7/20/06 Thursday: US2 Gorham,NH. to Carlo Col Shelter, ME. (17.0mi)

PICTURES:
1. 0747: Looking back toward Gorham down in the clouds during my ascent of Mt Hayes
2. 0829:Mt Hayes blueberry picking
3. 0833: On the Mahoosuc Trail (AT) at the summit of Mt. Hayes looking N. to the Mahoosic Range. Another perfect trail day:)
4. 1007: Came across some dead birch trees... Probably died during the big ice storm a few years ago...
5. 1027: Some nice views from Cascade Mtn.
6. 1054: More nice views from Cascade Mtn.
7. 1227: I took a break on Wocket Ledge with SW vistas... Met Dan as he was making his way south..
8. 1338: Genetian Pond
9. 1537: Mt Success looking SW
10. 1554: Mt Success looking NE
11. 1708: Greetings from Maine:)

Protozoa had negotiated a 0630 pick-up with Art, a local shuttler, and we were both ready when he arrived. We stopped at Dunkin donuts for some goodies before they first dropped me off at the US2 trailhead. Protozoa was headed for a side trail to Carlo Col shelter where he had begun his oddessy 7 years ago. He planned to begin there with a 3 mile hike in from the Success Pond Road and hike back to Gorham. We planned to meet somewhere on the trail for our final goodbye...
My first climb of the day would be Mt Hayes where I took a break, some pictures, and phoned Jackie. It was a gorgeous day with plenty of sun and temps in the low 70's. From Mt Hayes I could see a number of the peaks I would be traversing in the days to come.. Protozoa and I hooked up around 1130 at Wockets Ledge with a beautiful backdrop for our final photo... We parted just before noon after having a snack for lunch, and I returned to my northbound route while Protozoa headed south for Gorham... About 1530 I crossed into Maine and quietly celebrated, a few tears were shed recalling many of the pleasant and a few of the unpleasant cercumstances that will come to define my trip through the Appalachian Trail... The trail in Western Maine is extremely rugged with little opportunity for water and by 1730, having walked the last 3 miles without any water, I decided to end the day at the Carlo Col shelter. I spent the night there with YOYO and blondie, with a good sized group of teenagers camping nearby... The spring was not flowing too well but there was plenty of water for everyone. I turned in early, anxious from the thought of passing through the most difficult 1mile of trail on the AT tomorrow, the Mahoosic Notch...