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8:30 AM - Thank you to Willis and Jackie for putting us up for the night on 5/30. I enjoyed getting a shower and eating real food again. We only covered 5.2 miles after Willis dropped us at the trailhead. The temperature rose above 90 deg F with high humidity. Fingerboard Shelter was out home for the night. A long stop at a lake permitted several nice photos of a water moccasin/copperhead hunting small fish. The day also included "The Lemon Squeezer." It is a rock that is supposed to be difficult. It was not.
Yesterday, we hiked 24.3 miles, stopping just before Canopus Hill Road. This was the worst section of the entire AT, including the vicious dogs on a spot in Tennessee and barbed-wire fences. We had to cross over 10 highways including the bolt across both directions of the Palisades Parkway traffic, NY 90, US 9, NY 403, and several other multi-lane New York "Trails."
The top of Bear Mountain was packed with cars, motorcycles, and New York City refugees. The thoughtful, polite New Yorkers were good enough to give back to the environment by leaving offerings of juice boxes, dirty tissues, and other less appreciated trinkets.
After reaching the top, I drank a gallon of water. Fortunately, I carried it all the way up, because the water pipe at the mountain "resort" broke at the base of the mountain.
[Transcriber's note - Sven has crossed out a lot at this point, attempting to be generous to the denizens of Bear Mountain.]
The base of the hill was the lowest part of my trip. About a million people were crammed onto the grass next to Hessian Lake. I reached the trailside museum and zoo. A sign posted the fees. I walked past the line and into the prison for animals. Irritated patrons whined about me not having to pay. I kept walking. There are no toll-booths on the AT.
After being forced to witness the forest animals caged in tiny metal boxes for thousands of eyeballs to irritate, I escaped to the Bear Mountain Bridge. The 5 of us thruhikers who camped together last night discussed, with heated anger, how inhumane the zoo was and how wrong it was for the ATC to endorse such a disgusting abuse of wildlife by running the AT through it. Maybe we'll be fortunate in the future and have a tour of Attica or a meat-packing plant.
We camped in someone's back yard last night. After road walking and car dodging, we decided to stay here.
The only good things about yesterday's hike are the 24.3 miles we won't have to see again, the hikers I talked with last night and this morning, and signs I could photograph in the animal prison. One sign admitted that this was the lowest point (125 feet) on the trail. Another sign pointed out a funny wildlife exhibit - people crammed into a public swimming pool. The ATC should reroute this section of the trail to let us experience the Cross-Bronx Expressway. It would conclude the attempt at being "well-rounded!"
On 6/1, at the north side of Shenandoah Mountain, NY, I found a newborn fawn lying on the trail. It looked ready to die. I gave it a clean bowl of water, which it drank, and was ready to carry it to town, thinking its legs were broken or something. It suddenly stood up, bleated for its mom, then walked 30 feet into the woods. Its mother was nowhere in sight. I found out the fawn was lying there at least 3 hours, based on other hikers who saw it in the trail. Since none of us touched it, there is the possibility its mother will return, but it is most likely on its own.
10 PM - I was feeling rather bored over the last few days. I hate the heat and humidity we've had. The temperature has regularly been in the low 90ø range and the humidity is close to 100%. I measured this with my nylon swim trunks: After rinsing and wringing them out, I hung them. They didn't dry until I put them on.
While sitting on a rock, eating dinner a couple days ago, I decided to try a 50-mile day with full pack. Since I don't want to rush through Maine or New Hampshire, and since New York was all road walking, I thought I'd try to do 50 miles on the last segment of NY and first segment of CT. I had no idea CT was so much like GA with the ups and downs. CT also has some steep rock cliffs that the trail climbs or jumps. Under different conditions, 50 miles may have been possible here, but the weather stayed hot and humid.
After two small 15-mile days, I woke yesterday at 12:15 AM and packed my gear. The sky was covered with clouds, making the full moon as dark as if it were new. I debated my departure date for 30 minutes, finally deciding it was now or never. By 1 AM I was on the trail, totally dependent on a flashlight powered by a single AAA cell.
Even though it was night, the humidity and heat kept me uncomfortably hot. I kept telling myself how the temperature would drop as I hiked north and as the elevation increased. I found no evidence of this during the day.
I must find out what exactly I have hiked on the AT, because many parts of yesterday's hike were clear memories. I must have hiked everything from Harpers Ferry to Rte. 4 in CT. Most sections were hiked with the Boy Scouts, but I vaguely remember other people in several other sections.
I reached the first NY-CT border by 6:45 AM, and made the mistake of taking a free map from the pile. I now see the fine print, "map not to scale." In reality, the civil engineers who plotted the CT section of trail found a way to design a slinky and tangle it around the peaks of the AT foothills. According to the position of the sun, I walked counter-clockwise around every peak, at least one full circle, before walking in the same counterclockwise direction to descend. The occasional switchback in the clockwise direction must facilitate this illusion, but it clearly destroys any hope of navigating based on position or direction. I can't wait to see Del Doc's GPS data for this section - especially Indian Rock and Schaghticoke Mountain.
At first I was frustrated with the difficult climbs and descents, but I soon realized the 50-mile day would not happen today and began to see this section as a challenge in itself. Since this is a heavily populated state, and few areas of wilderness exist in the area, I was impressed to see how much distance of the trail was wrapped through areas without roads. The spiral gave the illusion of being in a wide expanse of mountainous wilderness, even though the same landmarks occasionally were visible from the view points.
I covered a total of 39.4 miles today, including 38.7 miles of the AT. I'm happy with the day's work. The Shenandoahs were the place to do a 50-60 mile day. This section is much more difficult. According to the map that I picked up, I covered 39.6 miles on the AT. Since it is a 1999 publication and is specific to this section, I'll assume it is correct. (Besides, it gives me more distance!) With the addition of shelter and water trails, I hiked 40.1 miles. My new personal record is 40.1 miles.
I could have hiked longer, since it was only 8:20 PM when I stopped, and I took two 1-hour breaks. There was no need to do this and I didn't care to risk injury or make my night uncomfortable. I am now settled in a nice shelter, by myself, with plenty of water, and lots of pleasant thoughts.
Tomorrow, I'll hike to my next mail drop in Salisbury, CT. I ate the last of the food in my pack at 6 PM tonight, so I have excellent motivation to get to town!
Today, I had the opportunity to watch a garter snake eat a toad, just south of the Mt. Algo Shelter. I saw the toad occasionally kick, but the snake held on. It's mouth was open wide, holding the hind legs of the toad in place. I wanted to watch longer, because I can't believe it will fit inside the snake, but I spooked the snake when I took its photo.
1:30 PM - I stayed at the Plateau Campsite last night, after a semi-quick stop in Salisbury, CT. I resupplied with a food drop at the post office and sent change of address cards to the last two mail drops.
Last night's dinner/late lunch consisted of 1/2 gallon of Friendly's Purely Pistachio Premium Ice Cream, one pound of kielbasa, 1/2 loaf of Wonderbread, and 1/2 jar of BBQ sauce. I washed all of it down with 2 liters of soda. This morning's breakfast was identical, less the ice cream.
After the easy hike yesterday, I kind of wished I had finished my 50-mile day that ended at 40 miles. The only difficult or time-consuming sections in CT were Indian Rock/Schaghticoke Mountain, and St. John's Ledges. I actually think the 6 miles of road walking wore my feet out faster.
It probably had more to do with the 90øF temperature and high humidity which made even the slightest hill difficult to climb. Yesterday was much nicer with a high temperature of 75øF and slightly less humidity than the day before. Today's weather is similar though it did reach 85øF at 11 AM.
St. John's Ledges were the most difficult descent in the first 2/3 of the thruhike. I felt it had a bit more deception than Dragon's tooth, down south. I believe it was this set of sharp drops with 6-inch ledges that helped kill the last bit of elasticity in my Leki springs. Both springs broke bythe time I reached the gravel road. I suppose they weren't designed to hold a 200-pound person doing a handstand with a 1/2 twist followed by a pike. It worked, but the springs gave out. I'll replace them with American steel springs when I get to a hardware store.
