Samwise Hikes the Appalachian Trail! - Trail Journal -
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September 21, Northern Outdoors, The Forks, ME - mile 2016.9

Yikes - a long, wet night followed by a long, wet day! I nearly crashed on my behind countless times today, because every step was as slippery as whale snot. Plus I was trying to hurry in order to catch the ferry across the Kennebec River, which only runs from 9-11AM and 3-5PM. Luckily I got there around 4:30, but at first I thought I had missed it. A signal flag was up on my side of the river, and I could see a person on the shore across, who I thought was another hiker waiting to get across. There was also a tiny red thing on the opposite shore that I though looked like a gas can. I was standing there in the rain thinking, "now what?" when I saw the person across the river walk up to the gas can and get in. Aha! It's a red canoe and he's the ferryman coming to get me! He paddled over and loaded up my pack and me and then said "grab the paddle under your seat and paddle on the left side." So off we went, fighting the current, which was hard work for someone who's barely used her arms in 6 months! Still, I 'd far rather paddle than have to ford that river. We're in a drought so all the streams have been nearly dry, but this one still could have swept me away. In fact, that's why there is a ferry service. A hiker drowned in 1985 trying to ford it, plus it's completely unpredictable when it surges because the dam releases water upstream when more power is needed.

So after trudging all day in the rain and riding the "ferry," I finally got to Caratunk with a huge sigh of relief. Everything I wore and carried was soaking wet and all my thoughts were filled with visions of a warm, dry bed at the B&B. As I got to the doorstep, another hiker came out and told me that they were full, and my heart sank like a rock. I had actually been a bit worried about that possibility because I knew of two large groups ahead of me that I expected would be staying in town - although one of them was turned away as well. But I went inside anyway to meet the owner and pick up all the mail I had waiting there. From the looks of it, I probably was taking up most of his pantry space will all my boxes! I had my regular mail drop, plus care packages from my mom and Aunt Ann, and letters from my brother and friends from church. It was like Christmas!

Then our conversation turned to where I could stay and he told me about this place, which is a whitewater rafting company but it has a lodge, restaurant, pool, hot tub and so on. I ended up paying a lot more for a lodge room than for a hiker bunk at his B&B, but my only other option was to tent and I simply couldn't bear the thought. So here I am, in a beautiful room, cozy and dry and all my gear strewn around the place trying to get it dry. I filled up on a veggie plate and a basket of chicken and fries down below at the restaurant, so I'm feeling pretty good.