spider solo
New member
Well, of course, I couldn't really kayak my way up the mountain.... so the story goes this way...
Mt Kineo, Maine ...not the tallest of peaks at 1769 ft ...it is dramatic none the least with cliffs of 700 ft rising vertically from the water and in season the home of Perigrine Falcons.
Apparently it has a long history dating back some 11,000 years of native use by indigenous peoples who would come to use it's flint like stone for arrow heads and various tools.
Leaving from Rockwood Maine in calm wind and water I paddled across to what is listed as Kineo TWP on my map an island type penninsula connected by a narrow causeway with some summer homes on the southern end. Having been advised that the wind can be fickle I headed straight for the cliffs then huged the shore for about 2 miles heading north to a campsite on the northen end at Hardscrable Point.
I had my heart set on camping on one of the Islands, but I stopped to check this point out with it's three campsites and stretch my legs. Spectacular views in all directions were to be enjoyed plus I checked out the trail heads for hiking to Kineo.
Across the water to the north was Farm Island with it's two campsites of the Maine Forest Service which were my destination. Pushing off I headed on over with light winds and set up camp on the more Easterly of the sites with tempting views of Kineo with its Firetower on the summit.
Dum,dum dum drum drum drum drum drum..over and over it went throughtout both days...it took me a while to slowly dawn on me what the sound was..but I'm not yet telling as most of you probably know what goes a drumming this time of year..
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"... the old sage advice rambled around in my head as I made the water crossing back to the trail heads. Travel now while the going is good...flat water with hardly a ripple...no bugs.... a perfect April day under sunny skies.
After dragging the boat on shore and hiding the paddles separately I head down the Carrige Trail for Briddle Path and the summit... it's somewhere around 2 in the afternoon. The trail starts off nice and dry with a few blowdowns then a few more and a few more soon it reminds me more of like doing the hurdles.guess I didn't have to worry about off the roaders showing up at the campsite unexpectedly, which was one of the prime reasons I picked an Island campsite instead. Nearing the summit Indian Trail joins in and from there the amount of blowdowns is making for more of a bushwhack.
Rocky ledges and stony outcrops sets me to thinking if cougars have actually made their way down into Maine and my mind is lost deep in thought.
Quick noises...the sounds of brush being pushed aside... the heavy breathing...the pant, pant, pant, of an approaching animal....I jump aside as I spin around to face this creature overtaking me !!!
Lo and behold the two of us.... face each other..eye to eye cheek to jowl..still he lunges forward straight at me.
Yes, indeed that was the biggest nastiest... blind in one eye..Ninja Basset Hound...I ever did see... with one last lunge.. straight to the puddle in front of me...thirstiest thing I ever did see !
...musta come from those summer homes...good thing I'm camped out on an island... safer you know..
Except for the bear I didn't see who walked off with my cooking pot... good thing I found it as it had my breakfast in it...now it has this interesting dent in the lid...
Mt Kineo, Maine ...not the tallest of peaks at 1769 ft ...it is dramatic none the least with cliffs of 700 ft rising vertically from the water and in season the home of Perigrine Falcons.
Apparently it has a long history dating back some 11,000 years of native use by indigenous peoples who would come to use it's flint like stone for arrow heads and various tools.
Leaving from Rockwood Maine in calm wind and water I paddled across to what is listed as Kineo TWP on my map an island type penninsula connected by a narrow causeway with some summer homes on the southern end. Having been advised that the wind can be fickle I headed straight for the cliffs then huged the shore for about 2 miles heading north to a campsite on the northen end at Hardscrable Point.
I had my heart set on camping on one of the Islands, but I stopped to check this point out with it's three campsites and stretch my legs. Spectacular views in all directions were to be enjoyed plus I checked out the trail heads for hiking to Kineo.
Across the water to the north was Farm Island with it's two campsites of the Maine Forest Service which were my destination. Pushing off I headed on over with light winds and set up camp on the more Easterly of the sites with tempting views of Kineo with its Firetower on the summit.
Dum,dum dum drum drum drum drum drum..over and over it went throughtout both days...it took me a while to slowly dawn on me what the sound was..but I'm not yet telling as most of you probably know what goes a drumming this time of year..
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"... the old sage advice rambled around in my head as I made the water crossing back to the trail heads. Travel now while the going is good...flat water with hardly a ripple...no bugs.... a perfect April day under sunny skies.
After dragging the boat on shore and hiding the paddles separately I head down the Carrige Trail for Briddle Path and the summit... it's somewhere around 2 in the afternoon. The trail starts off nice and dry with a few blowdowns then a few more and a few more soon it reminds me more of like doing the hurdles.guess I didn't have to worry about off the roaders showing up at the campsite unexpectedly, which was one of the prime reasons I picked an Island campsite instead. Nearing the summit Indian Trail joins in and from there the amount of blowdowns is making for more of a bushwhack.
Rocky ledges and stony outcrops sets me to thinking if cougars have actually made their way down into Maine and my mind is lost deep in thought.
Quick noises...the sounds of brush being pushed aside... the heavy breathing...the pant, pant, pant, of an approaching animal....I jump aside as I spin around to face this creature overtaking me !!!
Lo and behold the two of us.... face each other..eye to eye cheek to jowl..still he lunges forward straight at me.
Yes, indeed that was the biggest nastiest... blind in one eye..Ninja Basset Hound...I ever did see... with one last lunge.. straight to the puddle in front of me...thirstiest thing I ever did see !
...musta come from those summer homes...good thing I'm camped out on an island... safer you know..
Except for the bear I didn't see who walked off with my cooking pot... good thing I found it as it had my breakfast in it...now it has this interesting dent in the lid...
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