The poison ivy oils are ripe. After walking, crawling, and climbing through the bushes of this evil weed for the last few weeks, I've finally developed the associated dermatitis. I have blisters on the backs of both hands, on my legs where both socks and shorts are unable to cover, on my arms, and some on my neck.
Last night I started taking the Benedryl tablets and applying the 2% Benedryl cream to the affected areas. I hope to slow the reaction until I finish. The last two times I reacted to poison ivy, I required a steroid injection followed by tablets of steroids. I hope to avoid that, at least until I finish the trail.
While examining my blisters this morning, I spotted a deer tick holding a firm grip on my left arm. I'm 100% positive this was a deer tick since I studied pictures of them when my dad contracted Lyme Disease.
I carefully removed the tick by sliding my knife point under its body and using my thumbnail as a tweezer. I took out the tick, with head, and a chunk of flesh attached to the tick's head. The wound was then covered with antibiotic ointment. I'll continue to watch for the infamous bullseye rash or the other signs of infection.
Since I already had a clean knife, I decided to perform a callousectomy on my feet. The thick, hard callouses on my feet were folding over, causing deep blisters to form. I was surprised to see how easy it was to saw them off without hurting myself. The feet are now enjoying an easy day, coated in antibiotic ointment.
Yesterday I talked with Bookworm and Smokestack, just south of Salisbury. They plan to thruhike in 5 years and were out practicing. They seemed in good spirits. I hope they succeed.
My scholarship application made it to press on time. I'll call to verify that the school received it. Thank you, Jim, Mom, and the secretary at Mom's work!
All of my remaining four drops have been sent. I will not pick up a food drop at Mt. Washington as originally planned, because the hours are so unreliable. I will check for mail, though.
Ridge Runner John stopped in to check out this shelter. He arrived just in time to see my stuff strewn across the entire shelter. He gave me some tips on how to avoid the herds of weekend campers that apparently flood the trail starting on Memorial Day Weekend. I haven't seen a horde this far north, but I'll keep my eyes open. Apparently they're nearly as destructive as the gypsy moth if left unchecked.
Well, it's 3:30 PM. I've sat here for 3.5 hours, eating, writing, and greasing my feet. My 2 pounds of undigested meat are in my tummy, and a pound of Twizzlers just joined the reserve. My pack suddenly feels much lighter. Bring on Massachusetts!
10:30 PM - Glen Brook Lean-To, MA (milepoint 1492)
I'm 7.0 miles inside the Massachusetts border, near the Glen Brook Lean-To. My tent is in the middle of many other tents. There is a great smell of the campfires drifting through the site. That is probably why the mosquito population seems low tonight.
Campfires are illegal in NJ and CT along the AT. I understand the problem of overuse, but it's nice to be back to camping the way I remembered it. Speaking of memories, I camped here with BSA Troop 144 many years ago. I clearly remember climbing Mt. Everett, Race Mountain, Bear Mountain, Lion's Head, and crossing the CT-MA border. I just can't remember when exactly these hikes took place.
My feet feel much better, since I sawed off my thick callouses. I washed them and coated them with antibiotic ointment. They have much more sensation than a day ago. They also bend much easier. Maybe I won't need that visit to the podiatrist before my professional massage, when I finish the trail. Only about 670 miles left!
The wind is picking up and clouds covered the stars. The temperature is dropping. I think that I'll find out if my waterproofing job worked. Time to sleep.
The Benedryl is taking its toll by making me sleep in. I wanted to sleep all day, but forced myself onto the trail by 1:20 PM.
Part of the morning hours were spent trying to fix my poles. I duct taped the springs, hoping they would work long enough until I reach a hardware store.
I can hardly believe how crowded the campsite was last night! I guess I have to tolerate them on the weekends until I finish.
My health situation has changed. I now have more mosquito bites and black fly bites than I do poison ivy blisters. I'm not sure if the blisters have diminished, but I know I lost a lot of blood to the insects today. The bloodletting was a two-sided battle. I killed about 3-4 mosquitoes per minute for over an hour until I went for the chemical warfare option. I pulled out the DEET. I covered every inch of exposed flesh with the toxic juice. I still got bitten, but less often. It was comforting to think about the feet and mouth-parts of the mosquitoes melting away every time they attacked.
I ran across Desperado near US 7 this afternoon. He gave me a couple of oranges, a couple sodas, and a candy bar. He then drove me into Sheffield, MA so I could have my Leki poles fixed at the outfitter. They were closed, but this trip was not in vain. Desperado bought us ice cream before he returned me to the trail and drove home. Thank you, Desperado!
Just before bed, I threw a large, rotten log on the fire. It let off lots of smoke. Unfortunately, it seems to have made little difference in the constant whine of a dozen mosquitoes circling overhead. I should have set up my tent. I HATE BUGS!
11:30 PM - I'm full of mixed feelings tonight. Today was a hot (95øF) and humid (100%), long trudge over an annoying section of trail. I don't mind rocks, hills, switchbacks, spirals, road walking, or even highway bolting - as long as there seems to be a purpose. Today's winding up and down the side of a ridge to get me from one side of a lake to the other side of a lake served no purpose. Old, smooth, dirt paths were intentionally blocked to force hikers up and down the rocky paths around the lake.
I remember reading a quote of Earl Schaefer indicating that he was annoyed with the changes in trail route that served no purpose other than increasing the difficulty of the walk. I have to agree with his sentiments. If I choose to leave the obvious path to run 10 laps up and down a mountain, that is my choice, but for someone else to make me do so irritates me like a mouse inside a Skinner's box.
Simple John, a section hiker traveling from Delaware Water Gap to Katahdin solved this problem by walking along a highway the entire length of Connecticut. He feels he missed nothing. I can hardly argue an opposing view, though I suggested he try to visit St. John's Ledges some day.
The only reason I'm continuing this roadrunner and coyote game is to finish a stated goal. I wonder if I would have set this path as my goal if I knew what a yuppy playground it becomes in the summer.
Please bear in mind that the extreme heat, high humidity, 100+ mosquito bites, several hundred more dead mosquitoes, 4 layers of DEET, two layers of citronella, and several gallons of sweat have affected my opinion in this matter, and on a cold, snowy day, I may feel different. (Not Likely.)
I'm very glad I stopped for the night at the Upper Goose Pond Cabin. This AMC-run shelter/hostel was a welcome sight after a miserable day. The glass of lemonade set a better mood, and the swim in the lake cooled all the heated thoughts and parts. I ate a big dinner with plenty of iced tea (my food).
Tomorrow, I hear, the caretakers will be making pancakes for us to devour. I may or may not reach Dalton tomorrow. It's 21 miles from here with lots of services, but another hot and humid day with long hiking will not make a town stop enjoyable. We'll see how the weather is.
Either way, on the ninth I will reach Cheshire, MA to collect my mail drop. I've barely eaten my last mail drop! Since I'm ahead of schedule, maybe I'll feast all day after a short morning hike. After living on Kaywood Lane, staying at Kaywood Lean-To would be quaint.
I need to resupply my DEET, Avon Skin-So-Soft, and/or citronella lotion. I hate the feel of DEET, but it works. I wonder if they make an entire suit out of mosquito netting. A baggy shirt and baggy pants might be just the thing. I suppose my nylon pants will work, but they'll be much warmer.
OK, time to sleep. I'll dream of pancakes jumping over a barbed-wire fence into a cool lake of DEET. Gotta love this nature stuff!
11 PM - I sit here in the Kay Wood Lean-To, eating my dinner, lying in bed, and listening to the steady hum of a nearby interstate highway. I find this very ironic. The house in which I grew up was a few hundred feet from an interstate highway on Kaywood Lane. I used to stay up listening to the trucks and cars, imagining the conversations of the people inside, and always wondering where they were going.
