"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out 'til sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in."
-John Muir
Start: Kinsman Notch
End: Franconia Notch
Today: 16.3 mi
Total: 532.1 mi
Mornings can be a funny time on the trail. Some days you can't wait to get out there and start climbing the high peaks while other days you desperately try to come up with some excuse for not hiking. You scan the weather channels, seek out the heat index and even check the fire risk level from Smokey the Bear (jk). Today was that type of day. We planned on hiking one of our longest days in the toughest terrain we've yet seen this summer. I gritted my teeth, subverted my thoughts of shortening the day and left for the trail.
The only flat sections of the entire day was the street crossing at .1 mi and the parking lot we arrived at as the skies began to grow dark 16.3 miles at the end of the day. My mood lifted with the rythem of my steps, the cadence of my heart beating hard and the sweat dripping down my face. Any worries I had for the day evaporated.
We started the trail early and hadn't seen anyone until about 11am when another group of Dartmouth freshman hiked past us going southbound. Hiking is their college orientation! I wish I had had the grades to get into Dartmouth...or the money (wouldn't want to pay that off for the rest of my life)! A little while later I passed an older man who was sitting on the side of the trail. He told me "you're almost there." Hmm..."I'm almost where?" Sounding like some oracle out of a greek myth he explained "wherever it is you are going."
Just over 4 hours into the day we arrived at Eliza Brook Shelter. The first thing I did was take off my boots, ankle brace and socks and massaged my feet back to life. Every inch of them felt bruised and extremely sore. At least we were almost halfway done with today's mileage by noon. After our break at the shelter we began our tallest and steepest climb of the day. I soon fell into a rythym and moved up and up and up the mountain. Heather, joking around, complained that I was a "slave driver" and even put my unreasonable hiking into sound with a totally exaggerated "whoopitish!" The climb was long and each turn of the trail revealed another stone staircase. But as trees became more dwarfed with elevation, the views began to pay off. To our south we could see Moosilauke and Cube Mt. To the north we could see Franconia Ridge and the Presidents.
We took a break on South Kinsman and next tackled North Kinsman before the drop. The trail plummeted almost 1500' in 1.5 miles. Our pace was excruciatingly slow as our feet and knees took a beating going down. We got to Lonesome Lake Hut at 5:15 and rested there 'til 6pm. Just as it was getting dark we emerged from the woods into a parking lot at the base of Franconia Ridge. Our toughest day was done! I layed on the hard, paved parking lot but somehow it felt so comfortable!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
Aug 31, 2012
Aug 30, 2012
PICTURES!!!
Beautiful day!
Heather coming down Smarts Mountain fire tower
Sun going down as we went up Mt. Cube
So dissapointed this didn't work! Wasted a bunch of quarters trying...
Hmmm...that's reassuring.
Waterfalls on Mt. Moosilauke
Up, up and away!
Wooden blocks to make climbs easier
Slowpoke
Brian enjoying the views (fog)
Alpine garden on Moosilauke
Heather on top
Meesa-likee Moosilauke!
Storms comin'
Moose Poop (sounds like next Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor)
Just before South Kinsman
Heather climbing
Pretty mountains
Franconia Ridge beyond Lonesome Lake
Pretty flowers
Heather coming down Smarts Mountain fire tower
Sun going down as we went up Mt. Cube
So dissapointed this didn't work! Wasted a bunch of quarters trying...
Hmmm...that's reassuring.
Waterfalls on Mt. Moosilauke
Up, up and away!
Wooden blocks to make climbs easier
Slowpoke
Brian enjoying the views (fog)
Alpine garden on Moosilauke
Heather on top
Meesa-likee Moosilauke!
Storms comin'
Moose Poop (sounds like next Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor)
Just before South Kinsman
Heather climbing
Pretty mountains
Franconia Ridge beyond Lonesome Lake
Pretty flowers
Aug 28, 2012
Day 64 (Aug 25th) - MEESA-LIKEE MOOSILAUKE DAY
"We are now in the mountains
And they are in us..."
-John Muir
Start: Kinsman Notch
Finish: Glenncliff, NH
Today: 9.3 mi
Total: 515.8 mi
Even on a trip filled with fantastic experiences, there are some days that stand alone. Today was one of those days. It marked our entrance into the White Mountains with our climb up Mt. Moosilauke. This huge mountain towered in front of us with the upper half under clouds. We made a calculated decision to asend the mountain on the north slope rather than the south. We heard that descending the north slope can be dangerous. I worried about my ankle giving out and me going tumbling down (judging by how tall this mountain is I don't think all the kings horses and all the kings men would be able to put me back together again)!
The trail went, you guessed it, straight up out of Kinsman Notch. The sheer rock walls had wooden blocks and iron rebar bolted to it to aid in our scramble towards the clouds. The first leg of the climb to the shelter was 1850 feet in 1.3 miles (1400 feet per mile)! We were soon in the clouds and I hoped that the afternoon sun would burn them off so we could see Mt Washington from the top.
