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View Full Version : Gull Pond in Rangeley



aaronthebugbuffet
06-29-2004, 23:20
Tonight I'm staying at Gull Pond in Rangeley and what a great place. Bob the owner is a real great guy who makes you feel right at home. The place is a little out of town, but if you call he will pick you up and take you back to the trail. It's a beautiful spot on the pond. I spent the afternoon floating around in the kayak and sipping on beer. I highly recommend staying here.

attroll
06-30-2004, 02:23
I stayed there years ago and you are right Bob is an awesome host. Very nice guy. I call him sometimes during the winter to get info on snow conditions up there and he tells me so I can plan my snowmobiling trips.

I recommend staying there if you need a place to stay for the night during your hike or just want a zero day.

Blue Jay
06-30-2004, 08:24
I love it there. Once in his kayak a loon surfaced right next to me. I could look right into those strange red eyes.

chomp
06-30-2004, 08:59
While the location is beautiful, I did not enjoy my stay there when I hiked in 99. The "hostel" is a little too integrated in his home for my liking. Also, a couple of years ago I arranged a shuttle through Bob. While I did not discuss prices ahead of time, I found that his rate was excessive, and to top it off, he tried to overcharge me on his stated rate.

Blue Jay
06-30-2004, 09:26
While the location is beautiful, I did not enjoy my stay there when I hiked in 99. The "hostel" is a little too integrated in his home for my liking. Also, a couple of years ago I arranged a shuttle through Bob. While I did not discuss prices ahead of time, I found that his rate was excessive, and to top it off, he tried to overcharge me on his stated rate.

If you did not discuss the price ahead of time how could he overcharge on a stated rate? Also could you be more specific, what was the shuttle distance and price? I am extremely aware of shuttle prices and while they sometimes are excessive in places (often in your home state of NH) you can always turn them down. I find it extremely unlikely Bob would force a shuttle on anyone.

chomp
06-30-2004, 13:06
If you did not discuss the price ahead of time how could he overcharge on a stated rate?
He told me that the price was $5 for every 5 miles in one direction. He started the tripometer when I dropped my car. When I got to the parking lot, his tripometer read 33 miles and he wanted to charge me $35. According to his stated price, I should have been charged $30... but if you are going to break it down, it should have been no more than $33. He wanted to round up the price of the shuttle.

attroll
06-30-2004, 13:41
I know that the going price is about $1 per mile for most hostels that I talked to. If you spend the night you get a different price.

smokymtnsteve
06-30-2004, 13:56
He told me that the price was $5 for every 5 miles in one direction. He started the tripometer when I dropped my car. When I got to the parking lot, his tripometer read 33 miles and he wanted to charge me $35. According to his stated price, I should have been charged $30... but if you are going to break it down, it should have been no more than $33. He wanted to round up the price of the shuttle.


33 miles 35 dollars..doesn't sound bad to me...

chomp
06-30-2004, 14:08
33 miles 35 dollars..doesn't sound bad to me...
Difference of opinions, but it sounded high to me three years ago when I got the shuttle. And when I was told the charge was $35 instead of the $30 that I expected... according to HIS rules... well, that specifically left a sour taste in my mouth.

smokymtnsteve
06-30-2004, 14:11
33 is closer to 35 than it is to 30..

chomp
06-30-2004, 14:15
33 is closer to 35 than it is to 30..
Thanks, Steve, I can do the math. But his rules were "$5 for every five miles". Not $1 per mile. Not whatever is closer. $5 for every 5 miles. Rounding up is a cheap move and not one that I appreciate. If you think its a good deal, you are welcome to stay with him. If, like me, you get annoyed with this kind of behavior, you might want to steer clear.

PS - I just looked up my journal from the weekend. It was 32 miles, so he really rounded up.

http://friends.backcountry.net/chomp/rep20020622.html

smokymtnsteve
06-30-2004, 14:52
I would have tipped him an extra $5!

Blue Jay
06-30-2004, 17:15
Difference of opinions, but it sounded high to me three years ago when I got the shuttle. And when I was told the charge was $35 instead of the $30 that I expected... according to HIS rules... well, that specifically left a sour taste in my mouth.