Once I arrived at the shelter, got water, set y tent inside the empty lean-to, and spread myself across the mosquito haven, I had time to daydream. This wasn't an unscheduled distraction. I decided at lunch today that I need to daydream more. I spend 3.5 hours lying in my fleece blanket at the October Mountain Lean-To this afternoon. I calculated that I could waste that much time and still stay here at Kay Wood Lean-To without walking in the dark.
I dreamed about finishing the last 600 miles. Would I be happy or sad? Would I run to the top uncontrollably or would I trudge with lead feet, knowing the trip is finished forever when I summit Katahdin?
I convinced myself that I would go hiking again, but it's completely different to 'go hiking' than to live on the trail.
I think back to the start of my voyage - much easier after reading printouts of several online journals, including mine, at the AMC's Upper Goose Pond Cabin. When I started, this was a goal I had to complete. At 12 years old, I knew I had to do this, but had no way of comprehending what it would involve. In some ways, I knew better then what the trip entailed, but I didn't understand the rest of the world and how hard it is to maintain two lives.
I miss the days of sleeping around a campfire under the stars, talking with my friends about nothing special, all that time wondering how life would change. I heard from several of these friends while hiking this year. Their lives have evolved and they seem happy, but I wonder if they are living the double life as I am. Are they dreaming about camping while working at their jobs? I think about school and bills while hiking.
A few people just trouped to this shelter. I heard the clanking of beer bottles and swearing when they saw my pack hanging by a rat hook. I said hello and received absolute silence. I've clearly ruined their party. Now I have to secure my belongings from these peculiar two-legged animals. I have three advantages. They think thruhikers are crazy so they will probably stay away out of fear. They're not going to be very coordinated if their party starts somewhere else. Finally, I'm smarter (and bigger) than the average bear. I can't believe I gave them this much thought. I'll go out and make some psychotic yell in an hour to scare the hell out of them, and maintain the thruhiker image.
OK, enough reality, back to my daydream...
When I started walking at Mt. Springer, GA, I had a goal to complete. Since that time, I realized this hike means much more, symbolically. This is a type of graduation for me. I will have the knowledge that will allow me to overcome elaborate puzzles in life. When you learn how to stay warm in a trash bag for several cold, wet nights, how to eat well with only pennies to spend, how to sleep in a hiding spot to avoid conflict with spotlight-hunters, you can handle less serious tasks like making money.
8 PM - Life is getting much better! The high temperature today was 70øF at 11 AM. Since then, I've hiked 16.7 miles of AT to the Mark Noepel Lean-To with a stop in Cheshire, MA for my mail drop. I planned to buy ice cream in town, but the 60øF, drizzly weather made me think twice.
It is now pouring down rain at 50øF. I'm glad I stopped here instead of trying to cross Mt. Greylock before dark. The rain didn't start until I was almost in the shelter. The mountain has been covered with clouds all day, but the rain picked up only as I reached the shelter trail.
Before the rain, I hiked all the way down the hill to the spring to fill my three 2-liter bottles with water. The iodine tablets have finished killing microscopic nasties, and I have the freeze-dried Alpine Minestrone and Ramen Noodle soup preparing itself (in Tupperware). True, a stove would make this go faster, but then I'd be wasting valuable daylight eating instead of writing in my journal! Besides, I ate a heaping bowl of Honey Nut Quaker Oat Circles with powdered milk at the last outcrop/view.
Here's a chemistry question I need solved: I've used the iodine tablets to purify my water without using the ascorbic acid neutralizing tablet. The amount of iodine won't hurt me, according to a JAMA article, but the acid does make the water taste better. When I added my non-neutralized, iodine-treated water to the Ramen Noodles, the liquid turned a bright BLUE! It turned back to a clear, milky color within 30 seconds. What exactly is in the Ramen that causes the blue color change? I am somewhat hesitant to add the monosodium glutamate packet for fear of starting a fire in my Tupperware! Something else may have affected the chemical reaction. I didn't clean the bowl well between the Quaker O's with milk and the Ramen. You all know what I'll be doing with my food for the next few nights - kitchen chemistry!
I love cold rainy nights when I'm dry, warm, and don't have to worry about hiking out a wet tent! I set my tent in the middle of the shelter floor, just like last night, but this time it is for warmth, not mosquitoes. The tent raises the effective warmth of my fleece bag and fleece clothing by 10øF, I think. This morning I was hot in the tent, yet I almost felt cold when I opened the door.
I'm starting to feel a bit chilly. There is a strong breeze in the shelter. It is almost dark. I ate my two Ramen packets, my Alpine Minestrone, and drank the rest of my first 2-liter bottle of water. I'll end up drinking another through the night and use the third for breakfast and the morning walk. I can hardly wait to get into my tent and in the fleece blanket. I still have additional clothes in case of colder weather. As a last resort, I have the two Mylar blankets, but I'll go with several trash bags before that. I shouldn't have any trouble staying comfortable with the tent, fleece, and foam pad, tonight.
I'm 13.7 miles from the Massachusetts-Vermont border. I have strong memories of staying at both this shelter and at least stopping at the Kay Wood Lean-To before. I don't think I hiked any of Vermont before, so I'm looking forward to new sights, sounds, and experiences. Hopefully, the weather will stay cold!
4 PM - I had a great day today and its getting better! I woke up around 6:30 AM to sunlight warming my tent and chilly air outside my tent door. The rain poured all night long, letting me sleep soundly, aside from a bathroom call. My thermometer read 50øF, and the air was dry, even with the damp ground and plants. An ominous black cloud hovered over Mt. Greylock.
After a big breakfast of oatmeal, I packed my stuff and climbed another 500 - 1000 feet to the summit. At the summit, I stopped in Bascom Lodge and sat around for 3 hours.
When I left, the sun was shining brightly, and the dried ground made it easier to walk. I called Leki and was surprised when they told me they are sending replacement springs and lower segments to fix all the worn parts on my hiking poles. It took 2 minutes on the phone. That is good service! Solomon ought to take notes.
My walk down the steep north slope of Mt. Greylock was difficult, but the thought of pizza made it go easier.
I'll have to buy a few things at the grocery store next door and cross into Vermont tonight. I have only 592 miles left. 1567 miles finished!
6 AM - Two nights ago, I got as far as the Sherman Brook Campsite before dark. I sat by the campfire built by Brooks and Laurel. They are college grads who plan to move to Anchorage, Alaska this fall. Brooks will start law school at the University of Alaska - Anchorage, and Laurel will continue her computer career, probably working for one of the oil companies. These two were neat! I hope Alaska works out for them so I'll have more people to visit when I go back. Hopefully, Spoop will give them a nice welcome to the state.
Ziplock was also at the campfire. The four of us had a great conversation around the coals until 1 AM, when Ziplock and I found places to sleep for the night.
Last night, Ziplock and I set up camp in the site next to the Melville Nauheim Shelter in VT. The shelter was a mess, even after I swept it out. It quickly confirmed my memory of the long, long hill at the end of the day's hike.
I set my tent on a spot I camped once before. We had a campfire and took care of our feet before going to sleep. I used the rubbing alcohol to help dissolve some of my remaining callouses on my feet. Sawing the thick parts off has improved my foot comfort and prevented the deep blisters, but I've found that the alcohol helps remove more of the build-up. It feels much better now that my toes can physically bend and the sensation is back in all but the smallest parts of my big toes.
After the alcohol treatment, I coated my feet with a preventive layer of Tinactin Anti-Fungal cream. In the morning I use triple antibiotic ointment in a petroleum base. This keeps the extraneous life forms away and helps soften the soles of my feet.
6 AM - Yesterday I hiked a total of 17.4 miles on the AT, stopping here. The black flies were out, and I could count on at least one above my head at all times. When the drone of the fly wings stopped, it signaled me to check on my shoulders as it was probably prepping my skin for blood-letting. A quick swat usually killed the evil-wing-Ed, but occasionally one would spit down the needle-like beak, leaving a terribly painful itch.