We took a break at Beaver Brook shelter where we saw "views" of the White Mountains. Heather joked that she finally understood why they were called the White Mountains! After looking at the fog for a half hour, we jumped back on the AT and continued our stone stairmaster another 2.3 miles up to the top. When I paused to wait for Heather on the climbs, you could see steam coming off my body in the cool air. Whenever we got to a ledge with a view, Heather and I pretended we were on Pride Rock and said to each other in a deep, deep voice "Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom."
Finally, we made it to the top. I can't quite put my finger on why today was so great. Maybe it was our entrance into the Whites? Maybe it was climbing over tree line? There is nothing like emerging from under the forest canopy and entering the bright alpine zone. All the work you did below was worth it as you pass the cairns and the alpine grasses on your way to the summit sign. I stood there on the summit and took a deep breath. Maybe the land that the light touched wasn't mine but the fantastic feeling I had was!
The descent was long and hard on the knees. We walked down 3800 feet in elevation back to Glenncliff and Phat Chapp. We hung out at the Hiker Welcome hostel there for a while and even got to see Baltimore Jack, a person who has thru hiked 9 times and is something of a trail legend. We hadn't seen him since the fourth of July and he looked exactly the same with a Wall Street Journal tucked under one arm, unkempt hair, and arguing with someone about politics.
As Phat Chapp drove us back around the mountain, I thought about my ankle. It didn't feel perfect, but it was feeling better each day. I'm so happy we stuck it out and didn't go home. There were moments that I really wanted to but we didn't. Now the payoff is here as we get to scramble up the steep slopes of our favorite mountains and see increadible views!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
And they are in us..."
-John Muir
Start: Kinsman Notch
Finish: Glenncliff, NH
Today: 9.3 mi
Total: 515.8 mi
Even on a trip filled with fantastic experiences, there are some days that stand alone. Today was one of those days. It marked our entrance into the White Mountains with our climb up Mt. Moosilauke. This huge mountain towered in front of us with the upper half under clouds. We made a calculated decision to asend the mountain on the north slope rather than the south. We heard that descending the north slope can be dangerous. I worried about my ankle giving out and me going tumbling down (judging by how tall this mountain is I don't think all the kings horses and all the kings men would be able to put me back together again)!
The trail went, you guessed it, straight up out of Kinsman Notch. The sheer rock walls had wooden blocks and iron rebar bolted to it to aid in our scramble towards the clouds. The first leg of the climb to the shelter was 1850 feet in 1.3 miles (1400 feet per mile)! We were soon in the clouds and I hoped that the afternoon sun would burn them off so we could see Mt Washington from the top.
We took a break at Beaver Brook shelter where we saw "views" of the White Mountains. Heather joked that she finally understood why they were called the White Mountains! After looking at the fog for a half hour, we jumped back on the AT and continued our stone stairmaster another 2.3 miles up to the top. When I paused to wait for Heather on the climbs, you could see steam coming off my body in the cool air. Whenever we got to a ledge with a view, Heather and I pretended we were on Pride Rock and said to each other in a deep, deep voice "Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom."
Finally, we made it to the top. I can't quite put my finger on why today was so great. Maybe it was our entrance into the Whites? Maybe it was climbing over tree line? There is nothing like emerging from under the forest canopy and entering the bright alpine zone. All the work you did below was worth it as you pass the cairns and the alpine grasses on your way to the summit sign. I stood there on the summit and took a deep breath. Maybe the land that the light touched wasn't mine but the fantastic feeling I had was!
The descent was long and hard on the knees. We walked down 3800 feet in elevation back to Glenncliff and Phat Chapp. We hung out at the Hiker Welcome hostel there for a while and even got to see Baltimore Jack, a person who has thru hiked 9 times and is something of a trail legend. We hadn't seen him since the fourth of July and he looked exactly the same with a Wall Street Journal tucked under one arm, unkempt hair, and arguing with someone about politics.
As Phat Chapp drove us back around the mountain, I thought about my ankle. It didn't feel perfect, but it was feeling better each day. I'm so happy we stuck it out and didn't go home. There were moments that I really wanted to but we didn't. Now the payoff is here as we get to scramble up the steep slopes of our favorite mountains and see increadible views!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
Day 63 (Aug. 24th) - PHAT CHAPP DAY
"Don't let hiking get in the way of your trail experience."
-Phat Chapp
Start: Hexacuba Shelter
Finish: Glenncliff, NH
Today: 15.7 mi
Total: 506.5 mi
We started off the day with a steep climb down the blue blazed trail back to the A.T. I guess that's better than climbing the .3 mi steep trail up to the shelter last night at the end of a long day! I filtered water at the stream when we got to the A.T. Even though the water was a bit stagnant with dead mosquitos floating in it, it tasted far better than any faucet water we've drank on the trail.
