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We woke up to pouring down rain — but we only had 6 miles to cover in order to get to Caratunk. We left the shelter around 7 am and arrived in Caratunk at 9:30. The trail was wet but easy terrain.
Two guys had their pickup parked on the side of the road right where the AT Trail crosses the paved road into town. They were standing in the rain and handing out hot coffee and homemade chocolate chip cookies to hikers. Trail Magic!
People like this are a constant reminder to me of the basic goodness of people.We walked on to the Caratunk B & B. Showers. Loaner Clothes. Laundry. Custom Milk Shakes. I’m now curled up in their front parlor in a wing back chair and snuggled up in a very comfortable quilt.
Bad fact for the day: Steve and I weighed ourselves when we arrived. After 12 days on the trail, Steve is down 7 pounds. My weight is up 3 pounds. I’m feeling pissed about as he eats over twice what I do each day that we are in the trail. But, In the past, I have found that my legs and face swell during the first few weeks when we backpack. I don’t know why, but it has happened each time, so it is something I have come to expect. A week from now, I expect to suddenly drop 8-10 pounds as my body adjusts and the edema goes away. But today, those 3 extra pounds just make me mad.
The rain was pretty mild. Got in, got a milkshake, showers and laundry. Going to get rested and out of the rain.
The group last night was really pleasant.
The hostel here is so very pleasant.
And now we are clean and our clothes smell fresh again. Tomorrow the rain breaks and we cross on the canoe ferry and head south.
A beautiful day even if we arrived smelling and looking like drowned rats.