Rangeley

So after 3 days of solid rain, I've decided to take a day off in the town of Rangeley, Maine (220 miles from the start of the trail and roughly 70 miles from the NH border).

Stayed at a rather "posh" vacation hotel of sorts called the Rangeley Inn. Best way to describe it: a rather old looking (but well kept) lake side hotel with oversized smoking/lounge chairs in the lobby, impressionist art on the walls, classical music playing in the background, and a clientele of snooty new englanders who are up in maine for a weekend of boating/fishing.

Then imagine someone walking through the front door of said hotel who is dirty, wet, tired, and whose clothes and large bag are covered in dirt/mud and watching them ask for a room for the night.

Such was my experience with this hotel, and I don't think I've been given more dirty looks all at once in all my life.

Strangely enough, the resort had a dumpster fire around 1 am last night, but i was sound asleep and didn't hear a thing. Spoke to one of the locals who was on the fire dept. team that put it out. The cause was determined to be "spontaneous combustion"...well, I'm sure that's a cheaper and easier way to put it than calling it "arson"...

Hung around town for most of the day, and lucked out that this one had a movie theater. saw Thor for $4. can't beat it.

I will say that the last few days on the trail have made me appreciate the simple luxury of being both warm and dry, though. Previously in the time I had been out here the weather hadn't been that bad...rain maybe once or twice a week, but usually overnight after I was already in camp or only for a short time during the day...never for days on end.

Luckily the sun is out, and the bad weather seems to have passed (at least for now). Will be getting back on the trail tomorrow for a day of relatively flat terrain; a welcome change from the mountains I've been climbing...seven peaks over 4,000 feet high in a span of 30 miles (and climbing mostly in the rain above tree line) gets old after a while. but I suppose it's good practice for the upcoming white mountains of new hampshire.

And since I'm hiking in the mountains, here's a picture of what a ski slope looks like in the off season when it's not covered snow.

I asked the locals about this seemingly random airstrip in the middle of the mountains. apparently, it's for landing private planes of the corporate executives who fly out to the ski resort when it's in season

And to top it all off, I am more than 10% done with the whole trail. Check out the 2000 mile marker

And now I am off to bed to hopefully get am early start on the trail tomorrow.

--Adrian