Happiness in Andover, ME

Andover has been goooood to me!

Hangin' with some friends from the trail, Beebo Fox and Wasp's Nipple, and decided to join them in town for a night in a hostel here in Andover. We've been doing easy miles to take it easy on Nips' knee so I'm falling a little behind 'schedule' here, but I'm not only enjoying the comraderie, but also a different approach to the trail. While I could easily be bookin' it a bit faster, I've had a chance to really enjoy a few things that I wouldn't have if I'd been off on my own. The best example being skinny dipping in Mooselookmeguntic Lake (yes, that's the way it's spelled). It really was a beautiful place - blue skies, great big puffy white clouds, big lake with grass growing out of shallow waters in spots along the shores, a sandy beach with lots of drift wood, a warm day with a nice breeze, overlapping ranges of mountains rising in the distance, woods all around, cool clear lake water with shallows that stretched out 100's of yards further than expected which made for a comically long time getting into deep enough water to actually swim... seemed like we were in the middle of the damn thing and at spots still able to stand on tippy toe instead of treading water! oh yes, and on the back into shore the joy of seeing an older dude walking his dog along the gravel road we'd come in on, not to mention several big pick-up halling boats on a road with more traffic than we really expected! hehehe - tooo funny. ahh well, maybe it's our stench or wearing the same clothes days on end that we get used to that makes us so much less inhibited out here on the trail - we just don't care out here ;P

But I swear there's nothing better out here than jumping in some water after a day of hiking.. and then sitting on a driftwood tree trunk enjoying the scenery, sun and breeze while waiting for your feet to dry and finally once again donning your shoes and socks to finish the hike into camp.

Wow... I digress a little! Andover. An fairly easy 6 miles to the road into town, but just as I'm getting close to the road I hear voices and the sound of a car engine.. and as I get maybe 10-20ft from the trailhead I see to hikers crossing the road towards me and yelling back at the car to wait... I not only timed my arrival PERFECTLY as someone was dropping some hikers off at the trail, the driver was the person running the same hostel I was planning on staying at!! Craaaazy! And from the sounds of it, this was not an easy road for getting a hitch into town (8 miles)! So that was too sweet. Funny side-note; apparently Chris (hostel caretaker) asked all the hiker four questions. One of which is what do you miss most about home.. I thought a second, and instead of the obvious Shower, Clean clothes, own bed, food, etc... the first thing that came to mind was..... SOCCER. She said I was full of it, that after all the physical effort I'd been putting in on the trail, there was no way that was true. But I was actually serious.... If I weren't here, I'd probably be playing 3-4 times a week and I seriously miss having a ball at my feet and can't wait to be playing again. Of course I guess it doesn't help to have just come off of watching the World Cup... and France performing so well (I'm going to leave world cup discussions at that). Allez les Bleus!

But the second, almost immediate, piece of awesome news I got as soon as I called home - my camera was FOUND!!! :) :) :) Soooooooo goood. So it sounds like its on its way to my next maildrop and we'll owe a nice box of chocolate to a hostel owner in Rangeley. Sigh.. I almost can't believe it after spending several days on the trail just trying to get over it and forget about it.

But yeah, so aside from that, it's been much of the same old hostel activities - running around and doing town chores; laundry, shower, some trail planning, getting food in order, post office forwarding forms, a very nice nap :), cooking/eating huge meals, email, hangin' out with other hikers, etc.. but it has been one of the better hostels so far (aside from the bunks being on the 3rd floor - as if we don't get enough climbing out on the trail! ;)

Anywho, gotta get up to bed - early start tomorrow. Just 25 more miles to the NH border and we'll be saying goodbye to Maine and Hello to the Whites and the Presidential range (mountain ranges, like the Smokies, Shanadoahs, etc..).

Fool!