I'm still taking a half dose of Benedryl each morning and night to control the itch and swelling from poison ivy, black flies, mosquitoes, and gnats. My sensitivity to Benedryl still makes me sleep about 12 hours every day, but I dislike the alternative even more. The good news is that most of my poison ivy blisters have dried and healed. I must not be as sensitive to the plant as I was several years ago.
For over a week, I've heard rumors that the black flies have already hit Maine and New Hampshire, so I should be experiencing the end of the season. If I hear a swarm over my head, count on me spending the rest of the day inside my tent. Anaphlaxis is no fun, especially in the wilderness.
Yesterday, I stopped at Goddard Shelter for a water break. The second my hand dipped a bottle into the spring, gnats attacked every exposed piece of flesh. If I kept moving, they were no problem. It took 45 minutes to collect 3 liters of water. I quickly treated it with iodine tablets and walked. Rest breaks are not restful if I spend the whole time swatting insects.
I took 3 photos, panoramic style, from atop the fire tower on Glastenbury Mountain. It was an especially nice view with the breeze blowing the gnats and flies away from the observation deck.
The day couldn't be complete without some pictures of a ribbon snake gulping down an unlucky toad. I'm fascinated by the ability of such a narrow creature to be able to squeeze such a large meal into its mouth, especially while it is still kicking!
I'll climb Stratton Mountain today. It's rumored to be the place that Benton McKaye first thought of an Appalachian Trail. I hope it's high enough in elevation to limit the insect population!
9 AM - I stopped at the old fire tower atop Stratton Mountain for an hour, yesterday. The view was awesome! I took four pictures from the tower. It was the best place to escape the insects. I wish I could sleep in a tower like this.
Four miles down the mountainside was the Stratton Pond. The flies were eating me faster than I could kill them. I took off my boots and jumped in the lake. When I climbed out of the water, I dried myself off and covered every speck of skin with long clothing. I watched the flies land on my fleece shirt, inject their beaks, reach nothing, withdraw, step to the side one step and repeat! Having 10 of them doing this on your shoulder, starving to death (I hope) is almost as entertaining as swinging a hand and killing all of them at once. As soon as they \died, dozens filled in the spaces. I sat and watched the sky fill with storm clouds and talked to the caretaker for almost two hours. He thruhiked in 1994.
When I continued my hike, I continued wearing the heavy clothing. Thinking of snow and ice cream carried me another five miles until I reached a stream. As I filled up my water bottles, the rain started to fall.
The sign for this shelter appeared another mile down the trail, so I hid in this building. It's perfect for insect evasion!
Around the campfire that evening, I chatted with four former New Jersey hikers who now live in Vermont. One graduated Rutgers after attending Rowan! It was nice to find others who shared my experiences. They plan to hike the Long Trail this summer.
After bundling up, I still received two bites on the back of my left hand. This morning my hand is swollen twice the actual size. I've continued Benedryl and applied Benedryl cream to the hand, but little change has taken place. I will continue to wear nylon long pants, gaiters, and a long-sleeve nylon top. Hopefully, their beaks won't penetrate the nylon very easily. In the mean time, this shelter is a welcome retreat.
I've completed 3/4 of the trail. With only 536.9 miles to go, I should finish mid-July. I preferred ice and snow, but I'll make it.
3 AM - I've progressed another 18.7 miles and caught up to Ziplock, Duke, Torso, and another hiker. After chatting with two German hikers using a mix of gestures and choppy English, I joined the other thruhikers in a swim in the cold stream. The water felt great, especially since it cleaned the drying sweat and bug blood from my body and clothes.
Afterward, I wrung out my clothes and dried myself with a pack towel. Dinner consisted of mashed potatoes, cheese, garlic, and Lipton onion soup. A second bowl contained two MSG packets from the dry Ramen I ate for lunch, instead of the onion soup mix. I was full, clean, dry, and tired.
I performed my night-time foot pampering [edited - you've read it]. My toes were happy, especially after the cool dip in the stream.
I fell asleep watching the campfire that Ziplock built. I woke once to the pouring rain at 12:30 AM, but quickly drifted off. At 2:30 AM, I woke to the lack of rain. I just went down to the stream and filled six liters of water bottles. Now that the iodine treated bottle is ready, I'll have a drink and go back to sleep.
Today's hike took me over the beautiful Baker Peak. Bromley Mountain has a nice climb as well. Last time I saw this section, I was about 12 years old and walked southbound.
Big Branch Shelter and Spruce Peak Shelter are tow of the few places to camp that a five-dollar toll is not assessed. I am worried that New Hampshire's toll-trail will be even harder to navigate.
Time for more sleep, then a long day of hiking. I want to get to NH by Thursday!
8:30 AM - Yesterday I met a partridge. It squawked and flapped its wings as it ranacross the ground, crossing the trail. I thought it was injured. As I got further down the trail, it came back, flying at high speed, and tried to hit me. A few feet away, I heard the cheeping sound of baby birds. I found out this is the way a partridge protects its nest. I think it would do better placing its nest more than two feet from a trail. This was the second time I had this happen. The first time was on the Cobbles.
9 AM - What I have enjoyed the most about the past two days is the lack of bugs. The Big Branch Shelter was free of pests, bugs, rodents, and, coincidentally, caretakers. The Governor Clement Shelter was similar, but much colder. I love the mortared rock walls - they are beautiful and on a hot day, would make for a cool retreat. However, on a cold night, they tend to amplify the chilly breeze from the nearby streams.
At 5 AM, I woke from a comfortable fetal position with a strong urge to water the lawn. It was difficult to get warm in my fleece blanket with the 35øF morning breeze, but I soon [narrative breaks here].
With 495.1 miles remaining, I am excited about today's hike. I will climb Killington Peak, a supposedly steep side trail from the AT that allows views of the NY Adirondacks and NH White Mountains. Afterward, I will leave the Long Trail as the AT veers to the east and heads for New Hampshire.
Yesterday, I had some gear problems. First, my right Leki pole collapsed. The bottom segment, which was pulling out of the pole, squashed all the way into the middle segment. Because the crimps are loose, I can't remove it. Hopefully the new parts in Hanover, NH will correct this problem.
Additionally, my new Camp Trails hip belt is falling apart. The webbing that holds the weight of the pack on the left side is hanging on by three stitches. They literally don't make them like they used to. I've tried some extra webbing to help distribute the weight, but I'm not happy with the poor quality of this replacement hip-belt. It lasted only 400 miles. I was on hold with Camp Trails for 1/2 hour before giving up and buying groceries.
After enduring these new hardships, I decided to pamper myself with a cheese-steak, milkshake, and ice cream cone at the Whistle Stop Restaurant and a visit to the grocery store. I ate a total of 3/4 gallons of ice cream today!. I carried 2 loaves of bread and 2 pounds of cheddar cheese, along with a box of Entenmann's chocolate chip cookies to the shelter for today's breakfast and lunch. This will allow me to hit Hanover with just enough food.
Yesterday's hike was very beautiful. It took me past many streams, through dense pine forests, and over several steep cliffs. I will want to come back to this section again.
9 AM - The 17.1 miles of AT that I covered yesterday were deceivingly difficult. The climb over Killington was nothing compared to that over the second ridge, leading north from River Road. I must have climbed more than 3000 feet in the first 2 miles, then down 1000 feet to this shelter, 2 miles later.
Missing the left turn up Pico Peak, first thing in the morning added two miles to my travel route. Something I remember doing years ago, as well. A simple double blaze on a tree less than 30 feet above eye level would have helped me locate the tiny arrow 30 feet up and 5 feet into the woods off the dirt road.
I slept about 11 hours last night. I needed it after that last hill. I'm worried about my ability to finish on time with the steep inclines and declines of the Presidentials of New Hampshire. A quick glimpse at Torso's profile maps really made my eyes bug out. It looks like two 5000-ft ascents and descents per day to cover 10 to 15 miles.