It is a difference of opinion. That price sounds completely fair to me. What leaves a bad taste in my mouth is someone bad mouthing a valued provider of service to hikers being bad mouthed on a public forum for what amounts to a few dollars. The more I'm on this forum the more I understand what happened to Uncle Johnny. Enough hikers try to nickle and dime you, you start to return the "favor".

smokymtnsteve
06-30-2004, 17:58
Blue Jay you trouble maker,,,there you go you mentioned JohnnY SHORES...you know what problems that causes...there folks who just can't stand johhny...Now I have stayed at johnny's...5 times since 2000(even though he doesn't post the fact...knows better)...got shuttles from him..and I have never had a problem with the feller..I do wish he would SHUT UP about Ms Janet and leave her alone.

It is always a good idea to discuss Price before you buy anything...I always ask and get a price before I buy anything...why would you not be clear and even pay before you take the ride. make your deal and know the deal first.


you are a troublemaker Bluejay,,,btw how is your NOSE...you nasty Rascal ;)

aaronthebugbuffet
06-30-2004, 22:58
He told me that the price was $5 for every 5 miles in one direction. He started the tripometer when I dropped my car. When I got to the parking lot, his tripometer read 33 miles and he wanted to charge me $35. According to his stated price, I should have been charged $30... but if you are going to break it down, it should have been no more than $33. He wanted to round up the price of the shuttle.next time walk you cheap @#$%^^&

chomp
06-30-2004, 23:01
What leaves a bad taste in my mouth is someone bad mouthing a valued provider of service to hikers being bad mouthed on a public forum for what amounts to a few dollars.
Wow, so I guess I am not supposed to express my opinion here on the board. I didn't like the hostel or the shuttle service. I provided my reasons for both. If you want to disagree, that is fine, but I'll be damned if I am not going to express my non-inflamatory opinion. To claim that I am bad mouthing someone is both ignorant and caustic. And if its just a few dollars, why don't you send me the 5 bucks, Blue Jay? I'll proved my address in a PM if you would like. Afterall, why should we be arguing on a public forum for what amounts to a few dollars?

steve hiker
06-30-2004, 23:10
When I got to the parking lot, his tripometer read 33 miles and he wanted to charge me $35. According to his stated price, I should have been charged $30... but if you are going to break it down, it should have been no more than $33. He wanted to round up the price of the shuttle.
Ugh. Can't stand a gyp, even if it's only a few pennies.

chomp
06-30-2004, 23:11
next time walk you cheap @#$%^^&
Next time come up with a more interesting response. And there was a next time, and I hitch-hiked.

steve hiker
06-30-2004, 23:12
The more I'm on this forum the more I understand what happened to Uncle Johnny.
Do you understand what happened to Miss Janet?

TJ aka Teej
06-30-2004, 23:20
I didn't like the hostel or the shuttle service. I provided my reasons for both.

I like hearing *all* opinions about service providers. Thanks, Chomp! And a buck a mile? Holy crap - I gave two hikers a ride from Katahdin to Portland last week, and all I did was let them buy me a tank of gas! Maybe I should go pro? :D
Teej

aaronthebugbuffet
06-30-2004, 23:59
Next time come up with a more interesting response. And there was a next time, and I hitch-hiked. now that's the way to do it. traveling with your thumb instead of your wallet is a lot more adventurous. some hostels do those long shuttles just to help us hikers out not to get rich. your experience there was different than mine and i'm glad you made your opinion known, but my opinion is your still a cheap ^&*@##! sorry

mama combat
10-24-2004, 17:33
would like to thank Bob for a great stay this season. Need address. Thanks Combat

Lone Wolf
10-24-2004, 17:39
Gull Pond Hostel
Camp Waya-awi Rd.
Rangeley, Maine
04970
phone# 207-864-5563

Skeemer
10-26-2004, 13:44
I liked Bob, his dogs, his clean rooms, and the best continental breakfast on the Trail so much I stayed two days on my '03 thru. When I re-hiked that section this year, I was a little ticked having to wait 3 hours to be picked up until I found out it was because he was running a hiker to the hospital in another town for a broken foot.

