Stratton, ME

9/11/12 – 1996 miles
We had planned on four days to get to Stratton but a rough day getting over Bemis Mountain put us behind on our planned schedule. We ended up camping near ME17 the first night, Piazza Pond Lean-to the second night, and by Orbeton Stream on the third. All of us were low on food, especially me, leaving the prospect of rationing what I had to stretch for one more day, or finding a way to get to town early. Kleenex noticed there was a gravel road ten miles before the main road into Stratton and X called Susan to make arrangements for an early pickup.

Kleenex fording

Kleenex fording

Today we slackpacked the rest of the miles we missed and are back in Stratton at the motel. I was thinking today of the transition we will have to make when we get back to normal society. It is common for us to blow snot-rockets, belch, pass gas in mixed company, and cough up lugies anytime we want. The girls still walk out of site to pee but us guys will stop on the trail and tell the girls to keep walking. A couple of times I’ve come upon a girl with her pants down and I have been caught by females coming up the trail. It’s all part of the life we live in the woods, quite different from the accepted norm, and something we have gotten use to.

The next stop will be Caratunk and then Monson(I love saying those names). Tomorrow we go over Bigelow Mountain and them the terrain should get easier. We are really getting into the wilderness of Maine, with few towns and roads, and of course poor cell signal.

7 Responses to “Stratton, ME”

  1. Daryl says:

    It’s not long after Monson when you hit the 100 Mile Wilderness.

    4 more miles to 2000. Wow!

  2. Karen says:

    Happy birthday dad!! What an awesome way to spend it. Hope you have a great day.

  3. Donna says:

    Happy birthday, Dale! Have a wonderful day.

  4. Don says:

    I hope your birthday was a good one.

  5. Susan says:

    Sounds like you had a great birthday yesterday. I would have never guessed your age–thought you were younger than me.

  6. chicken feathers says:

    Castaway whem you get to Monson at the lakeshore hostile sure is nice to go out of town with 3 days of food

  7. chicken feathers says:

    that does not make sense they can do food drop for you 30 miles out of town

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