The climb up Cube Mountain was more annoying than hard. We passed 4 false summits and made it to the fifth and final summit by 10am. The morning sun felt great as we sat on the summit and enjoyed the views. After Cube Mt we had another 10 miles or so and then met Phat Chapp. He runs a hiker hostel in Glenncliff and gave us a ride to the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock. Phat Chapp told us stories about his hiking down south and the 120 lb pack he carried (record breaking and back breaking weight). He was a completely unassuming, cool, and big hearted man. We mentioned to him that it was a bummer that we were section hikers and couldn't do the whole trail in one go. He helped us see that even thru hikers are section hikers until they finish at Katahdin. "As long as your happy and healthy, you've got it all" he told us. When we arrived at the Carriage hotel, he even got out with us and bargained the hotel owner down in price. So many people didn't understand why we would want to hike for so long this summer. But hiking the trail isn't just getting up, walking and going to bed. You meet so many amazing people and have such increadible conversations. I wouldn't change this experience for anything!
At 6pm, Heather and I walked the 1.5 mile round trip to McDonalds. We were beeped at and vigorously waved at by 3 cars. I was really excited about their support and enthusiasm but an offer for a ride would have been much better!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
-Phat Chapp
Start: Hexacuba Shelter
Finish: Glenncliff, NH
Today: 15.7 mi
Total: 506.5 mi
We started off the day with a steep climb down the blue blazed trail back to the A.T. I guess that's better than climbing the .3 mi steep trail up to the shelter last night at the end of a long day! I filtered water at the stream when we got to the A.T. Even though the water was a bit stagnant with dead mosquitos floating in it, it tasted far better than any faucet water we've drank on the trail.
The climb up Cube Mountain was more annoying than hard. We passed 4 false summits and made it to the fifth and final summit by 10am. The morning sun felt great as we sat on the summit and enjoyed the views. After Cube Mt we had another 10 miles or so and then met Phat Chapp. He runs a hiker hostel in Glenncliff and gave us a ride to the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock. Phat Chapp told us stories about his hiking down south and the 120 lb pack he carried (record breaking and back breaking weight). He was a completely unassuming, cool, and big hearted man. We mentioned to him that it was a bummer that we were section hikers and couldn't do the whole trail in one go. He helped us see that even thru hikers are section hikers until they finish at Katahdin. "As long as your happy and healthy, you've got it all" he told us. When we arrived at the Carriage hotel, he even got out with us and bargained the hotel owner down in price. So many people didn't understand why we would want to hike for so long this summer. But hiking the trail isn't just getting up, walking and going to bed. You meet so many amazing people and have such increadible conversations. I wouldn't change this experience for anything!
At 6pm, Heather and I walked the 1.5 mile round trip to McDonalds. We were beeped at and vigorously waved at by 3 cars. I was really excited about their support and enthusiasm but an offer for a ride would have been much better!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
Day 61-62 (Aug. 22nd-23rd) - GOODBYE HANOVER DAY
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?"
-Mary Oliver
Start: Lyme-Dorchester Rd
Finish: Hexacuba Shelter
Today: 9.1 mi
Total: 490.8 mi
Hanover is an incredible town and it sure treats hikers well. Our first day here we were each given free Snickers from the outfitter and a free slice of pizza at the italian restaurant. The next morning we got free bagels and later that day free doughnuts. The hotel was 50% for hikers. I guess thats why we finagled ways of hiking forward on the trail and hitching back to town. But the time has come to lace up our boots, start walking and find out what final adventures we have in store for us before we have to go home.
The trail immediately shot up the mountain. Rock staircases, re-bar steps and wooden log ladders helped us up the steepest parts. No matter how in shape you think you are, the mountains of NH really kick your butt. We hung out with Purple Rain, Hash Brown and Senator at the fire tower on Smarts Mountain. We talked with a group of Darmouth students on their freshman orientation hike and then pushed on for Hexacuba shelter. There I pretended my snickers and protein bar were the chinese food I was craving, pitched our tent on the only flat spot in the area. We hung out with Kazoo and Purple Rain until the sun went down below the ridge and then went to bed.
~DADDY LONG LEGS
With your one wild and precious life?"
-Mary Oliver
Start: Lyme-Dorchester Rd
Finish: Hexacuba Shelter
Today: 9.1 mi
Total: 490.8 mi
Hanover is an incredible town and it sure treats hikers well. Our first day here we were each given free Snickers from the outfitter and a free slice of pizza at the italian restaurant. The next morning we got free bagels and later that day free doughnuts. The hotel was 50% for hikers. I guess thats why we finagled ways of hiking forward on the trail and hitching back to town. But the time has come to lace up our boots, start walking and find out what final adventures we have in store for us before we have to go home.
The trail immediately shot up the mountain. Rock staircases, re-bar steps and wooden log ladders helped us up the steepest parts. No matter how in shape you think you are, the mountains of NH really kick your butt. We hung out with Purple Rain, Hash Brown and Senator at the fire tower on Smarts Mountain. We talked with a group of Darmouth students on their freshman orientation hike and then pushed on for Hexacuba shelter. There I pretended my snickers and protein bar were the chinese food I was craving, pitched our tent on the only flat spot in the area. We hung out with Kazoo and Purple Rain until the sun went down below the ridge and then went to bed.