He'll pick you up, run you back and forth to town, and back to the Trail in the morning. I'm just thankful he's there. Geez Louise!...what more do you want?

Singletrack
10-26-2004, 14:53
Skeemer, Sorry about that.

weary
10-26-2004, 22:12
I suspect the price was $5 for five miles or fraction, thereof. That sounds reasonable to me. And for what it's worth, my wife no longer shops with me, since I argue over every discrepancy. If the price isn't the advertised price, or the price posted on the shelf, I complain.

Chomp's complaint sounds to me like a case of miscommunication, or of Chomp having failed to listen to the price details.

Essentially, the hostel owner seems to be saying that the minimum price is $5, regardless of the miles, and that he rounds up when the miles go over five mile chunks. That strikes me as a reasonable pricing schedule.

When I'm in that area and need a ride I just call The Cabin and tell them to come and get me. They never charge me. But that may be because the proprietors are my sister and brother-in-law. Or perhaps only because from time to time I get a hurried call to deliver lobsters on the cheap from a fisherman I know.

The lobster delivery only takes 180 miles, so maybe they figure it all comes out even. I've never asked.

Weary

Skeemer
10-27-2004, 10:53
Singletrack wrote:

Skeemer, Sorry about that.

Was that you? How are you doing...are you going to hike again?

Singletrack
10-27-2004, 11:52
Skeemer. Yes. My ankle is well now. Plan on returning next year, to finish the section to HF. Thanks for asking. By the way, Bob Obrien is a great guy, and a friend of hikers. He charged me $1 per mile, for trip to the hospital, and bus station. Thats fair, and what I pay here in the South.

aphex242
11-02-2004, 16:41
I also stayed with Bob overnight in early September, and found him to be a great host with a beautiful location. The breakfast was excellent and I enjoyed his countless stories. I certainly recommend staying there.

The Phoenix
11-18-2009, 10:12
Just throwing it out there that this was one of my best stays... I would surely consider Bob Obrien a trail angel... he is a generous man and he is very helpful and entertaining. I would say this is an underrated spot on the trail and I would recommend it to anybody. Boats to take on the "pond", great fishing, saw several moose hanging out on his property... a can't say enough good... check it out if you cross through Rangely!

Grampie
11-18-2009, 10:35
I stopped in Rangeley to resupply. I guy, Bob from Gull Pond, pulled over and asked me if I needed a ride and than told me he ran Gull Pond Hostel. Went and spent the night. It was a great stop on my thru and I'll always remember it. I would definately not compare Bob to uncle Johnny. Uncle Johnney is in business to make a profit. Bob is doing it to pay expences.

DawnTreader
11-18-2009, 10:36
ah the memories.... I didn't need a shuttle from Bob, but he did pick me up in town to take me to Gull Pond.. Tried to pay for gas, he wouldn't let me.. Tried to pay for gas on the way back to the the trail head as well.. he would only except 2 dollars!!! Sounds like some people out on the trail are trying to get a little something for a little nothing..... If I needed his services for a full 32 miles, or whatever it was, I would have slipped him 40, and told him to keep the change.... Bob is not only a trail angel, I think he has moved into the trail legend category...
If the poster thought that Bobs "hostel" was to integrated into his home, maybe they should consider that the fact that BOB RUNS HIS HOSTEL OUT OF HIS HOME! And was I the only one that ate like a champ at this spot???? If I remember correctly, his fridge was open for breakfast? And like others have posted, I also spent the afternoon floating on the pond in a kayak.. can't beat a town stop like that....

SouthMark
11-18-2009, 10:57
Stayed with Bob in June this year. It was fantastic. Bob is a wonderful person with a great sense of humor. Like the above post said breakfast was on the house, he didn't charge for laundry or showers.

Debbie
12-27-2009, 20:55
I stayed several nights there during a hike in '08, and very much enjoyed my stay. Bob is a genuinely nice person (also very humorous), and I thought his prices for everything from bunkroom to shuttle were very reasonable. The location is beautiful. Would definitely recommend it.