A long but successful day. Started out at 7:08, into the mist. Portaged around the old dam, it was easy. The river was nice in the morning but I had to get out and do a lot of dragging through shallow water this afternoon. Saw five or six moose today. At one point I actually thought, Geez, another moose to paddle around! I give them as wide a berth as possible. I do not want to bother them at all…like I said they are big! I have had no unfortunate animal incidents thus far and I prefer to keep it this way.
I finally made it to the Ranger’s Station late afternoon and went to sign out of The AWW. The station was unoccupied but I found and open door which lead to a little room and an official Registration Book. I filled in all the information, anxious to do everything, “by the book”, since I was clearly on the radar now.
From there it was only about three miles to The Allagash Falls and my intended resting place for the night. It took me an hour or so. I was a little concerned because according to the Registration Book three other families are planning to spend the night at the Falls. This area has only four sites, so if someone did not sign in and reached the Falls first, I could be out of luck. My fears were unfounded and when I arrived I found not one but three open sites. It was hard to choose because they were all perfect. I decided to take the site farthest from the take-out and closest to tomorrow’s put- it. I still had some light and energy left so wheeled the steep path along the woods past the Falls. I couldn’t see the falls but I could feel the rumble beneath my feet and hear the power. I think I did 30 miles today, a record! Goodnight.
PS: all my stuff is starting to smell bad.
By the time I finished setting up the tent it was dark. Normally I would have crawled into my sleeping bag right after securing everything for the night, but not tonight. The stars are amazing, I have a roaring fire, the comforting buzz of insects and the pounding white noise of the river below. I am almost done; I will probably have only one more night of camping. Now I am trying to breathe it all in and hold it. Somehow make it last or at least take some of the peace and solitude with me, as I head back to that other world.
“There are voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sparky at The Allagsh Falls take-out