~DADDY LONG LEGS
Aug 21, 2012
Day 60 (Aug. 21st) - HERDING DAY
"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another."
-John Muir
Start: Lyme-Dorchester Rd
Finish: Etna-Hanove Rd
Today: 13.7 mi
Total: 481.7 mi
Trail magic is always great and the people of NH have been so generous with it. 2 miles into our day, a hiker named Long Stride driving down the road stopped his car next to the trailhead we just passed and called up to us to wait. He ran up the trail just to tell us he thought what we were doing was great and to give each of us a tasty cookie bar. Thank you Long Stride!
A few hours later Heather was our animal tracker (without the Australian accent) as she spotted Moose droppings. It looked like a pile of oversized dark raisinets but smelled more like Moose poop. Doesn't "Moose poop" sound like a Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor?
Walking along the trail, Heather all of a sudden turned to me and pointed out a Moose she spotted in the distance! I looked up and not only saw Bullwinkle, but spotted Marty, a second Moose! We were both so excited. After a brief celebration, I squinted my eyes towards the distant Moose and told Heather that I actually thought they were sheep. She laughed at me for suggesting two sheep could be in the backwoods of NH. I cited their thick fur and lack of antlers butHeather explained that they must be baby Moose. That thought stopped us in our tracks as mother Moose might be near and I didn't feel like getting plowed over by an 8 foot, 2000 pound animal.
A little while later down the trail we found ourselves convincing ourselves that what we saw must have been Moose. We have seen so many animals and the last one on our wish list was a Moose. Down the trail we heard rustling and stopped to listen. There, 40 feet in front of us, were our two intimidating animals standing tall and proud. "Bahahahah," one called. Darn!
After getting a few pictures of our woolly friends we began walking forwards. Rather than walking into the brush on the left or right of the trail, they were corralled forward in front of us. We walked and walked and walked but the sheep wouldn't leave the trail. We've walked side-by-side along the trail with fellow hikers, dogs, even chipmunks but I never expected to share the trail with sheep! They even crossed a stream and walked along bog bridges in front of us. The Sheep were tagged so they obviously belonged to some farmer so we talked about what we should do to get them back to their farm. We had no cell service so we couldn't call the local police to see if Little Bo Peep, or anyone else, had lost their Sheep.
Finally, after following the Sheep for almost 2 miles we were coming to a road. All of a sudden we saw a lady with her dog walking towards us and we yelled a quick warning to her as we were worried for her dog. A smile erupted on her face and she informed us "those are my sheep!" It seemed that we herded these two-day missing sheep down a mountain right into the hands of their owner! The only problem, we had no tools or even enough hands to catch them.
Becky, one of the owners of them, quickly biked down the street to call her husband. While she called her husband and collected the sheep catching party, I had to move off the trail to corner the sheep and make sure they didn't escape. A half-hour later a bunch of us surrounded and swarmed the Sheep. We tackled, picked up and carried our furry friends (surprisingly light) to a van that carried them back to Becky and Jeff's house. Heather and I rode with them to their house to help with the animals.
For about an hour we talked with Becky, Jeff, they're beautiful baby Olive and wonderful daughter Layla. They even asked us to have dinner with them but we couldn't as we had plans with hiker friends. Becky was so nice and even drove us back to our hotel in Hanover!
There are certain things you never expect you will ever experience. One of them was hiking 2 miles along the Appalachian Trail with a couple of sheep named Annabelle and Chocolate Chip. This summer has been amazing! I have gotten to push my body farther than I thought it could go, I've met great friends, have seen amazing landscapes, breathed fresh air all summer, AND got to help save a couple of sheep from the mouths of mountain lions and coyotes!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
-John Muir
Start: Lyme-Dorchester Rd
Finish: Etna-Hanove Rd
Today: 13.7 mi
Total: 481.7 mi
Trail magic is always great and the people of NH have been so generous with it. 2 miles into our day, a hiker named Long Stride driving down the road stopped his car next to the trailhead we just passed and called up to us to wait. He ran up the trail just to tell us he thought what we were doing was great and to give each of us a tasty cookie bar. Thank you Long Stride!
A few hours later Heather was our animal tracker (without the Australian accent) as she spotted Moose droppings. It looked like a pile of oversized dark raisinets but smelled more like Moose poop. Doesn't "Moose poop" sound like a Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor?
Walking along the trail, Heather all of a sudden turned to me and pointed out a Moose she spotted in the distance! I looked up and not only saw Bullwinkle, but spotted Marty, a second Moose! We were both so excited. After a brief celebration, I squinted my eyes towards the distant Moose and told Heather that I actually thought they were sheep. She laughed at me for suggesting two sheep could be in the backwoods of NH. I cited their thick fur and lack of antlers butHeather explained that they must be baby Moose. That thought stopped us in our tracks as mother Moose might be near and I didn't feel like getting plowed over by an 8 foot, 2000 pound animal.
