My Trails

8/27/12 – 1850 miles
The White Mountains have been quite a challenge. The terrain is so rugged that our mileage has dropped considerably. Each day we have several mountains to climb and the trail can be straight up on the assent or drop down a shear cliff on the descent. It takes all your energy and concentration to negotiate some places.

Tonight we are at Lake Of The Clouds Hut just below Mount Washington. It is spectacularly beautiful here. The hut is the largest of all huts in the Whites, holding something like 65 paying guests. Thruhikers have the option of buying a bed for $120 if there is room or working for stay if they will take you. We arrived too early to work so they offered us a place in the basement – called the dungeon – for $10 apiece. It really looks like a dungeon with dark, smelly bunks, a steal door, and odors of heating fuel and toilet. But at least we will be dry – it is supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will go over Mount Washington come rain or shine. I’m still hiking with the Troverts and Kleenex, even though I have slowed down some, it’s alright. I enjoy their company and it feels safer to have others with me.

8/24/12 – 1824 miles
The White Mountains are very rugged and strenuous but beautiful. Tonight we are camped at Garfield Ridge Shelter/Campsite, only 10 miles from Franconia Notch the starting place today. We have three tents set up on a wooden platform. Unfortunately, we are right beside a group of section hikers on the first day of their trip, excited to be in the mountains, ready to stay up late into the night talking and joking. But we are ready to go to sleep. When the sun goes down, it’s time for thruhikers to go to bed.

There were several mountains we crossed today: Haystack, Lincoln, Garfield, and Lafayette. They are not as high as the mountains out west, but the trail is very steep and rocky up and down each and every one. Our forward progress dropped to one mile per hour through much of the hike today.

We are pretty lucky – the weather has been perfect. There is no rain in the forecast for the next several days so we are reveling in the idea of getting through the Whites without dealing with slippery rocks, wet gear, and no views. Lets hope the weatherman is right.

8/22/12 – 1795 miles
Today was my first slack pack. I always told myself that I wanted to carry my pack the whole way, remain pure by not accepting help from anyone, but like a lot of things that have happened along the way, I changed my mind – the White Mountains changed my mind.

Last night, Dead Eye had a bout of diarrhea just after dinner that kept him up for part of the night. He thought it best to bow out of today’s hike instead of fighting the trail and running behind a tree every few minutes. It worked out that Kleenex’s sister, Allison was coming to spend a couple of days slack packing a few of us through the first two notches and mountain ranges, leaving her free during the day. Dead Eye went with Allison to secure motel rooms and store all our gear until we climbed Mount Moosilauke and descended a tortoise rock scramble at Kinsman Notch. Tomorrow, Allison will take five of us to the trail at Kinsman and then take Daryl (Dead Eye will be off the trail) to Lebanon for his flight home the next day.

Of has been wonderful to spend some time with Daryl on my hike. He moved along the trail like thruhikers that have been out here for months.I asked him if he felt cheated spending time with me because of the other hikers I hang out with. He said, “No, and in fact it has been fun meeting some of your friends.” I know he understands the type of hiker-family that develops on the trail. Just now that I’m getting to the mountains, I need some people to go through with me.

8/20/12 – 1775 miles
Only 408 miles to go. All that is left now is the high mountains of NH and ME, and the long, swampy wilderness leading to Mount Katahdin. It still seems unreal that I will have walked for 2184.2 miles at the end.

Today Dead Eye and I hiked 16 miles over two heftty mountains. We are both feeling the tiredness of a good workout and the satisfaction of conquering a strenuous section of trail. We have sort of formed a group with a few other hikers. The Troverts, Kleenex, Tall Oaf, Tarzan and Jane, Dead Eye, and I, all hiked together today. Some went out ahead but we were all meeting up at mountain views and break spots, and are now camped by a stream near Wentworth, NH.

Tomorrow should be an easy day. We are all trying to work out details for a slack pack over Mt. Moosilauke on Wednesday, so we will take a short day into Glencliff, NH tomorrow. I haven’t slack-packed yet (having someone shuttle your pack to the next road) but it sounds like a good idea over a 4000 foot mountain.

8/19/12 – 1760 miles
It’s hard to find time to blog when the end of the day brings several tired hikers together to talk, joke, and plan for the next day. By the time I get to my tent where I’m alone and can write about the day, I’m often too tired to pick up my phone and compose my thoughts.

Yesterday was an interesting day. As Dead Eye and I came out of the woods into the outskirts of Hanover, we spotted Kleenex by a mailbox of one of the homes. She said that the people were looking for help stacking some firewood and in exchange would make us lunch. We decided to oblige and after working for about 45 minutes, not only got lunch but showers and laundry besides.

Hanover was a long road walk but eventually reached town and visited several stores for supplies. Dead Eye had to purchase new shoes because his old ones ripped out along one seam. I neaded supplies from the pharmacy and we all resupplied at the grocery store. Kleenex, Dead Eye, and I all spent the night at the first shelter only a mile out of town.

Today we walked 16 miles over a pretty tall mountain and are camped at the home of a trail angel named Bill. Bill is 85 years old and loves to talk to hikers. He has a cooler full of sodas for us and gives everyone ice cream. The girls also appreciate the use of the bathroom. Here tonight are: Kleenex, X & N Trovert, Tall Oaf, Wheezy, Dead Eye, and Castaway. Bill says he will make coffee in the morning.

Dead Eye says this is not the wilderness experience he expected.