Friday, August 29

It was a long 15 miles today. We started by climbing to the summit of Mt. Washington. Just a minute after we arrived, clouds closed in but its was still nice up there. Mt. Washington is famous for heavy winds and bad weather but today was good.

Approaching Mt. Washington


Worst weather in America


Orion and I spent some time loitering around the summit. There is a road, a gift shop and a snack bar. Not too much wilderness here in the White Mountains. After that we went down Washington and up Mt. Madison with no problem. The long, rocky descent into Pinkham Notch was a killer though. Slow and tough on the knees.

On the summit of Mt. Washington.


I was tired and legsore when I got into the notch. I didn't know where I was sleeping but I knew it needed to be an easy walk to get there. Luckily, Sparky and Stubby had a house nearby and invited Orion, Slow Train, Easy Does It and I to stay. Its a nice house. I'm almost out of Ibuprofin, which is a level three crisis, but Sparky is taking me to get more in the morning.

All's well.

Pinkham Notch, NH. Today-14.8 mi. Total-1857.2. Remaining-319.0.

Saturday, Aug. 30

We stayed up way too late at Sparky and Stubby's, got a late start and hiked slowly up tough Wildcat Mountain. I'm camping with Love Boad, Easy Does It, Slow Train and Frat Dog. Here are some people updates:
-Extra, who I last saw icing shin splints in Montebello, VA, caught up. He is either ahead of me or just behind me depending on who took a break last.
-Spiritwalker quit. He had a job opportunity he couldn't pass up.
-Bear Bait walked off, no reason given. She told her partners she was taking a half-day off. A week later they heard she was gone.
-Chow Time got all new gear from an internet mogul who went backpacking for the first time and hated it. He gave all his brand new gear to Chow Time.
-Animal and that group are three days ahead of me now. I'm not sure I can catch them. We'll see.

Mountain Cranberry. Edible but very sour.


All's well.

Zeta Pass, NH. Today-8.5 mi. Total-1865.7. Remaining-310.5.

Sunday, August 31

I had easy walking into Gorham. Maybe the easiest in New Hampshire. I got an early start and moved well. It was fun to drop under 300 miles remaining. I hiked down the last mountain with a pair of day-hikers, Bill and Carolyn. They are a father/daughter trying to do all the 4000 foot peaks in New Hampshire. They have 40 of 48 done. The two were nice enough to offer me a ride into town, saving me a three mile walk. I'm resupplied and resting.

All's well.

Gorham, NH. Today-12.6 mi. Total-1878.3. Remaining-297.9

Monday, September 1

I took an unscheduled zero day today. I have a cheap but clean motel room and I feel very tired. I got out of bed, stumbled around waiting for my legs to loosen up and they never did. I'm resting myself for a day.

While looking for internet access, I ran into Duck and Buttercup. The last time I saw them, they were resting injuries at the Mayor's hostel in New York. It was great to see them still moving north. They have decided to get married right after the trail. They have been dating a few years and thought that if they could finish the trail together they would be together forever. They plan on finishing on the 22nd and getting married October 4.

Do I keep saying that I meet great people out here? A hiker friend of Duck's found us while we were having lunch. He said that his dad had just died. Duck helped him make is airplane reservations then helped him with his bus reservations to get to Boston Logan. Duck kept him company until it was time for him to go. I know good people.

All's well.

Gorham, NH. Today-0 mi. Total-1878.3. Remains-297.9.

Tuesday, September 2

I'm camping with a group of Harvard U. freshman who are our for freshman orientation. I'm also too tired to write so I'm enlisting a guest author. This is Free Wil's take on the Whites and the first part of Maine. He can be read at: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=251400