A little while later down the trail we found ourselves convincing ourselves that what we saw must have been Moose. We have seen so many animals and the last one on our wish list was a Moose. Down the trail we heard rustling and stopped to listen. There, 40 feet in front of us, were our two intimidating animals standing tall and proud. "Bahahahah," one called. Darn!
After getting a few pictures of our woolly friends we began walking forwards. Rather than walking into the brush on the left or right of the trail, they were corralled forward in front of us. We walked and walked and walked but the sheep wouldn't leave the trail. We've walked side-by-side along the trail with fellow hikers, dogs, even chipmunks but I never expected to share the trail with sheep! They even crossed a stream and walked along bog bridges in front of us. The Sheep were tagged so they obviously belonged to some farmer so we talked about what we should do to get them back to their farm. We had no cell service so we couldn't call the local police to see if Little Bo Peep, or anyone else, had lost their Sheep.
Finally, after following the Sheep for almost 2 miles we were coming to a road. All of a sudden we saw a lady with her dog walking towards us and we yelled a quick warning to her as we were worried for her dog. A smile erupted on her face and she informed us "those are my sheep!" It seemed that we herded these two-day missing sheep down a mountain right into the hands of their owner! The only problem, we had no tools or even enough hands to catch them.
Becky, one of the owners of them, quickly biked down the street to call her husband. While she called her husband and collected the sheep catching party, I had to move off the trail to corner the sheep and make sure they didn't escape. A half-hour later a bunch of us surrounded and swarmed the Sheep. We tackled, picked up and carried our furry friends (surprisingly light) to a van that carried them back to Becky and Jeff's house. Heather and I rode with them to their house to help with the animals.
For about an hour we talked with Becky, Jeff, they're beautiful baby Olive and wonderful daughter Layla. They even asked us to have dinner with them but we couldn't as we had plans with hiker friends. Becky was so nice and even drove us back to our hotel in Hanover!
There are certain things you never expect you will ever experience. One of them was hiking 2 miles along the Appalachian Trail with a couple of sheep named Annabelle and Chocolate Chip. This summer has been amazing! I have gotten to push my body farther than I thought it could go, I've met great friends, have seen amazing landscapes, breathed fresh air all summer, AND got to help save a couple of sheep from the mouths of mountain lions and coyotes!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
Day 59 (Aug. 20th) - ANKLE TEST DAY
Start: Norwich, VT
Finish: Etna, NH
Today: 7.4 mi (includes 1.5 A.T. mi from yesterday)
Total: 468.0 mi
The plan for today was to test my ankle without a pack. Heather carried the water and rain jackets while I just held my hiking poles and we would hitch back to the hotel in Hanover.
It felt incredible to be back on the trail, breathing fresh air and working my body. My ankle did fine, even up and down the bigger peaks.
Near the end of the hike, for the second time this trip, Heather thought she saw a bear turning a corner and charging her. Turned out it was a very excited chocolate lab and it's really nice owner, Ann. We spoke with Ann about our trip and about her life for a while. When she found out we were headed back to Hanover she offered us a ride!
Finish: Etna, NH
Today: 7.4 mi (includes 1.5 A.T. mi from yesterday)
Total: 468.0 mi
The plan for today was to test my ankle without a pack. Heather carried the water and rain jackets while I just held my hiking poles and we would hitch back to the hotel in Hanover.
It felt incredible to be back on the trail, breathing fresh air and working my body. My ankle did fine, even up and down the bigger peaks.
Near the end of the hike, for the second time this trip, Heather thought she saw a bear turning a corner and charging her. Turned out it was a very excited chocolate lab and it's really nice owner, Ann. We spoke with Ann about our trip and about her life for a while. When she found out we were headed back to Hanover she offered us a ride!
Aug 20, 2012
Day 55-58 (Aug 16th - Aug 19th) - LIVE FREE OR DIE STATE
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
-Lao Tzu
We have been hanging out in a hotel allowing my ankle to get some rest. These last few days I've been replaying the slip that rolled my ankle. I wasn't rushing or being careless, I simply slipped. Just after it happened, in a fog of pain and frustration, my eyes welled up for the first time this summer. Few words escaped my mouth other than those of the four letter variety. Would I be able to continue? Did I even want to continue? I was in terrible pain and my body was so tired...completely depleted. Each fall brings you closer to the end of your trip and my body felt like a collage of bandaids and bruises. But deep down I didn't want it to end. Not like that. Heather and I decided to skip ahead to Hanover so that we could continue hiking with our trail friends and so that we could end our journey in the White Mountains. I wanted to walk amongst those stone giants and end our summer on Mount Washington, the first mountain I ever climbed 10 years ago.