In the short term, I plan to hit Hanover tomorrow on the 18th. 37 miles 'til town. My confidence was really shot by that last hill, but I'm sure I'll do fine. There are advantages to being a stubborn, hard-headed hiker. "If the round peg doesn't fit the square hole, you didn't use a big enough hammer."
Torso hikes much faster than I do, but he takes breaks in town. I won't expect to see him once he reaches Hanover. Ziplock skipped New York due to illness and plans to complete that section once he reaches Hanover. Desparado has helped him overcome many of the difficulties in the NJ/NY area. Duke will meet his wife in town, and they plan to complete the last part of the trail together. They expect very low-mileage days.
I'm about ready to move on, but my body still aches. I feel exhausted, but a day off will only make my muscles more sore and my joints more swollen. I think I'm over the poison ivy. Much of the fly inflammation has subsided as well. I stopped the Benedryl with the morning half dose, yesterday. Maybe I'm feeling some withdrawal symptoms. The weather has been cold, reducing the severity of the swarming varmints. I'll hold off on my plans to buy fly paper, Raid, and Yard-Guard!
9 PM - I stopped here for two reasons. First, it was 8 PM, raining, and mosquitoes came out. Second, I was too tired to continue walking!
Even though the signs lied about only a 0.2 mile shelter trail (it is clearly a half mile), I'm glad I walked all the way here. 20.2 miles today. I'm tired and fatigued. Tomorrow requires a 17-mile day by 5 PM to get my mail. I think I'll have to leave before 11 AM for a change.
Amishrejec stayed here on the 9th. Apparently he was the first 1999 thruhiker to stay here. Hirsh signed in on May 31st, but it looks like he stopped for a break. It looks like I'm the third thruhiker of 1999 to visit here. I appreciate the roof over my tent, the solitude, and the good water.
I remember camping in this spot before. This is bizarre! Even the water run brought back memories of a conversation in which we decided to get water above the railroad ties instead of below, near the trail. I think DJ was my patrol leader on that trip.
12 noon - I'm sitting in the middle of a field on a hill overlooking the mountains over which I hiked yesterday. A fire siren went off, probably in Etna, NH, telling me, "Time for lunch," so I sat down on a nice gravel patch, stripped to my shorts, and hung my socks, shoes, shirt, and boots on a makeshift clothesline - my pack propped by my poles. There is a small tree next to me, but I'm sitting in the bright sunlight, attempting to lose some of this farmer's tan. Lunch is a 2-l bottle of ginger ale and two Ramen packets (dry).
I'll take a photo of this arrangement. I believe it may look familiar to Jim, since I think he chose the shade of this small tree for a rest break some 15 years ago. [Nope - it wasn't me. I never was on the trail near there! - Jim]
I arrived in Hanover, NH at 2:15 PM yesterday. I took a shower in the Dartmouth dorms, after an alumnus filled me in on the Reunion festivities of this weekend. He told me to go ahead and use a common bathroom shower.
Two hours later, I retrieved my mail from the post office. They called the Bear Mountain, NY post office to see where the packages that were to be forwarded to New Hampshire were located. Apparently, they were "just received yesterday and forwarded." It's amazing how a box from NJ takes two months to arrive in New York, yet it takes two days to reach New Hampshire. Strangely enough, my letter from VA to NY took even longer. Hopefully, the forwarded box of food from Bear Mountain will make it to Gorham, NH, along with my forwarded letters, cards, etc. from friends. I'd better slow down over the next 140 miles so I don't beat it!
7 PM - I'm stopping nice and early tonight. With three more hours of daylight, I can relax and enjoy camping. I covered 15.6 miles of AT today. This leaves 425.2 miles, less than 1/5 of the trail. As long as I do at least 15 miles each day through the Whites, I'll finish in mid-July. I can do that!!
I received my second fleece sweater as well as L.L.Bean's replacement fleece pants. I've been plenty warm at night, down to 45øF. The fleece bag was cold without the tent one morning, but I have more clothing now and plan to use the tent every night.
I also received all of the replacement parts for my Leki poles. They are better now than when I bought them. The springs are much more durable and have a higher spring constant. The uphills don't mush like they used to. The only time the springs compress is on hard downhills. That's how I think they feel best.
Mom sent me duct tape and nail clippers. I used the clippers and sent them home. The duct tape is being rewound onto my poles, pack frame, etc., so the weight is distributed and it is always handy.
The manager of the Dartmouth Bookstore was nice enough to weigh the box of stuff I had to send home and I paid the postage. The only trouble I had in Hanover was how early the grocery stores closed. I ate all I could eat of Italian sausage lasagna in the "Everything But Anchovies" Restaurant. I also guzzled lemonade.
Well, my water is sterilized, time for dinner and sleep. Maybe this is the beginning of a normal sleep cycle!
Wow! Does it ever pay to be a good Boy Scout! I was about to leave the shelter area after eating a big breakfast - turning into lunch. IO cleaned up a lot of trash from the fireplace area and was ready to leave when I saw a big white trash bag dumped in the corner. I debated carrying it to the road for a while. When I finally decided to "carry it out," I discovered it was extremely heavy.
Upon opening the bag, I found a gold mine! (Gold is quite heavy.) I am now the new owner of Multi-spice Shaker - soon to be in a couple of zip-locs, expensive Esbit fuel tabs, duct tape, wool sock/booties, a book, sun screen, gloves, first aid kit, Leki repair kit (carbide tips), Capolene long sleeve shirt, spandex long johns (all XL), an ATC T-shirt, an ATC bandanna, 10 sewing needles, 2 spools of thread, 50 feet of nylon cord, snow-seal, hiking gloves, two knee braces, a pack of Ramen, a pack of mashed potato flakes, and some GNC vitamins. It feels like a shopping spree at WalMart! I'm glad I missed the grocery stores in town. I'm keeping the clothing that fits, will send the cotton stuff home, and will put any non-perishables on a rat-hook instead of the shelter floor. The rest (packaging and other junk) will go in the garbage bag that I'll lug to the road. I may have wasted some time, but I figure I acquired $50-$100 of gear, some of which I will be happy to have in the cold White Mountains!
Before taking this stuff, I did search for anyone possibly camping in the area. This was clearly a bag of stuff abandoned by at least two people because it made their packs too heavy.
5:30 PM - I had a productive, although short, day today. After an early wakeup call from the birds, I ate a large bowl of dry oatmeal. I had finished a gallon of treated water last night. I met Mike, a section hiker, as he walked around my tent. I apologized for sleeping on the trail, but he understood, since the two-mile segment before Atwell Hill Road was all swamp.
Before sending my excess weight home, I mended several holes in my clothing. I didn't want all the extra bobbins of thread, but I didn't want to sew them all with white thread, either. Now they're fixed, and I have less to carry.
I mailed 3 pounds of gear home and threw one pound in the trash. It felt like quite an accomplishment. I even mailed off my journal for the last couple of days. The Glenncliff, NH post office confirmed that the Hanover, NH post office received my forwarded box of food from Bear Mountain, NY today. They sent it on to Gorham, NH this morning. I'm curious if any of my other mail was forwarded as well.
After my town stop, I looked at the overcast sky and heard thunder. It wasn't hard to admit Mt. Moosilauke had to wait until tomorrow. I arrived at Jeffers Brook Shelter just in time for the rain to start.
I ran out to fill my water bottles and will eat dinner in a half hour, when they're ready. Mike and I are discussing our plans of attack to clear the Whites, losing as little money to the AMC as possible. Apparently you either pay at the top ($62) or pay at the bottom ($^) of every mountain on which you choose to sleep. He let me know about a couple of unofficial campsites not found in the ATC or AMC literature.
While it might be fun to stay at a hut and have my dinner and breakfast prepared for me, I really don't want to contribute in the money-making scam that some justify as a 'safety measure.' The huts do not save the lives of experienced hikers who plan for bad weather. They do endanger the lives of inexperienced family-campers who count on the security of a hut to protect them, even when they stray from its shelter. The AMC may feel they do the environment a big service by consolidating its large numbers of visitors to such small areas, but I doubt as many people would flood the areas if the trail hadn't been glamorized with hilltop hotels. Anyway, I plan to avoid these huts, unless I need water or something. [Editor's note - he stayed in some huts.]
