F-2016-9-23
Start: Lock
Dam Campsite on Chamberlain Lake
End: Bisonette
Bridge on Allagash River
On the
Way: Lock Dam, Eagle Lake, Churchill Lake, Allagash
Wilderness Waterway, Allagash River
Miles: 21.5. Milepost: 624.5
Weather: Rainy and cloudy in AM, cleared up a bit in
later afternoon. Now all clear, but
windy as hell from the North!
Map: 12
If handwriting’s messy today, it’s because both pen and I
are experiencing some intense cold. I am
so glad I got my warm weather gear when I did, because my river togs are soaked and a night in any part of them
would be most heinous.
Most of today was on Lakes, battling the most intense
headwinds I’ve had on the whole trip.
I’m lucky to have made the mileage I did, considering that by lunch I
had barely scraped 6mi out against the wind.
After lots of cursing and singing to myself (I might have alarmed some
fishermen…) I finally got to Churchill Dam and the blessed rapids of the
Allagash. I forgot it was a cash-only
segment, so they cleaned me out of all my cash for my four nights of
camping. Bah. Maybe Two Rivers Lunch, a much-heralded
cash-only greasy spoon down the river in Allagash, will accept my Canadian $10
bill souvenir from Quebec, or some family will be my Trail Angels. Or there might be an ATM in Allagash Village
[Spoiler: there wasn’t]. Really wish I
had a certain BOOK that could reassure me of such things!
But despite the highway robbery of his fee system (not that
the nation’s first waterway wilderness should be begrudged…), the ranger, who
was a retired swimming coach, was fantastic.
He let me log on to his laptop and check email (Hannah and Zach contact
established!), sent me along with ¼ an apple pie from his kit, helped me tote
my loaded boat around the dam, and opened the dam up a little to give me a
boost down the bony rapids.
The extra
H2O volume was most welcome, since the river is low as hell, but since I
started it at about 1600, I didn’t make good enough time to make it to the
first campsite along the river by nightfall.
Hence how now I’m squatting like a troll by the foundation of the former
bridge, rather than luxuriating in the legality of one of these nice campsites
that I’ve dearly paid to use. Ah well,
I’ll make use of them for the next couple nights. Perhaps there will be another dam release in
the morning. In the meantime, I’m
fruitlessly “drying” my clothes on the stone steps, watching the beavers play,
and scheming to skedaddle early in the morning before any outfitters or rangers
show up.
Lining rivers is so much easier when you can see where
you’re stepping, too. I landed a few
scratches on my boat tonight when the Western sun was right in my eyes. And since
it was cloudy all day, why would I have my shades at the ready? Although it was ultimately my fault for not
being prepared, the lack of control over the situation, combined with the wild
race down the river, made me quite grumpy.
I also didn't make it over to see the abandoned locomotives and remnants of the steam tram railway that lurk in the woods at the top of Eagle Lake. Spending last night at Lock Dam put me in a prime location to portage over to the next lake, rather than portaging past the locomotives, so I took advantage and did that early in the morning. When battling the winds, the last thing I wanted to do was add additional mileage to go peer at the rusting things, so I blew on past. And probably a good thing, since I was pretty late getting onto the actual Allagash River, anyway.
I also didn't make it over to see the abandoned locomotives and remnants of the steam tram railway that lurk in the woods at the top of Eagle Lake. Spending last night at Lock Dam put me in a prime location to portage over to the next lake, rather than portaging past the locomotives, so I took advantage and did that early in the morning. When battling the winds, the last thing I wanted to do was add additional mileage to go peer at the rusting things, so I blew on past. And probably a good thing, since I was pretty late getting onto the actual Allagash River, anyway.
 |
| Abandoned steam train, via AllagashGuideService.com . |
Things Learned:
+ Mmmm that pie. It
was a delicate thing of beauty, and wouldn’t last very long in my food bag; I
HAD to eat it all tonight. Honest.
+ My right pinky doesn’t work so well anymore. So far I’ve given two lame handshakes.
Trail Magic:
+ Surprise email access, pie, and white water!
+ Start of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, on the 50 year anniversary of its founding!
+ Start of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, on the 50 year anniversary of its founding!
 |
| Via Maine.gov. |
+ Mom mentioned coming to Ft. Kent to pick me up. On one hand, I don’t want to pit her plans
and Hannah’s against each other, but on the other, I would like to give Hannah
one more out. I was in a rush to get
back onto the water, so I just forwarded Mom’s offer to Hannah and let them to
duke it out. I felt like an awful
friend.
No comments:
Post a Comment