"Anyone who doesn't believe in miracles...

...is not a realist."
-David Ben-Gurion

July 10, 2001

Today I had another of God's "little miracles" to boost my faith.  I was climbing up Speck Mountain with thunderstorms running around.  This time I was worried because I was racing a storm up the ridge.

drawing in my Trail journal

Having been caught in the hail storm yesterday, I recognized this new storm as one containing hail.

I did not want to be caught in hail again.

So, I prayed to God that I would reach the lean-to before the thunder and hail arrived.  I knew I would run into lots of rain on this trip, but I felt strongly to ask for this from God.

When I reached the peak the storm was covering half the mountain up to the ridge with the other half all clear.  I took a picture and then hiked to the lean-to.

Storm cloaks half of Speck Mountain

Right when I got to the lean-to, dropped my pack inside, and sat down the hailstorm hit.

Just into the shelter when the hail started

Praise God!

The lean-to that I made it to is part of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) camping system.  It is nestled next to Speck Pond, the highest pond in Maine.

the beautiful, serene Speck Pond

The reason you pay $6 at several AMC spots is because they fly in bark for the composting of the privies. 

Wait? Isn't the camp surrounded in bark on all the trees!?  Anyways...

So, because I am a thruhiker I was able to "work my stay".  

For 45 minutes I sifted compost out of bark.  The way they do it is shovel out a full privy (full of waste and bark), compost it for many weeks (the stuff I did was over the whole winter) and then sift the compost from the bark.  They spread the compost over the forest and re-use most of the bark.

It wasn't as sick as it sounds, but I think I'd pay the $6 next time...