7/26/06 Wednesday: Poplar Ridge Lean-To to The Stratton Motel, ME 27 (21.5mi)

PICTURES:
1. A lovely stretch of forest to brighten the day...:)
2. "Bronze Plaque commemorates the completion of this last section of the AT from Me to Ga."
3. Looking back toward Spaulding Mtn. from Crocker Mtn. during a violent T-storm on Spaulding Mtn.. I had walked thru the storm earlier in the day and was just beginning to dry off...
4. Thanking God for the sunny weather over Crocker Mtns.

Another big day planned with a hot shower and bed waiting at the end...:)... That always motivites me... Course I did have trouble getting up, leaving at 0700 instead of 0600 was not what I had in mind but I was still optimistic... My day would start with a steep descent down to a river (1400") followed by an equally steep ascent first (1700") and Long Mtn, then another 900" for Spaulding Mtn. I wanted to mention that the mosquitoes and blackflies were so bad bye the river that I had to stop for only the second time of my whole trip and apply some DEET.... Before ascending Spaulding Mtn, I stopped into the Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to for lunch about 1045. At 1200 I was finished with lunch and my rest for the second phase of my day... Unfortunately I had only completed 8mi so far with the most difficult part yet to come... At about 1300 when I was nearing my ascent of Spaulding Mtn, a rather fierce thunderstorm struck... The summit is not bald, so I wasnt too fearful. The rain was really cold but after the ascent, I was sweating badly and it was quite soothing... It rained hard for about 45min, and as I was making my way down off Spaulding I passed a couple of day hikers heading up it... They were complaing of the daily afternoon t-storms and were eager to reach the comfort of the shelter about an hour away... We chatted a bit in the downpour, and then each went on our seperate ways... Me away from the storm and they into it...LOL... I kept hearing the thunder as I walked toward Crocker Mtn and when I began my ascent of Crocker I had a view of Spaulding and could see an intense storm focused on that area... The lightning show was quite elaborate, but I wasnt able to time my photo to catch the numerous bolts emenating from the dark clouds above Spaulding.. I was happy that on Crocker, only 5miles away, it was sunny...:)... Crocker had 2 peaks 1 mile apart. The first peak was an 1800" climb in 1.25mi while the second peak was a mear 500" climb... The final descent to ME27 greeted me with another rain storm, no lightning, and only a short 20min burst of showers... Just enough to wet me down again...:(... I finally reached ME27 by 1900 and was picked up by one of the owners of the motel I planned to stay at within 10min of reaching the road...:)... I dropped my stuff off at the hostel and Suzanne drove me to a local diner where I had steak and potatoes...:)... Don, the co-owner picked me up after dinner and I showered and did my blogging .. I hope to post new messages in a few days from Monson...