June 21. Day off in Monson, Maine

A day off from hiking is welcome. We ate a large breakfast and bid adieu fo Brian (trail name Copernicus) who drove Kaleigh to a trail head 12 miles or so down the AT, for another day of slackpacking. At breakfast three recent college-grads rolled in, bros named Yeahyeah, Friar, and Smash [collectively known as Dirty Mike and the Boys](Smash got his name because in college, he broke an empty wine bottle over his head on a dare...). They have a bit of a frat-boy vibe, not exactly my style. I'm wondering if I'm going to connect with many of the men out here, they're young and have a bit of a macho, push-the-miles-above-all, almost daredevil kind of attitide. They had breakfast at Shaw's but then want to Lake Shore House since it was cheaper. Breakfast was good: eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, french toast, Sunny D [it had been at least a decade and a half since I had Sunny D, and enjoyed it thoroughly]. Dana and I went down to the next town and got a few food items at the IGA, and ice cream and whoopee pies for lunch. I apparently lost 10 pounds over the last 10 days, so I'm okay with the extra calories! It was a beautiful day, again, and we went to the library and checked emal. Back to Shaw's, relaxed and packed, talked gear with Chef and Smooth and Pineapple [Pineapple was the kayaking kid from White House landing]. Then took off around 4 to go grab Kaleigh at the trailhead. Turned out to be a 3-hour expedition, because of the 15-mile gravel road part, down which I had to drive slowly. It was all fine in the end, and Kaleigh treated Dana and I to fried fish at the Lake Short House for our troubles. More ice cream, talked to 2 brothers from DC - weekend section hikers - who intend on hiking the 100 miles in 6 days. Never hiked New England before... not sure how that's going to turn out. Dana thinks they'll do it. I'm not sure. Hitting the Trail tomorrow. Excited but nervous.  - Ups