Day 24 - 7/2 -Resupply and Riverside Rinse-Off

Potaywadjo Spring Shelter (48.3) to East Branch Lean-to (67.8)

The crossing of Cooper Brook

The sun woke me up again way before I wanted to get up. I think that’s going to be the case for the foreseeable future. After another breakfast of quick oats, I got on the trail by 7:45. About an hour and a half later, I had my first river ford with a rope across Cooper Brook. It wasn’t particularly difficult to rock hop across, especially with the rope, so I was able to keep my feet dry. A little after 10, I met my dad at Jo Mary Road, one of the tolled logging roads in the Hundred Mile Wilderness. While resupplying and shuffling gear around, I met a group of camper and their counselors from Camp Kieve. One of the counselors is thru-hiking this year, so I did a quick interview with him. Funnily enough, he is doing a similar project to mine. He received funding from his college to look at the community of trail angels and trail maintainers along the AT.

Views from Little Boardman Mountain

After having a snack of fresh cherries, I switched out my heavy pack for a light one and hiked on to meet my dad at another logging road crossing. Along the way, I went over Little Boardman Mountain and got views and reception. I called my mom and grandparents, but the reception wasn’t good enough for much else.

The Pleasant River, where I rinsed off and washed my clothes

At Johnson Pond Road, I met my dad again and had a sandwich for lunch. I switched back to my heavy pack and pushed onward for the last five miles to East Branch Lean-to. After setting up camp and having a sandwich for dinner, I took advantage of the riverside local to rinse off. I found a nice little swimming hole and enjoyed the cool, but not freezing cold, river water. I washed my sweat-stained hiking clothes and changed into nice, clean camp clothes. Only afterward, when I filled my water bottle, did I realize the water was a mildly concerning yellow color. Hopefully, that is just some sediment and nothing else. In any case, I am as clean as you can reasonably hope to get on the trail and dry and warm in my sleeping bag.