Quick Katahdin area trip

[TJ aka Teej]

Ran up to Katahdin for a long weekend. Parked at Abol Bridge, hiked in to Rainbow Lake. Camped at the landing campsite, then climbed 2.2 round trip blueblaze of Rainbow Mnt. Camped second night at Hurd Brook. Yesterday hiked out and went into Baxter just in time for the first rain in many days. Met Ole Smokey Lonesome, AWOL, Kiwi, Bree, Ken and Marsha, and Trailfrog among others the first day. Second day Plato and his brother, JestBill and Tater, and Catch and Release up on Rainbow Ledges. (A fantastic pinetree framed view of Katahdin, btw.) Yesterday the Finches, Splash and Cobra, Dreamwalker, Biscuit, Grasshopper, Ostrich, Chief and other folks were at Katahdin Stream being brave in the rain. The Birches Lean-tos are being restained so the Rangers are putting the thruhikers up at Katahdin Stream Campground. I hung out for a while hoping to get data from the Ranger, but the regular guy was off, and by the time the fill-in arrived it was time to head out. I went back out to Abol Bridge to see if anyone needed a ride anywhere and met 4or5 section hikers who were styling umbrellas in the downpour. No rides needed, they all had cars spotted at Linda's store. Bear poop at Rainbow Spring, all over up on the ledges, and out near the road at the end of the 100 mile. Poptart '02 is the MATC trailrunner in Baxter, and he's telling hikers that a mother and cubs are on the AT along the West Branch. Watched Loons, Camp Jays and Osprey, heard loons, owls and coyotes, saw chippers and red squirrels galore, had lunch with several small brown snakes, saw the rear ends of two moose, no bears or deer. Good time, way too short.
TJ