Strange Creatures

I didn't really want to leave Standing Bear Farm but I did. I was warned that there would be thunderstorms around 2 and that it would rain the rest of the evening. There's an event happening in the town over called Trail Fest today and tomorrow. I would like to go to it. If I can make 17 miles today and tomorrow I can get there for it. Or ideally more today so I can get there earlier in the day tomorrow. Before I left I met my first southbound through hiker. He started last fall before Katahdin closed in October.

The climb out of Standing Bear Farm was brutal. 5 miles of just straight uphill climbing. I saw more of the milipede things.
I'm curious what they actually are.

I came across a small rattle snake on the trail that very quickly took off as I approached and hid in the leaves. It's a very hot and sunny day, more hot because of the humidity. I ended up running into another rattlesnake on the trail. It was right at the edge of the trail, it was about 5 feet and quite round. I didn't even see it. I had such a good momentum going and it blended right in. It moved really fast and rattled as I came upon it. I probably leaped 3 feet in the air and almost pissed myself.

I think I'm turning into a roll of bubble wrap. I started getting heat blisters on my upper arms. I've seen other girls getting them. It doesn't hurt, itch, or burn but when i run my fingers over them they pop like bubble wrap. It's really satisfying to do and really strange.

There was a tower at the top for air traffic.

  
It did eventually rain. It was a light on and off that was actually really nice because it cooled things off. Around 3 it started to downpour right on my way up to Max Patch. There was a group camped at the bottom and it was so tempting to do the same right as it was starting but I hiked on, at least it was fairly warm rain. I wanted to make it to Trail Fest. Then it just poured and thundered

The road before Max Patch had some trail magic going on.  The rain had just stopped and the sun starting coming back out. I just sat on one of the dry chairs to rest, they had a bunch of things that I don't like, but I really liked the dry chair! They were about to start grilling burgers and hot dogs so there were a bunch of hikers collecting around. I hiked on and up to Max Patch.

I think that Max Patch is my new favorite spot on the trail. It was just a massive grassy bald, it was just rolling and had this amazing view of all the mountains around. I stopped up there for lunch then the fog started rolling in heavily. I took some quick photos and tucked my phone away in my pack before everything disappeared into a thick white. There are sign posts with the trail blazes on them every so many feet but those started disappearing too the fog was so thick. The stretch on top of Max Patch went on for at least a mile. A lot of people die up here from being struck by lightening. There was a pair of boots up high on the top. I think that those belonged to someone who was struck by lightening up here. 

Towards the far end of the bald the fog cleared up and the sun came out. I saw two white tailed deer, they saw me and shot down the side of the mountain. It was later in the day so the sun just hit everything so beautifully. This place felt so familiar.  It was just like a dream I had years ago of my Grandmother living in a place like this after she passed away. While climbing down I started crying, not because I was necessarily sad. It was just really emotional.

At the bottom there was trail magic. I could see it from the whole stretch of Max Patch but I thought that it wasn't on the trail since the trail seemed to go a different direction. I pulled myself together and it was just fanatic.  This trail magic is not on a road. It's in the middle of the trail and it's a huge set up. The group putting this on all finished their thruhikes in 2014. This was their trail family, they all hiked together on and off and made it to the finish. Many of them are tripple crowners or are in the process of being tripple crowners. The tripple crown is when you hike the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. They came from all over to put this on. They had a big wagon to haul things from the road all the way over here. They have a grill, tables, many tents, probably 10 coolers, plus all of their own tents and gear. There's probably 15 of them. A bunch of other hikers decided to stop here, it was getting late and I decided to just stick around. There was so much food, this is like the best trail magic. They had music playing and it was a party until late in the night.

My first time eating a blood orange

I got a fresh coconut 

Tonight I'm camped at mile 254.1 with 1935.2 miles left to go.