moose sightings yet, but I still have a long way to go. Apparently they like to hangout around ponds and muddy areas, but I have seen tracks and droppings on the ridges as well. I hike quietly, and am always looking around for a moose, so hopefully I'll see one soon. As always, thanks for following :)

The Kid