Magical Maine Roadhouse Zeroes

July 10-12, 2024 (Zero Days)

July 10th

Jan woke us up with a phone call at 7:30 asking about where to send our resupply box. We snuggled in bed and tried to fall back asleep but Henry's hand started acting up so we just got up and had some coffee and packed up to move to the bunkroom.

What had originally started as "we'll stay one night at the Roadhouse but no zeroing" turned into "it would be sacrilegious to not zero..." and we'd already had Trickle write us in for the bunkroom tonight since they were full on private rooms. It’s going to storm today and tomorrow (stormy zeroes are the best zeroes) and also means there will be more water in the rivers which is good news for us. I worked on my blog some, talked to Mom on the phone and Henry showered. Then Trickle came to find me to let me know a private room had opened up and asked us if we'd like it. I said heck yes! We moved back out of the bunkhouse and into our room.

The Jens (the women who own the hostel) are seriously some of the sweetest people I've ever met and went out of their way to help us find everything we needed to patch the canoe up better. Blue Haired Jen went on an errand to find us some marine epoxy to put under our FlexTape. We carried the canoe under the cover of the porch and patched it up.

There's a hiker here who is a chef so he and Henry are collabed on a veggie soup dinner for the three of us tonight. My stomach was feeling off today and I didn't think I'd be able to eat any but after trying just a little bit of broth it was as if the soup cured me and I ate an entire bowl and a half.

July 11th

Another zero today because the stream gauge for Spencer Stream (AKA the stream from hell according to our guidebook) is up to 3000 because of the recent rains. We have to go upstream on it or we wouldn't be as concerned but there's no way we're making it up with levels like that. I could tell Henry was restless today but I really enjoyed myself. I slept in while he went downstairs for breakfast at 7.

I blogged and paid some bills and then Dirt Nap drove over an hour to come visit me!! It was so, so, so nice to sit and talk with her and update each other on every aspect of our lives. I missed having a friend and I'm so glad she came to see me (and she brough sweet lil treats).

Henry spent most of the day looking at the Maine atlas trying to see if there's any possible way we could walk around Spencer Stream but the only thing he came up with was a 60 mile portage on a main highway or a portage that we would more than likely be trespassing on private property. So there's that. We had gnocchi and leftover veggie soup for dinner and I stayed up reading my book until almost midnight.

July 12th

Okay even I'm starting to get restless! The stream gauge is still up and we're really hoping with no rain in the forecast today that it'll finally start dropping. We're both itching to get out and make some progress. We're so glad we ended up zeroing here in the first place though because if we hadn't we'd more than likely be stuck at a campsite somewhere waiting with dwindling supplies for the levels to drop, or would've had to turn around and paddle back to Stratton to buy more food.

Today we looked at plane tickets for Denver and cemented our plans to head out to do the Colorado Trail when we finish this adventure. It makes me feel better about finishing knowing our fun isn't over yet. I want to hold off on plane tickets for a bit longer though until we see how this next section fares. I took a nap today while Henry made us chili (it's been so nice having a kitchen holy shit). Was feeling kind of grumpy when I woke up until Henry fed me hehe and then went out and hit the bong with Trickle which definitely helped as well.

It's been so nice staying here and getting to know her better and I hope we get to hike together on a trail someday. I missed women!!! Henry and I played plenty of ping pong today and then he and Dakota had a tournament, Henry won.

Jen brought us some oysters out to the smoking table and like... at what other hostel is the owner going to bring you fresh coast of Maine oysters??? I have loved our stay here so, so much and am so thankful for the friends we made here. Packing up as much of our gear tonight as we can. Heading out tomorrow and hoping for the best.