On the morning of Aug 19th, Gordon, an employee at the Bromley Sun Lodge, gave us a ride to Hanover for half the price other shuttle drivers were suggesting. We asked to be dropped off in Norwich, VT so we could cross the border into NH on our own feet and give my ankle a 1.5 mile road test. As we approached the bridge spanning the Connecticut river, the border between VT and NH, we noticed a number of people standing on the west side of the bridge - a welcome party? Once on the bridge we noticed many kayakers in the river preparing to race and their family members getting ready to cheer them on.
At the center of the bridge a stone marked the official boundary between the two states. There we were met by the MOST enthusiastic welcome we've gotten in any of the 10 states we've hiked in. Sandy, our very own welcome wagon, asked us if we were hiking the trail and was so happy to meet us that she even hugged us both! She took our picture and despite our ever present hiker aroma, hugged us again. Then, as if it was an honor to guide us, she announced she would walk with us to the end of the bridge. Sandy walked in front of us with her head held high and proudly yelled for the croud to part as she called out "AT hikers coming through!" In the 15 seconds it took us to walk to the end of the bridge she told us that hiking the AT was on her bucket list, wished us the "best, best, best of luck on your journey," and even had time to fit in one last hug. She treated us like we were family and I definitely hope that this royal treatment continues in New Hampshire.
I had such a great feeling about Hanover and NH. For once my bruised up legs, big bushy beard, hiking clothing and smell didn't attract any suspicious stares. We fit in with the good natured, outdoorsy people of this fantastic town. As we walked past a family on the sidewalk I overheard a little 5 year old girl who saw us turn to her mom and explain to her that "those people are walking on the Appalachian Trail." We hung out in town on a bench watching people pass. Much different from sitting on the ground watching chipmunks pass. As I sat there, the warm sun rays pressed down and a feeling of hope gripped me. Hanover was just what I needed. I can't help but feel totally energized and hopeful for the last 120 miles of our journey this summer.
-Lao Tzu
We have been hanging out in a hotel allowing my ankle to get some rest. These last few days I've been replaying the slip that rolled my ankle. I wasn't rushing or being careless, I simply slipped. Just after it happened, in a fog of pain and frustration, my eyes welled up for the first time this summer. Few words escaped my mouth other than those of the four letter variety. Would I be able to continue? Did I even want to continue? I was in terrible pain and my body was so tired...completely depleted. Each fall brings you closer to the end of your trip and my body felt like a collage of bandaids and bruises. But deep down I didn't want it to end. Not like that. Heather and I decided to skip ahead to Hanover so that we could continue hiking with our trail friends and so that we could end our journey in the White Mountains. I wanted to walk amongst those stone giants and end our summer on Mount Washington, the first mountain I ever climbed 10 years ago.
On the morning of Aug 19th, Gordon, an employee at the Bromley Sun Lodge, gave us a ride to Hanover for half the price other shuttle drivers were suggesting. We asked to be dropped off in Norwich, VT so we could cross the border into NH on our own feet and give my ankle a 1.5 mile road test. As we approached the bridge spanning the Connecticut river, the border between VT and NH, we noticed a number of people standing on the west side of the bridge - a welcome party? Once on the bridge we noticed many kayakers in the river preparing to race and their family members getting ready to cheer them on.
At the center of the bridge a stone marked the official boundary between the two states. There we were met by the MOST enthusiastic welcome we've gotten in any of the 10 states we've hiked in. Sandy, our very own welcome wagon, asked us if we were hiking the trail and was so happy to meet us that she even hugged us both! She took our picture and despite our ever present hiker aroma, hugged us again. Then, as if it was an honor to guide us, she announced she would walk with us to the end of the bridge. Sandy walked in front of us with her head held high and proudly yelled for the croud to part as she called out "AT hikers coming through!" In the 15 seconds it took us to walk to the end of the bridge she told us that hiking the AT was on her bucket list, wished us the "best, best, best of luck on your journey," and even had time to fit in one last hug. She treated us like we were family and I definitely hope that this royal treatment continues in New Hampshire.
I had such a great feeling about Hanover and NH. For once my bruised up legs, big bushy beard, hiking clothing and smell didn't attract any suspicious stares. We fit in with the good natured, outdoorsy people of this fantastic town. As we walked past a family on the sidewalk I overheard a little 5 year old girl who saw us turn to her mom and explain to her that "those people are walking on the Appalachian Trail." We hung out in town on a bench watching people pass. Much different from sitting on the ground watching chipmunks pass. As I sat there, the warm sun rays pressed down and a feeling of hope gripped me. Hanover was just what I needed. I can't help but feel totally energized and hopeful for the last 120 miles of our journey this summer.
Aug 19, 2012
PiCtUrEs!
Venus glowing brightly (center top), ushering in a new day!
Our trail in "Ver-mud!"
Cautionary sign on Stratton Mountain summit tower
My much healthier (photographic) fascination with mushrooms
compared to some of the hikers we've met on the trail
My ankle 2 hours after I rolled it...
My ankle 2 days after I rolled it...
Hills piercing a sea of early morning fog
Brilliant glow of a spectacular sunrise
Big skies!!