Just a quick update on progress. After fearing the White Mountains of New Hampshire for most of the trek I finally arrived about 10 days ago. My luck with weather (in all states but Vermont) continued and the weather was very good in these mountains which potentially can have snow and high winds any day of the year. The Whites were challenging and fun with great rewards for the supreme effort required. My knees and feet will never forget them, but the views I had progressing through this magical place far outweighs the cost. I did work-for-stay in three of the huts so was well fed and relatively warm at night in the above treeline alpine environment. Connie visited just prior to my ascent of Mt Washington so I had a nice zero day to rest up. Mt Washington was appropriately cold and in the clouds as I made my way up it and (not suprising to those that know me well)I loved the 70 mph wind gusts and the fact that I had to climb it without my glasses due to the mist making the glasses much worse than being virtually blind. At the summit the clouds parted for a bit allowing for views and good picture taking. I exited the tough part of the Whites several days ago and confronted the challenges of Maine starting the Mahoosic Notch and the dreaded "Arm" just afterwards. Well my hiking partner Micro Manfeet and I thumbed our collective noses at what everyone said was too much to do in one day and hiked 15 miles across the boulder strewn notch and up the arm so I could be in position to meet Connie again on the labor day weekend. And all Micro got out of it was a big breakfast that Connie brought out to the trail. At this stage a big breakfast is plenty worth it! So now I'm in the final state and 267 miles from Mt Katahdin and I'm both going to push on to the end and to savor every minute of the experience. I think I deserve to call this last three weeks of the trek a vacation and just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy... Peace, FreeWil

Thanks Wil. I'm going to bed. All's well.

Gentian Pond. Today-11.8. Total-1890.1. Remains-286.1

Wednesday, September 3

I got into Maine today. Maine is hard. I left the Whites and started the Mahoosuc Range today. The Mahoosucs are rocky and steep. The good news is that the weather is great and my total exhaustion is making me sleep well. Since I am near a computer, I am bringing in another guest author. This is Animal's blog:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=252095

Well I forget the last time I wrote in the journal so if I repeat some things, sorry about that. I am currently in Rangeley, ME and just over 200 miles left. I tell you once I hit the Maine border it was great, but it has definitely been a mental test for me. All of us thru-hikers are really drained now. The terrain has been much harder and should lessen up once we hit the 100 mile wilderness. We had to climb or scramble through the Mahoosuc Notch considered to be the hardest mile, which was great but the miles have dropped some and I feel like I am getting nowhere. My first veiw of Katahdin should be within a day or two, which will help tremendously. Hopefully, the rain will hold off most of the remainder of the trip. I heard the hurricanes have been lining up out in the ocean. All of us are just mentally tired and it is a huge test for everyone. Please keep me in good spirits. I will fight to the end and accomplish this great journey. It has been great and still more to come. Maine is awesome and beautiful, so pristine. White beaches and so many lakes and ponds. It is great and so quiet. Well I am out for now to take care of some things and head back on the trail....until a later date...

I agree. Maine is hard. I'm not doing many miles either. It is pretty though.

All's well.

Full Goose Shelter. Today-9.6 mi. Total-1899.7. Remains-276.5.

Thursday, September 4.

Another day, another guest author. That's how tired and lazy I am. This is Bilge Rat, who is right. Mahoosuc Notch was fun, Mahoosuc Arm was hard as could be.

What a day! My legs and feet felt a little better this morning and I left the shelter at 7:30 heading for the Mahoosuc Notch. It is supposed to be the most difficult mile on the trail, but I disagree. The notch was awesome. Very challenging indeed, but fun nonetheless. I made it through in 50 minutes. Some of the boulders were the size of a small house and required climbing over, under and around. I did see a moose, albeit a dead one......figures. Oh well, I hope to see one before this journey ends. After the notch, is the Mahoosuc Arm. It has an elevation gain of 1585 feet over 1.6 miles, and THAT is what kicked my butt!
I made it to a shelter by lunch and decided to eat and relax for a bit before I moved on to the next shelter where I planned to stay for the night. When I made it to the next shelter, it was only 3:30. I still had a little energy left, so I decided to hike on to another shelter 3.5 miles down the trail. I left at 3:45, had a butt-kicking climb and then breezed into my final stop for the day at 5:35.

I felt good when I got there, but after a bit, my body was screaming for food. I cooked dinner and then had a nice big cup of coffee while I lied down to read. My company at the shelter tonight was: Rodeo, Raccoon, Bar Fight, Barackus, Extra, Tetris, Walka-Walka and New York Minute. Another Beautiful day!

Thanks Bilge Rat. He can be read here:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=251968

I'm tired but otherwise good. All's well.

Baldpate Lean-to. Today-12.0. Total-1911.7. Remains-264.5.