4/5/21 After a long hiking day setting up camp in the dark slept Reasonably well.It had rain overnight and on and off in the morning so as usual it was hard to get going. Trimmed piper‘s hair and finally got going. It was drizzling. Initially had a rain jacket and rain cover on my pack but it stopped raining and took them off but it always looks like it was going to rain again. Got to this creek with the ridge had washed away and there was warnings about crossing it. It was really no problem for just across just my feet got wet which they were anyway. Piper did fine. Continued on a nice hike had lunch started uphill and saw Eagle coming down hill. I was a little confused but apparently she was slack packing 25 miles./Packing is where a hostile will take your pack give you a day pack drop you off somewhere north and have you hike back to the hostel. And this way you could do more miles. It’s still an official way to hike but I would rather avoid it. Begin climbing steadily again and drizzle fog rain and cold sit in. My right thigh began burning and aching again probably coming from my back but I pushed on. Got to an old stone Shelter which looked busy and it was cold so decided to hike down about a mile where I thought it would be warmer and there were some campsites which was true. It was indeed cold overnight used paper partially as a heat source. Yesterday took a picture of an amazing flower I think is a blazingOrange Azalea. I think everything will start blooming. As two of this time I’ve seen no evidence of any Bear activity although piper will bark at things which I don’t see. Right as I was thinking of that I think I noticed some bear scat. Took some pictures one of a wildflower finding an amazing place to grow in the hollow of a tree. This morning looks like the Sun is coming out which would be nice. About 20 miles to do in two days to get to the next hostile I will be using. I hope my New tent will finally be there and I can put this all to rest and I will send back my inflatable sleeping pad which I don’t need and has a hole in it and that will cut down on the weight. So many plants whose names I am not familiar with and it would’ve been great to hike this with a naturalist but I will look these plants up in the future. I asked some hikers I see on the trail what these plants or trees are and they have no idea. I think I am more knowledgeable about The plants and animals living here than they are.Have seen cottontail rabbits, millipedes, 2 snakes a few birds but no bears maybe bear scat. Cows, Ponies and a few dogs no other animals.

5/6/21 Cool last night and this AM and evening but during the day quite pleasant. First 2/3rd of the trail were rocky but last third grassy which made the hiking easy. Usual views which were nice. Tomorrow only 6.8 miles to US 52 where Bubba will pick me and Piper up and drive us to the Big Walker Motel where we have reservations and hopefully my new tent will be there as well as package with Piper’s usual food. Will wash clothes, resupply and send back REI tent and blow up sleeping pad which has another leak probably from Piper’s nails. Want to decrease weight of pack and send one pair of long pants and socks home. Need to increase miles done to get to Mount Katahdin before Sarah’s wedding.Have 1608.1 miles to go.Around 147 days to get back by 10/1/21. That’s doable averaging 11 miles a day.