This lightning storm is raging! I'm glad I'm not on top of the mountain, since some of the strikes sound close. It's also nice to hide in my tent out of the rain and away from the bugs during the downpour of the last couple hours. It's changing to a drizzle and looks like it may continue through the night. I will sleep well. Only a 10-mile day, but I didn't stay long in Hanover so it balances out.
I just noticed: 397 miles left! I'm below 400!
Mt. Moosilauke took a few swings at me, but failed to knock me out. It had two knockdowns and a standing 8-count on me before the end of the last round.
I woke early to hear Mike leave the shelter. He dried the bushes for me, so my morning started well. I actually got underway at 8:30 AM! I am really excited about this much-talked-about section of the AT! The Jeffers Brook rose one foot since the heavy rain. I'm glad I wasn't in the riverbed/trail leading up/down the south side of Moosilauke, last night!
The rain cooled the earth and made for a pleasant ascent up... up... up... 4 miles... up the side of this stairway to the heavens. I was very happy to feel no pain as I methodically lock-stepped up the 4-mile staircase of rocks and roots. Memories of wanting to cry as a young Scout made me smile, since this seemed comparably easy. I took 'way too many photos, but that's better than not enough, I guess.
I reached the summit at 11 AM. After the camera clicking, I sat in the nearest fox hole of rocks, out of the wind, to drink my 2 liters of lemonade and watch the rest of the White Mountains do absolutely nothing.
By 12 noon, I was certain the other mountains weren't doing anything, so I started down the north side of "the Moose." A sudden herd of reform-school kids ran across the Alpine tundra, and the shepherd took a nice photo of me with the Whites in the background.
I guess the Moose likes to sleep late, because it sure was grumpy this afternoon. I descended to the Beaver Brook Shelter and started on some granola. The ALDHA's Companion spoke of pizza at a snack bar in Kinsman Notch, so I thought I'd quickly descend the last two miles to have a big pizza lunch. The Moose thought otherwise.
If one climbs up a staircase over a four-mile distance, the two-mile descent must be steeper. It was. A beautiful waterfall helped moisten the roots and rocks on my slide/walk. The piton railings and piton log steps helped, but on two spots, I lost traction under my feet and went sprawling. The first dive went well. I landed with a nice break-fall onto my back. (All four limbs were thrown to the ground to reduce the impact of the head and body with the rocks.) The pack helped pad my fall, as well.
It was the second dive that required the 8-count. I thought I stepped onto a flat, dry rock. It turned out to be an illusion from the tilted piton-steps, and my left foot slipped. As I slid down the smooth rocks, I noticed what a lovely clear stream was running 20 feet below me on my left side. My left knee wanted to look, so it jumped ahead of all the other body parts and almost fell in the water.
The other parts, being quite irritated by the insolent left knee, promptly bopped it. I stopped at the bottom of the 110-foot slide with my left knee impaled on some brush, sticks, and mud.
After I checked everything to make sure everything hurt the same as before the fall (standing 8-count), I scolded the knee, cleaned up my nylon long pants, and looked for witnesses. Seeing none, I continued down the hill.
Some might say the Moose won this round, but I did get my shots in. I peed on its face just before my slide, so I tend to think I scored some points. Either way, my clothing and body are OK. I'm glad I wore both spandex and the nylon shell else I'd have a nasty road-rash on that left shin!
To celebrate my moose fight, I pigged out on a whole pizza at the Lost River Gorge snack bar. The employees were very friendly and made me feel right at home. The prices were really great as well!!
The afternoon was hot and humid. I walked a stupid 7-mile segment up and down, repeatedly over unnecessary bumps until I got to some power lines. The lightning started just as I crossed under the high-voltage cables. I did my laundry as I walked the last half mile to the shelter in a downpour.
I'm now dry, full, rehydrated, and excited about tomorrow's new adventure! I have no idea where I'll stay, eat, or do, since all of it costs money. Maybe I'll try to work-for-stay at a hut. I dunno.
After a leisurely stroll over the Kinsman Mountains, I bumped into the caretaker of the Kinsman Pond Campsite. She filled me in about some of the better deals that the hut system provides to thruhikers. The thought of paying $1 for all I can eat of leftover pastries was enough to get me into the Lonesome Lake Hut.
Sitting here was enough to make me take advantage of the work-for-stay program for thruhikers. I spent an hour swimming in the lake, just below the Franconia Ridge.
At 5 PM, I cleaned the bathrooms and cleared the spider webs from the outside eves. I spent an hour washing the walls, toilets, etc. Then I lugged some pressure-treated lumber up a hill for a future boardwalk. For the two hours of work, I received a hot dinner, a bunkroom to myself, and will have a big breakfast, I'm told. Since my chores are finished, I can leave early.
The "croo" here is quite friendly, and they showed me all the facilities. I was very interested in the composting privies. This hut is completely self-sufficient, using composting methods for waste disposal, solar panels for radio power, and gravity for water pressure from a well up the hill.
I was correct about the type of family camping guest that uses these huts. They didn't want to go on the"long" nature walk of 2 miles around the lake so it was reduced to a few hundred feet. I just smiled and laughed internally.
I received a shock from my foxhole during a sudden lightning storm on the Franconia Ridge today. The day started warm, humid, with clear skies. I spent a couple of hours gabbing with the croo after breakfast, then departed Lonesome Lake Hut at 10 AM.
At the base of Little Haystack Mountain, the skies still were clear. I started the long trek up the slope, three miles of up... up... up... A quick break to drink the 2 liters of well water I lugged to the spring revitalized me, and I continued to the top of Little Haystack.
As I descended into the slight dip before Mt. Lincoln, I heard rumbling. A quick look around revealed nothing but clear skies.
Five minutes later, I heard distant thunder. I looked to the west at a vista and saw some slightly darker clouds. The clear sky had also turned a hazy pale color. I knew this meant a storm, so I started looking for places to safely hide from the weather or set up a tent.
Only ten minutes after the first clues of a storm, lightning struck Mt. Lincoln. Five more strikes followed, all within a minute of the first. I dropped m y poles, propped my pack against a tree, removed my rain hat and nylon shell from an outside pocket, and crouched in a ball.
The hail started as icy cold rain, but quickly grew to marbles about one centimeter in diameter. Several more bolts struck my mountain, making my vulnerable state all too obvious. I turned on the physics teacher brain and debated if it was better to hide in between conductive rocks to shield me from the static charges or if I should use the air spaces to insulate me from possible shocks from the rocks themselves.
A lightning bolt on a tree several hundred feet below me convinced me I was better off hiding inside the mountain than above it. I jumped over a few downed trees and into a crevice between several boulders. The boulders were level with the surface of the mountain and the 10-foot tall trees covered the entire area. I crouched in my insulated ball with only my rubber-soled shoes making contact with the ground. I wondered if hypothermia should be a greater concern or if I would be electrocuted. Several closer hits told me my answer. I laid down on my belly as low to the earth as possible. Then it hit. A bolt struck nearby. I saw white and felt a continuous electrical current flow through my elbows and left knee. Seconds later I was in my ball, insulated by rubber-soled shoes, cursing and screaming at myself about the stupidity of leaving my tent and foam pad on my pack up the hill.
Then I heard a wavering "Hello?" I yelled, "I'm down here. I'm OK." to the voice. I asked if she was OK. The reply was a blunt, "I'm very scared." Christine, it turns out, had the unfortunate timing to be on the most exposed and muddy notch of the ridge, just south of MT. Lafayette, when the lightning started. She saw the lightning strikes that apparently hit all around my foxhole, but she knew it was the best hiding place since it was the closest patch below tree line. She ran 15 minutes through the lightning until she saw my pack on the trail, several hundred feet below treeline. The two of us sat in the foxhole as lightning struck all around.