Kid Gore shelter
Sun just beyond (93 million miles) trees
Beautiful afternoon sky
Chipmunk begging for food...
Theodore wants my food and won't take no for an answer!
Our favorite state boundary
Live free or die!
Heather's to do list at lunch
Brian's crayon drawing at lunch
Cool bridge!
Our trail in "Ver-mud!"
Cautionary sign on Stratton Mountain summit tower
My much healthier (photographic) fascination with mushrooms
compared to some of the hikers we've met on the trail
My ankle 2 hours after I rolled it...
My ankle 2 days after I rolled it...
Hills piercing a sea of early morning fog
Brilliant glow of a spectacular sunrise
Big skies!!
Kid Gore shelter
Sun just beyond (93 million miles) trees
Beautiful afternoon sky
Chipmunk begging for food...
Theodore wants my food and won't take no for an answer!
Live free or die!
Heather's to do list at lunch
Cool bridge!
Aug 18, 2012
Day 54 (Aug. 15th) - END DAY?
"Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”
-Edward Whymper
Start: Stratton-Arlington Road, VT
Finish: VT11 / VT30, VT
Today: 16.5 mi
Total: 460.6 mi
We were off and moving up the trail by 8:45 AM. Since we would be sharing the same hotel room with No Whistle again tonight, we slack packed. I carried the water, snacks, rain jackets and long sleeve shirts in my pack so I could get a chance to see Flicka race up the mountain unrestrained. She didn't disappoint and I think her trail name (without a pack) should be Mustang (wild horse). Stratton Mountain looked like a shark fin on my map jutting upwards from the surrounding land but we found that it was graded nicely. In just one hour 20 minutes we completed the 3 mile climb up 1800 feet in elevation.
We passed the caretaker cabin and rested at the foot of the observation tower. Stratton Mountain fell just short of piercing the 4000 foot elevation mark. Even the Summit fire/observation tower failed that measure by just 9 feet. I guess we'll have to wait to the white mountains to achieve that. The view from the tower was spectacular but on the way down the tower I bumped my head on the low ceiling and my glasses fell 50 feet to the rocks below. The cautionary sign at the base of the tower didn't lie: "It's not the fall, it's the sudden stop at the bottom." When the glasses hit a rock one of the plastic lenses popped out and was lost in the rocks and dirt. To my amazement, Heather found the lens! Now I'll be able to see more than half the mountains!
It was on this summit that Bennton McKaye conceived the idea for the Appalachian Trail while he admired the green peaks that pierced the low lying clouds. We descended the mountain for 3.2 miles and took another break at the trailhead for the Stratton Pond Shelter.
A while later while walking down the slope my left foot slipped on a rock still moist from the morning rain. It has rained at least briefly every day we've been in Vermont. The sudden role of my foot caused it to inflame like a balloon instantly. I worried about the possibility of it being broken but stood up to test it. I was able to bear my weight and walk on it so I knew I could hike 6 miles out to the road. I chose not to take off the boot as I wasn't sure if I'd be able get it back on if the inflammation continued.
After about 10 minutes I got up and we move down the trail. The mountain sloped gently towards the road we aimed for (though gentle is a relative term for the A.T. as we may not gain or lose much elevation but it's always an obstacle course of rocks, roots, downed trees and stream crossings). I wasn't upset about the pain but the idea of the trip's possible end was weighing heavily on me. As I carefully placed my feet a dizzying array of questions raced through my head: how long before I could hike again? Should I be hiking the White Mountains on a weak foot? How could I miss our favorite state, NH? What weekends could we drive up in the fall to continue where we left off?
The worst part was that I had to walk six more miles until I could get to a hospital and find the answers to my questions. It was unbearably tedious walking these miles, like trying to follow white trail blazes in a birch forest. Just after we got to the trailhead, three forest service workers arrived and offered us a ride down.
The doctor at the hospital told us what we expected. I didn't think I broke my ankle since I was able to walk down on it but it was a bad sprain with an avulsion fracture.
As we traveled back to the hotel I wondered if I should go home. Was it time for 7 days worth of showers to get rid of the hiker stink? If we continued we'd have to skip forward to Hanover to give my ankle a real shot at the last 120 miles to Mt Washington in 10 days. I'll have to see how it feels tomorrow...
-Edward Whymper
Start: Stratton-Arlington Road, VT
Finish: VT11 / VT30, VT
Today: 16.5 mi
Total: 460.6 mi
We were off and moving up the trail by 8:45 AM. Since we would be sharing the same hotel room with No Whistle again tonight, we slack packed. I carried the water, snacks, rain jackets and long sleeve shirts in my pack so I could get a chance to see Flicka race up the mountain unrestrained. She didn't disappoint and I think her trail name (without a pack) should be Mustang (wild horse). Stratton Mountain looked like a shark fin on my map jutting upwards from the surrounding land but we found that it was graded nicely. In just one hour 20 minutes we completed the 3 mile climb up 1800 feet in elevation.
