Good Friends and Plan Changes

So - for me it's vacation week.  And lucky for me Teacup is my friend... because she is willing to go to random places that she's already been to help me get some boxes of that very long Maine box list (I need 450, she need 96!)  So she is willing to go to places she's already been.  I do try to make sure that wherever we go - we do try and get something that's on both our lists... but with her only needing 96 - its HARD!  (Plug to Maine boxers - Teacup list is WAYYYY too short.)

So when I mentioned a day trip - and she needed a box in Carrabassett Valley - and we both needed a box in Wilton and a couple in Jay - she happily said she was game for a day trip.  Little did she know that I'd come up with a CRAZY idea over breakfast.  And as I mentioned it to her - her eyes started to roll slowly to the back of her head.  But it was early - 6am early... and without the added will power of her first cup of tea - she agreed to my misadventure.

So after we finished our breakfast and knew we were set for our morning of boxing - off we went.  Plugging in our first stop - Jackman, Maine!  Now if none of you have ever been to Jackman - there is only ONE ROAD to get there and back.  One.  You can't get anywhere from Jackman except maybe Canada (15 miles further) which was NOT an option for Teacup... if you think she doesn't like boxing out of Maine - start mentioning the Canadian border - it's not a pretty sight :)  And it takes approximately 2 hours to get there... just to pick up a box.

But she agreed... and off we trekked. The drive was long - and we actually ran out of things to talk about - which never happens.  But we did pick up a box along the way, then checked on another that was surprisingly still viable after 6 years.  Further north we drove... watching the temperature and driving through banks of thick morning fog.  The weather folks (Tom Johnston specifically) promised a sunny day... but we were doubting him.  But the temperature slowly climbed the further we went north and the fog did indeed burn off (granted we were up in the mountains - so it didn't have far to go to burn off.) and the views were spectacular!  Jackman - and all of 201 was at foliage peak.  And Mother Nature had done a fine job with her paintbrush in the area.  The colors were vivid as we drove north along the river.  The sun making the colors pop in their brilliance.

Along the way - we passed a group of 'town elders' gathered outside a local store - clearly it was the town meeting in progress.  We thought about stopping and asking to be put on their agenda - but figure it would just confuse the locals - so we continued north.  We drove through Moscow - and there was something we've come to love finding along our random routes - a wall of birdhouses!  And they were in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes.  A wonderful random expression of art along our route!  We finally made it to Jackman - and navigated to the box.  Afterwards we needed a pit-stop to fill up on gas and grab a juice...

Jackman was lacking locals - in fact - everyone around us was from Canada : )  And they were all heading south.  Probably getting one last trip into the state before our borders get locked up after November 8th - not that that would actually happen - but Canadians were clearly making sure they got that fall trip in, just in case.

So we opted to continue south - after all we still needed to get to Carrabassett Valley... we stopped at the overlook to take in the view... (Later I will realize why having a smartphone could be an asset) then a bit further - passing the troll on a stick and a frog on the pole... stuck behind a chain of vehicles (all with Canadian plates) heading south.  Folks would pull over to take those required shots of the fall colors and then move along.  We stopped to take photos of the birdhouses before trying our luck at something in Moscow that Teacup vaguely knew the clue to - but the box had been out for 12 years - so after some random digging around - we opted to move along.

We stopped at the historic location where Benedict Arnold and his army made landfall before crossing further north into Canadian.  And did a few u-turns as we took a look at a few spots where we thought things might be stuck.  Now we realize when a location is listed as along 'Route such and such' that you should probably believe it - but when given the option of avoiding a city and cutting off a section - we'll take that 'A' option instead.  So while we needed a box on 201 - our first trip through we missed it because we jumped on 201A.  Because the GPS didn't come up with the location at all... and looking at our map - we figured the scenic overlook would be along the river - not in the middle of land.  Guess what - we were WRONG.  On the upside - as soon as we found it on our return trip south - we recognized it as some place we'd already visited before for a box.  Happily - this time there wasn't a wedding in progress - but we were there with LOTS of Canadians ;)  Fortunately for us - they were too busy checking out the 'scenic view' to notice Teacup heading in and out of the woods :)

So another box under our belt and we were finally off to Carrabassett Valley.  Before we could get close - we thought we were going to need an emergency run to the store to pick up some eye bleach! It was hard to miss - but there on the front lawn of a house was a human dressed as a zebra that was quickly molting out of their hide - I can not make this stuff up... the only thing missing was the clown make-up or the fact that we weren't at Walmart at 3am!  But I digress.