Both of us were soaked, and she was wearing only shorts. Several times I questioned if she was warm enough, as her shaking from fear and adrenaline turned into a shiver from the cold. She accepted my rain hat but wouldn't take my nylon shell to stay warm.
Several times, the storm grew quiet. Each time it would continue with an unexpected bolt of lightning near our foxhole and an onslaught of rain and wind. Most of the hail finished in the first 15 minutes. We stayed crouched in the foxhole until 2:30 PM, when the flashes of lightning all came from the east, and the resulting thunder took a few seconds to reach us.
Once we were convinced that it was safer to descend the hill in search of warmer shelter, we crawled over the hail to the trail. I was amazed at the tangle of tree limbs, roots, and rocks that my body must have struck while diving for cover. The adrenaline rush must have stopped all pain until later.
We found a somewhat level patch of moss further down the hill, just off the trail. The trail was only a foot deep, at most, with hail and rain, so most of the flash-flooding risk had passed. I set up my tent and Christine immediately entered and changed into dry clothes. I wrung out both our clothes and hung them on a clothesline after I changed into dry fleece outside.
We then ate lunch. She shared her gorp and two Granny Smith apples (my favorite!) I introduced her to Alpine-Aire's Shrimp dinner. I think she liked it. I couldn't tell if she was just being polite, when she said she would think about stoveless hiking in the future. (Neither of us wanted to leave the warm tent to heat water, even though her stove sat right outside the door of the tent.)
In the four hours that we weathered the storm, we traded life stories. She just graduated from Dartmouth and plans to teach Biology. Coincidentally, I had just left Dartmouth after taking a shower in the dorms. Small world! (Oh, yeah, and I taught Bio.) She is currently working as the manager of a Dartmouth Outing Club cabin near Mt. Moosilauke.
After relating my "angry moose" story to her, she showed me the long abrasion on her right leg with a growing contusion on her right knee. Mt. Lafayette attacked her just before the lightning storm. Now that pain could be felt again, she pushed around to see how bad the leg was hurt. She had no trouble with any specific pain, but a dull ache from the knee indicated she might want some sticks to hike down any long, steep hills, like Little Haystack Mountain.
The sun had started shining before I entered the tent. After we ate and compared injuries, we decided to trade email addresses and continue hiking in the clear, sunny weather. She wasn't sure if she would stop at Liberty Spring Tentsite or go all the way to Lonesome Lake Hut. I hiked two hours, past the Greenleaf Hut side trail on top of Mt. Lafayette, and set up the tent in an illegal campsite near water, below treeline, 10 feet from the trail. It felt great!
As I constructed my camp, I found a tent stake from another hiker who
must have stayed here as well. I now have treated water, good shelter,
warm, dry clothes, and clear, moon-lit skies. Dinner is almost ready.
Camping is fun again!
Today was much less exciting than yesterday. I packed my gear. All of it was dry and clean after hanging in the warm, dry night air. The almost full moon was a comfort last night. I knew the sky wouldn't fall, as long as the moon stood guard.
After ensuring that no traces of my camp remained, I ascended Mt. Garfield and passed the Garfield Ridge Campsite. At the bottom of this trail, I walked into a thick tree root from an earlier blow-down. Because it was thick, it only bruised my face around the right eye. I'm glad it didn't hit me in the eyeball itself!
At Galehead Hut, I placed a dollar in the basket for the all-you-can-eat leftover pastry box. I ate 16 pieces of chocolate cake for breakfast. All the aches and pains no longer mattered.
I talked with a USFS ranger and several of the Galehead Hut croo as the sky formed storm clouds and threatened lightning. They confirmed that what I did during the storm was correct, except making electrical contact with the ground (now quite apparent to me). The ranger suggested I grab the foam pad nest time I'm trying to insulate from lightning. I smiled and remembered myself bellowing those words during the storm.
The hike to Zeeland Falls Hut was uneventful. The sky opened up with rain, but no lightning.
The hut is full of 36 tourists. It's like a Boy Scout summer camp with all the first-year Scouts and their parents. The rain has them all herded into the bunkroom and dining room. I just went for a swim in the waterfall. I have the weird feeling that my presence is somewhat intimidating to a few of the fathers. I think this is their "show the kids the ways of the outdoors" weekend and don't want to lose face in front of their kids. I've already found a comfortable seat on the far bench on the porch. Oops, spoke too soon, the children have started a pillow fight. I cleaned a table and moved to the dining area.
My back is very sore. I believe it is from holding myself in a
tight ball on an uneven surface for two hours. It will be nice to
sleep on the floor tonight. My bed last night had a couple of tree
roots that weren't very soft, but I slept well. Tomorrow, I'll have
to do two hours of work for the privilege of experiencing this chaos.
At least it's free. I can't imagine paying for this experience!
I had a nice conversation with a couple of college students at the top of Mt. Jackson today. The three of us watched Mt. Washington for half an hour. It was refreshing to see other people who were disgusted by the plumes of black soot streaming from the cog railway as it puffed up the mountain. I'm curious if George Washington would want the hill with all the antenna towers, tourists, and machinery to be named after him, or if a less damaged peak would be preferable. I tried to clarify the camping rules to the others. I had to make sure they knew not to set up the tent when they slept on the top of Mt. Jackson. I also mentioned a few covert spots I saw a mile south of the summit. They thanked me for the help in weeding through the AMC's rules. I see a new career for some enterprising attorney - camping law.
The Mizpah Spring Hut is a huge ski lodge, converted into a hotel for outdoorsey people who prefer mattress and cafeteria style wilderness. It holds 60 people (plus croo) and is filled to capacity tonight. I lucked out because they save several bunks in the attic for thruhikers. It's lasagna night, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'll probably get the soup they made out of leftover mexican bean pie.
The people staying here are quite friendly. On person offered me cashews (I took a polite, small handful), and someone else had smoked salmon that her son caught and smoked in Alaska. It was hard not to lick the jar clean, but I took three small dips on crackers.
I was looking forward to an afternoon nap, but the 65 people talking, cooking, running, screaming, etc. make it difficult. I'm glad I took the advice of a Zeeland Falls Hut crooman and stopped before Lakes of the Clouds Hut. They hold 90 people near the cog railway and road at the top of Mt. Washington.
My right eye was swollen shut this morning, and I've had a headache all day. The feet feel fine and the hike today seemed easy. I was told the Presidential Ridge is a tough climb. It's been a pleasant surprise to have such gentle terrain this far.
I will pass the Mt. Washington Post Office tomorrow. Since it
will be Sunday, I can mail my journal and postcards, but must carry my
disposable cameras to Gorham. I'll have my mail forwarded from MT.
Washington to Caratunk, ME. Hopefully the postmaster will actually
forward my mail this time. My head hurts bad. It's not like
my sinus headaches, either. Maybe it's dain bramage [sic] from the
lightning or a concussion from the tree root. I'm hoping it's just
a sinus headache from an upcoming storm.
5:30 AM - After hiking the white blazes, every one of them, from Georgia to NH, up to Mt. Washington, I decided the planners who ran the AT around all the peaks of the Presidential Ridge don't deserve the time it takes to backtrack the trails. From Mt. Washington to Mt. Madison, instead of hiking both the AT and the summit loop trails, I simply walked the summit loop trails. Every peak in the Presidential Range was climbed by Ziplock and myself, up to this point. Today, I plan to finish the ridge and stay at the Rattle River Shelter.
Ziplock and I reached Madison Springs Hut at about 9:30 PM, after climbing Mt. Adams under the full moon without any sunlight. It was a fun boulder field scramble. The entire day yesterday had beautifully clear weather. I am sunburnt but I have over 40 photos of the Presidential Mountains without the usual cloud cover that hangs over the peaks for 70% of the year. The weather and the unlikely possibility of experiencing it again, were the deciding factors in skipping the dull AT blazes in favor of climbing all the peaks. The mountains we summitted yesterday included: Mt. Pierce, Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Franklin, Mt. Monroe, Mt. Washington, Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, "Adams 5" and Mt. Adams. There were no trails leading to The Adams 5 peak or Sam Adams peak, but I climbed Adams 5 anyway.
