Day 10: Monson to Moxie Bald Mountain Lean-to
Today started late (7!!!) and all the people at Lake Shore House rolled ourselves over to Shaw's for all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, hash browns, sausage and bacon. I also enjoyed 25 cups of coffee. I really miss that stuff. Almost everyone except the Sobros and I planned on staying another night in Monson. Around 10, I started getting restless and said my goodbyes to all the great people I've been hiking and living with for the past week. We had gotten really close, so I just had to promise them all I'd see them down the trail. I hope I do.
Walking outside, I thumbed along the road hoping to hitch the three miles to the trailhead. After a few failures, a man in a truck pulled up and I hopped in the bed. I was soon on the trail again! It was a late start but the relaxation was worth it. I stopped for lunch at Horseshoe Canyon lean-to, where I found Big Swirl tucked up in his sleeping bag. He was enjoying a short day. A 17-year-old section hiker named Switchback popped in and let me know that the 9 miles to the next shelter was easy and that I could get there tonight. And I'll be darned if a high schooler didn't convince me to double my mileage.
A magical cooler!
The most magic of all trail magic happens when the trail angel doesn't stick around to see the joy they are bestowing on hiker folk. Near a road crossing, I found a cooler filled with water, beer, and soda. Guess which one I took. The only small downside is that I have to carry an empty Miller High Life bottle until Caratunk in a couple days. Not bad! My nightcap beverage is warming up this otherwise empty shelter as I listen to moose calling to each other across the lake. I still haven't seen one!