We got to our destination and headed out on the trail at 12:50.  The sun was high in the sky and the weather perfect.  But we were prepared - because it was fall in Maine, the sun sets early - in the mountains the weather can change without notice and we were heading out on a section of the Appalachian Trail... famous for eating hikers whole :)  We had snacks, water, bananas, clues, charged cell phones and blazes.  Even if they were the wrong color.  But the clues were 6 years old and the paint looked relatively new.  Now if only the person with the spray paint had brought a chainsaw - maybe our trip would have started out better (having to climb over 3 downed trees should have been a tell.

But we ventured on - because this is one of 96 boxes on Teacup list.  And the only way to remove it - is to attempt it.  So we scrambled forward.  Bushwhacking to try and find blazes - but only finding hoof prints - we trudged along.  Over rocks, under trees, across boggy moss, then 25 feet of actual trail.  The blazes were sketchy - but Teacup was able to find enough to trudge forward (she did have chalk with her and added a few of her own so we could get back to the car!  Pays to be a previous scout parent!)  We continued along, down the trail, down and over fallen debris, around more crap and reached a river... well it wasn't much of a river as we haven't had rain in ages... but it was a river of uncertain rockage.

So it's at this point that Teacup and I start to question our sanity.  I can't afford to break a leg trying to navigate to the other side of the river and up the hill that's less than pleasant - and she's part billy goat.  Besides - if she doesn't get to where she thinks the box is actually located - it stays on the list.  I know my limits - I'm terrified of falling - even more afraid of hitting bottom - and KNOW - that if I did get hurt - Teacup would have to save herself because she wouldn't have been able to get me out (but she could save my logbook!)  So we had a slightly heated debate about her going forward - we felt we were more than half way to our needed location - and me waiting behind.  After more than a few exchanges - she reluctantly agreed to head across.  I found a cushy spot of dry moss and proceeded to wait her out.  I texted a few friends, chatted with Christopher about what he was doing and made Mainekokopellian a little jealous as he was holed up at the office while we were out in the great Maine outdoors.

Teacup asked for 5 minutes, her 5 minutes is sometimes a much random time frame.  I was giving her thirty minutes and then I was going to call her on her progress.  Twenty-five minutes into my time frame - she made her way back across the river.  No luck - but off the list.  Too much damage, too much uncertainty - but a pretty educated guess that she was in the right location.  So I gave up my seat so she could rehydrate... and we headed back to the car.  The trails sucked as much on the way back as they did on the way in... and at one point Teacup offered me her walking stick.  I clearly suggested that might not be a safe option for her and for her to hold on to it :)

We finally heard cars.  We knew we'd make it out alive!  We both agree that we do not understand how anyone who thinks hiking the AT is fun????  Those trails are the succubus of all trails.  Also - with so many folks going missing on them (because not every section is clearly blazed) - we wondered why the AT Boundary signed didn't have QR Codes on each of their signs.  Then hikers could check into more locations with a quick scan of their phone.  Can someone mention to that to whomever maintains the trails?  And maybe someone could get a chainsaw and cut down those first 3 downed trees as well?  Maybe even clear the trail to an actual trail instead of bushwhacking?

But back to the car - no box :(  Sad pandas... so off we drove to our next spot.  Ice cream!  It was only an hour away... but we felt we deserved it - and it was past lunch - and we survived the AT - so all things  lined up as hopeful and as we made our way into Farmington - we pulled into Giffords for a couple sundaes (they were closing in 3 days for the season - and I was just beginning to want ice cream as it was finally cool enough to eat it again - even if it was 76 degrees in October!)  With sundaes in tow - off to search out a cemetery box.  A quick find later - we went off to Jay to get our last 2 boxes.  We had attempted them before - but the trails had been under maintenance since their planting in May.  And after our previous attempt - we felt we had a better handle on their locations.

In we went, meandering down the trail - and run straight into the trail maintenance crew.  Great!  How are we supposed to get the last two boxes without tripping over them?  So we took a side trail - in hopes it would work out to what we needed.  Nope, not for the second box.  But we did get the third and were able to log into the logbook.  So - not wanting to tip off the grounds crew of boxes being on the trail - we opted to head off the trail.  This did not make Teacup happy.  But we resigned ourselves to having to come back a third time for the middle box.  But then I had an idea - we could get to the middle box by remote access (from the road) - so we drove through the construction zone and entered via the ATV trail.  After just a few minutes - and no sightings of the locals - we found the box!  Woohoo!

Needing to get home - we ran back to the car (so we could catch the flow of traffic while we could) and started to head home.  We had a long day under our butts and some lovely images for our troubles.  But the best part - was enjoying the misadventure with a friend.  Even if she did roll her eyes at me - we had a good day.  And with any luck - our trip to Rhode Island will be even more fun!