The day before, we summitted Mt. Webster and Mt. Jackson. Today, we will finish the Presidential Ridge by climbing Mt. Madison to the peak. Hopefully this will be followed by Carter Notch, Carter Dome, Mt. Hight, Middle Carter Mountain, South Carter Mountain, and North Carter Mountain. There are other peaks, but I'm not sure if side trails lead to them. Depending on the weather and how interesting the peaks look, I'll try to climb them as well.
As soon as we descended to the Madison Springs Hut last night, a thick cloud cover rolled in, covering the stars, moon, and the higher peaks. There is still a thick cloud cover and good visibility like yesterday looks unlikely. I'm glad I didn't waste the chance to see all the peaks by mindlessly following the white/yellow paint marks.
There was only one work-for-stay available at the hut last night. I told Ziplock that I was tenting at the free site instead of working. I'm sick of working at the huts. It's a good deal if you consider the inflated price of a normal stay, but the crowds of people who pack their kids into the bunkrooms make the experience so stressful that I'd rather sleep in the rain. Fortunately, it hasn't rained, yet. I plan to climb up the steep half-mile trail from the tentsite to the hut after breakfast, pay $1 and eat the rest of the leftover pastries. I love pastry boxes! I didn't exactly walk all the way to the legal tentsites. I chose to illegally camp in a drainage ditch to the right of the trail, about five feet from the edge of a sheer cliff dropping 20 feet into a ravine of water. It was closer and had a much better view. Besides, I doubt I harmed the rocks, gravel, and sand, upon which I rested my tent and foam pad. (The tenting laws here say I should have hacked my way through the undisturbed brush 200 feet and camped there. This can hardly be an environmental rule. I think there is more of a financial motive for these rules, since it limits the supply of campsites by making them so inconvenient and harmful to nature that most people will pay $6/night to camp in the established, monopolized sites that are AMC-maintained.)
The clouds are doing some interesting things this morning: some dark whiffs of vapor are swirling near the peak of Madison. Most of the sky is covered with a thick blanket of gray fluff, and the winds are gusting from all directions. Since the sun has been up more than 2 hours, I think our evening rainstorm may come earlier than predicted.
I ran into two southbound thruhikers in the last few days. The first one I met went by "Big Foot." I saw him south of Zeeland Falls Hut 3 days ago. "Daniel Boone" was on Mt. Webster two days ago. I've heard of other southbounders, but didn't meet them.
Today's weather is getting wetter. It's raining now. I got
my gear down and packed before the rain started. I'm going to try
to cover some mileage today, but they predict thunderstorms on the ridges
and in the valleys all day today and tomorrow, including tonight.
I am so glad I did the peaks yesterday!
10 PM - Yesterday's hike was called to an end by the US Forest Service. Apparently they frown on hikers summitting during gale-force winds of 60 mph with gusting rain. That's OK, the humidity sucked all the energy out of me.
After climbing to the peak of Mt. Madison from the Osgood Trail, I was wiped out. The trails are poorly labeled around Madison Hut, and I couldn't find the correct trail. Instead, I climbed the steep boulder field between the summit and the Osgood Trail. I was careful to stay on boulders and not harm the vegetation.
The descent from the Presidential Ridge was long and time-consuming in the rain and high winds. I almost got blown off my feet. It's quite humbling to experience the extreme power of nature. My poles worked more like weather vanes, making it difficult to maintain balance atop the ridge. We went over the 5 - 10 false summits of Madison on our descent. "Chevy" and "Mardi Gras" were with us, after skirting around the peaks from Lake of the Clouds Hut (The Dungeon).
The rest of today's hike took up through Madison Gulf to Pinkham Notch. We crossed several waterfalls. The last one had a large pool that called to me. I soaked my body in this ice-cold pool for a couple of minutes. The heat and humidity of the Madison Gulf were temporarily removed. I dried off and continued into the notch.
Just before I hit the notch, I ran across 4 southbound thruhikers. I also saw two on top of Madison. I now forget all of their names. It's hard to judge what their opinions about the mountains of Maine mean. They only have 300 miles on their feet. My hiking legs really developed well after that distance.
At the risk of sounding conceited, I have to disagree with the people who think the White Mountains are difficult. I found them quite easy compared to all the road walking of New York. Maybe the exciting views help numb the aches and pains while climbing. What was difficult was navigating through the hut system without spending a fortune. I was very lucky to hit the Whites before the southbounders came through or I wouldn't have had those three work-for-stays. I would never pay $62 to stay anywhere on my thruhike, especially if I had to cram in with noisy day-hikers. The system needs to be improved.
After stopping at Pinkham Notch, Chewy and Mardi Gras gave me their reservation for dinner at the AMC headquarters. I ate 4 complete Cornish game hens, a full plate of baby carrots, a full plate of mashed potatoes, 2 plates of salad, half a loaf of bread, and 2 slices of chocolate cake. I washed this down with French onion soup, coffee, and a pitcher of water. The hostess was impressed. We discussed calorie requirements after dinner. All of this cost $14. I wasn't given the 10% AMC thruhiker discount that the ALDHA Companion mentions.
I climbed up to the first vista on Wildcat E that night. There was a sheer cliff both above and below a narrow V-shaped notch across which the AT runs. I slept in this spot, a couple of feet from the edge. I slept well, even though the mosquitoes had to be mashed regularly.
This morning I climbed over the rest of the Wildcat peaks (E, D, C, B, and A). A quick stop for water at the Carter Notch Hut let me reach the Imp Campsite/Shelter before the day's thunderstorm. All day, I was soaked by walking in the clouds and drizzling rain.
At 3 PM, thunder and lightning almost stopped my hike before crossing the exposed summit of Mt. Moriah. I used the time to dry off, eat dinner, and rest.
The lightning stopped by 6 PM, so I changed back into my hiking clothes and finished my walk to Rattle River Shelter. This is two miles from the road leading to Gorham. I hope to hitch to Gorham in the early morning. The plan is to stay overnight at the Colonial Comfort Inn's Hikers' Paradise. It's close to a grocery store and all the restaurants. I will eat and bathe, then repeat the process until each of the cells in my body are happy.
I finished the White Mountains with a 19.5-mile day. Tomorrow will be a nice town day; they predict thunderstorms through the end of the week. There are 299.8 miles of AT between me and Mt. Katahdin. Less than one seventh left.
Walking through the evening rain had a hypnotic effect. The clouds
continued to whisp around the peaks like miniature tornadoes, but the rain
fell gently the whole time. I'm glad the weather changed so that
I could experience a greater variety of views, smells, and hiking terrain.
The rain is pattering me to sleep while the background noise of the waterfalls
clears away all the town sounds. I'm ready to finish, but not too
quickly.
7 AM -- I woke this morning to the chatter of birds discussing last night's storm. The sky is overcast but bright. The birds say it will be a nice day. I spent some time thinking of the ways this trek has changed me. Completing the AT thruhike is more of a metamorphosis that a graduation. I found the ability to pull all my tangential interests into a cohesive unit. No longer do I feel the need to seek out excitement through such a diverse bunch of activities. Instead, I need the diverse activities to become a way of life. I will always love climbing, backpacking, canoeing, and other outdoor wilderness experiences, but I will never look on them as escapes or adventurous activities. Instead, they have become a way of life.
I believe that the start of medical school will be the drawstrings that pull my life together. I want to practice medicine in the outdoors. I can see myself living in bush Alaska, flying to visit friends, patients, and relatives on a regular basis. The game of "going camping" will become a lifestyle, integrated with my career and social life.
I no longer feel a longing for more. I feel a sense of peace,
knowing how I want to live. It may take years, but the mental picture
of my destiny will carry me through the time.