The overnight rain was clearing by the time we left Ray and Hildy’s, filled to bursting with scrambled eggs, bacon, English muffins, homemade jam, and fruit. That should power me for a while up the Upper Ammonoosuc River today!
PADDLER’S NOTE: Good decision to continue portaging past Red Dam on 110 and Emerson Rd. At the Emerson Rd. bridge, there is a great put-in on river right, downstream, where a wheelable “road” goes down from the far end of the guardrail. From this bridge, it was a half hour struggle to get past Nash Stream and out of sight of the bridge, but then an easy 2 miles.
The trail has taught me, not only to look on the bright side, but also to appreciate the gentle times, without worrying too much about what lies ahead. For two miles, I searched for moose and delighted in the songs of the thrushes and cheered on the bit of blue sky that peeked through the clouds.
My goal was that lovely village of Stark, but first the river grew increasingly troublesome…with faster current and shallow sand and gravel bars. As the hours and miles go by, legs tire, rocks seem more slippery, and one must rely more on determination and mental attitude. It is then that I try to be more analytical…what could go wrong and how can I stay safest? I guess I succeeded, as eventually the covered bridge appeared. (The last section from the Frizzell campsite took 80 minutes to go 1.3 miles.)
TOTAL MILES: 376.3
Laurie Apgar Chandler 