It’s weird but I’ve been out here for so long that I have trail buddies that I’ve been missing and are finding again. Nasty Noodle and I hiked the first two weeks together and we got separated and just ran into each other here in Maine. He is a great guy and cracks me up with his funny stories. He is an avid hiker from Sedona and has so much energy. He is great to be around right now and I’m so glad we’ve reconnected. He has been traveling with Pepper, Shit Watergate, Piss Coon, Marmot and Villain.
We had a super easy start to the day and got on Trail around 5:30 hoping to spot a moose. We didn’t see any but the terrain was really smooth and the heat wave broke overnight so we had nice cool breezes all day. The bugs are still out but not as strong. At the 10 mile mark we all stopped by a place at a road crossing called the Hiker Hut. Vera runs the Hut and she provides a nice break spot with Gatorade and egg sandwiches. Her dog Levi was the best part of the visit and we played ball with him as he jumped in and out of the stream.
It was a great break before our climb up Saddleback mountain. It took a couple of hours to get to the top but we were above tree line for most of the rest of the day and were treated to some fantastic views. We hit four 4,000 + foot peaks and the wind was blowing pretty hard at the top. It was a great change from heat we were battling earlier in the week.
We are going to push over the next range tomorrow so we can get into Stratton for a resupply and hopefully a restaurant meal. The hiking is feeling better but everyone is slowing down – especially in the afternoon. Hopefully, our pace will pick up once we get a glimpse of Katahdin.
drewmarlar.com 
So glad you have reconnected with Nasty Noodle. Awesome view from Saddleback!
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View from Saddleback is beautiful! Very fun connecting with Nasty Noodle- mind blowing that you hiked the first two weeks. Now months and miles later, BAM, there you two are again! Crazy trail!
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So cool you reconnected with nasty noodle. Nothing like meeting up with an old hiking buddy. Good energy to be shared. View from saddleback mountain is a post card waiting to be printed. Love the large bouquet of daisies. Should certainly brighten your climb. Enjoy your hike today. Much ❤️
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Love these trail names! Can’t wait to sit with you and hear the stories about how these names were attached to each person. Gotta say it again your beard is awesome💕
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Hey Drew, how far apart are the AT markers on the trail (1/4 mile, 1 mile, …). I remember in a prior posting you mentioned you did go off the trail before turning back to join it again.. Just curious..
Love the photo from the top of Saddleback..
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They are supposed to be next line of sight from the last one so that can vary but I would say on average that they are about every 25 yards. Each state and section is responsible for marking so some states do way better than others. New Hampshire didn’t spend a lot of money on white paint – I can tell you that for sure.
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