View Full Version : Good news for NOBOs and New England hikers
Spring has finally sprung!
Just returned from Millinocket and although the rivers and streams are raging everywhere, it will not be long before we can all get back to hiking the AT in the northcountry.
Big K is cloaked in white still but hope has arrived with temps in the 60s and snow melting/disappearing before your eyes.
Saw a herd of Whitetail Deer of about 30 just off 95 in Medway on the road to Kathadin in a field ,hanging around for handouts from the gracious locals who are offering bags of grain to the hungry deer. What a sight, wild deer turned tame. Ever stood next to a herd of Maine Whitetail Deer and they were not afraid ?
Maybe the NOBOs won't be treading deep snow afterall.:sun
Wonderful news indeed! Spring comes to Maine after all. I just knew it would.:rolleyes:
Jeffersonia (twinleaf) just short of anthesis by my front door. One of my favorite, but most fleeting of our Appalachian woodland flowers.:)
Sure must have been purty driving I 95 and seeing Katahdin come into view. Just thinking of that warms me from within.:sun
Yes it was real purty , especially the sunset and sunrise view of Katahdin from my motel room in Medway...and the herd of deer in the backkyard there. Being there on a worktrip, I didn't bring camera, big mistake.
Googled Jeffersonia (twinleaf), doesn't appear this far north I think.
This good news post is also good news for SOBOs who are looking to start early...June. Temps gonna hit 75 Monday...we are melting snow bigtime and that makes me bigtime HAPPY!
Look., the only reason it is spring in Maine is because I bought a ticket, flew to Chicago where I heard the tulips were up, the grass was green and the trees had starting leaves. When I left Tuesday I drove as far as Portland in Whiteout conditions and high winds. I flew out of Manchester in a pouring cold rain and arrived in Chicago in sixty degree weather. I captured spring in a huge nalgene bottle, flew back this morning bringing spring in a carry on bag. When I crossed the bridge at Kittery I stopped, opened the bottle and released spring. It looked like that extreme measure was the only way to get spring to Maine so I did it and I am not sorry. With over seven feet of snow on Sugarloaf in April imagine what May would have been like if I sat back and didn't take action.:sun
Good news for this hiker (http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p200/woodsy2007/scan0010-2.jpg) too. Caught her this morning enjoying some bare ground and fresh tree buds .:banana Took this photo from 150' with 5X zoom.
Her year old calf was with her but couldn't get both of them in same frame.
Yes it was real purty, especially the sunset and sunrise view of Katahdin from my motel room in Medway...and the herd of deer in the backkyard there. Being there on a worktrip, I didn't bring camera, big mistake.
Googled Jeffersonia (twinleaf), doesn't appear this far north I think.
This good news post is also good news for SOBOs who are looking to start early...June. Temps gonna hit 75 Monday...we are melting snow bigtime and that makes me bigtime HAPPY!
You would be correct about the distribution of twinleaf. You should have gone here (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=JEDI) for a good map, but the pics leave quite a bit to be desired. Maybe tomorrow, I'll post a pic of a well grown clump (one of mine) for you. If I'm to do that, it should be tomorrow. In a few days the petals will fall to the ground.
TJ aka Teej
04-22-2007, 11:19
Big K is cloaked in white still but hope has arrived with temps in the 60s and snow melting/disappearing before your eyes.
http://www.katahdincam.com/
Southbounders: bookmark this cam so you can watch the snow recede.
I'll get up there again in a few weeks, May 13-16.
Great posts, Woodsy!
Look., the only reason it is spring in Maine is because I bought a ticket, flew to Chicago where I heard the tulips were up, the grass was green and the trees had starting leaves. When I left Tuesday I drove as far as Portland in Whiteout conditions and high winds. I flew out of Manchester in a pouring cold rain and arrived in Chicago in sixty degree weather. I captured spring in a huge nalgene bottle, flew back this morning bringing spring in a carry on bag...
I'm glad you weren't able to fit all of Chicago Spring in that nalgene bottle. The past few days here have been so beautiful and it's weather like this that makes me sad that I'll be leaving soon until January, but I'm thrilled to start my SOBO hike in June. 39 days and counting.