#HikeLAG for Atticus

So I took Friday off with the plan to hike.  Maybe Franconia Ridge, stay at the hut.  Thank you pollen for the nauseating headache.  And Saturday was supposed to rain, so I felt like I lost the whole weekend.  But the weather lied.  Saturday was wonderful.  Hot, but mostly sunny.  So many choices, so I went with Mt. Agamenticus in York, ME.  I have hike 4 mountains in Maine;  Katahdin, Bradbury, Gorham, and now Mt. A.  Everyone has had an awesome ocean view.  After Gorham, Mt. A is pure awesomeness.  And with 3 fewer hours of driving, it is my go to Maine destination.  Plus, it is close to Ogunquit.  How can you go wrong with that?

Mt. Agamenticus used to be a ski area.  Imagine riding down the slopes with the ocean right in front of you.  Ok, it was not as like that, but you can still see relics of the ski area.  There is a ice loop around the mountain with several trails up to the summit and different roads.  There is an auto road.  Short, steep, and BOOM views.  Yeah, kinda took the road by accident, but got a map (donation) and planned my climb.  Hot and buggy,  Welcome to May in Maine.  Just keep walking, or they will devour you.  

The trail is not too long and skirts the summit.  I choose the Fisher Trail up.  Good choice.  The views to the west were great, even with the clouds.  It was nice to say HI to my White Mountains.  Maybe next weekend.  It is a nice summit for not a whole lot of work.  Mountains on one side, the ocean on the other, best of both worlds all in one.  There is a platform and lots of old ski equipment.  And some wonderful smelling flowers.  Definitely worth the toll.  The views are just great all over Mt. A.  It was just a great day to be out.  Plenty of time to get the mothballs out of the summer equipment and test your trail legs.  When I got there, it was not that crowded, but I can see a conga line in the later weeks.  

So what do you do after a hike like that?  Hit the Hannaford’s produce department of course.  Seems to be a theme lately.  Stock up at Market Basket, feed hiker hunger at Hannaford’s.  It’s all about the wing bar.  But I really went to get some BBQ goodies.  Carol got a nice cabin at Pawtuckaway.  So she has a BBQ.  It was good to see one of my partners in crime.  Yes, shenanigans were planned.  Great fun, met new friends, and ribeye to boot.  Yes, this is what life is about.  Hiking and friends.  I hated driving home, but I left my sleeping bag at home and Willy was not feeling well.  

I have a long way to go to get back to my prime hiking shape.  I have goals, big ones, I do not know if I will reach them all this summer, but I will try.  The hiking world lost Atticus Friday.  His adventures with his human partner Tom show the true potential of all beings.  Their ability to be one with nature was just amazing.  And how they took Will into their home to help him live out his final earthly days was just heartwarming.  With Willy being sick, his passing was never far from my mind.  So far Willy is the oldest cat I have had.  Well second, but he is mine.  With so many changes and more on the way, I cannot lose anymore.  I am still working to be the person I want to be.  It is a hard road.  Hopefully I can have some good, happy adventures.