We passed the caretaker cabin and rested at the foot of the observation tower. Stratton Mountain fell just short of piercing the 4000 foot elevation mark. Even the Summit fire/observation tower failed that measure by just 9 feet. I guess we'll have to wait to the white mountains to achieve that. The view from the tower was spectacular but on the way down the tower I bumped my head on the low ceiling and my glasses fell 50 feet to the rocks below. The cautionary sign at the base of the tower didn't lie: "It's not the fall, it's the sudden stop at the bottom." When the glasses hit a rock one of the plastic lenses popped out and was lost in the rocks and dirt. To my amazement, Heather found the lens! Now I'll be able to see more than half the mountains!
It was on this summit that Bennton McKaye conceived the idea for the Appalachian Trail while he admired the green peaks that pierced the low lying clouds. We descended the mountain for 3.2 miles and took another break at the trailhead for the Stratton Pond Shelter.
A while later while walking down the slope my left foot slipped on a rock still moist from the morning rain. It has rained at least briefly every day we've been in Vermont. The sudden role of my foot caused it to inflame like a balloon instantly. I worried about the possibility of it being broken but stood up to test it. I was able to bear my weight and walk on it so I knew I could hike 6 miles out to the road. I chose not to take off the boot as I wasn't sure if I'd be able get it back on if the inflammation continued.
After about 10 minutes I got up and we move down the trail. The mountain sloped gently towards the road we aimed for (though gentle is a relative term for the A.T. as we may not gain or lose much elevation but it's always an obstacle course of rocks, roots, downed trees and stream crossings). I wasn't upset about the pain but the idea of the trip's possible end was weighing heavily on me. As I carefully placed my feet a dizzying array of questions raced through my head: how long before I could hike again? Should I be hiking the White Mountains on a weak foot? How could I miss our favorite state, NH? What weekends could we drive up in the fall to continue where we left off?
The worst part was that I had to walk six more miles until I could get to a hospital and find the answers to my questions. It was unbearably tedious walking these miles, like trying to follow white trail blazes in a birch forest. Just after we got to the trailhead, three forest service workers arrived and offered us a ride down.
The doctor at the hospital told us what we expected. I didn't think I broke my ankle since I was able to walk down on it but it was a bad sprain with an avulsion fracture.
As we traveled back to the hotel I wondered if I should go home. Was it time for 7 days worth of showers to get rid of the hiker stink? If we continued we'd have to skip forward to Hanover to give my ankle a real shot at the last 120 miles to Mt Washington in 10 days. I'll have to see how it feels tomorrow...
Day 53 (Aug. 14th) -
"
Start: Kid Gore Shelter, VT
Finish: Stratton-Arlington Road, VT
Today: 8.4 mi
Total: 444.1 mi
Start: Kid Gore Shelter, VT
Finish: Stratton-Arlington Road, VT
Today: 8.4 mi
Total: 444.1 mi
Aug 11, 2012
Day 48 (Aug. 9th) - VERMONT DAY
"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown!"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Start: North Adams, MA
Finish: Bennington, VT
Today: 18.4 mi
Total: 421.3 mi
I woke up with a full bladder and completely drained of energy. I got up to drain my bladder but each step was a sharp pain on every square inch of my feet. I definitely felt like taking the day off, especially when considering the 18.4 miles on rough terrain we had waiting for us. Heather looks like a zombie after taking Benadryl last night to ease her poison ivy so she would definitely jump at the chance of a zero. No Whistle and EMT shared the hotel room with us and they looked really tired too. The idea of zeroing is infectious - if one person in the group gets it the entire group can fall victim to it so I put on my game face and began getting my things together for hiking.
It took us a long time to hitchhike out of North Adams. After 10 minutes of waiting an older lady on a moped was driving towards us. We all thought it was funny to stick out our thumbs, asking her for a ride. From a distance I saw she had a small kid standing in front of her holding the handlebars. As she neared we realized the small kid was actually a fully clothed porcelain doll and the old lady was wearing a huge bucket helmet with a cigarette sticking sideways out of her mouth. All our thumbs slowly dropped down in unison as it became more scary than funny. After another 5 minutes we got a ride from a vegan chef to our trailhead.
We climbed for the first 2.5 miles until we hit a plateau which better resembled a mini roller coaster. Because we started the day late, I was hesitant to take long breaks so we stopped briefly at the top of the steep climb. Heather called me a "break Nazi."
A few miles later we crossed into Vermont and have now walked along the AT in 8 states. After 150 miles of Vermont we will have another 160 miles of New Hampshire before reaching our goal of Maine.
After about 7 miles we took a break for lunch at Seth Warner shelter and spoke to a couple who were doing a one week section hike in Vermont. After the shelter the trail shot upwards. In the heat of the midday sun the sweat was pouring off me.
As I neared the next shelter, the smell of a camp fire filled the air. This told me there must be weekend hikers at the shelter because long distance hikers got tired of fires long ago. After 14.2 miles we arrived at Congdon Shelter at 6:30 pm for a quick 20 minute break before pushing on another 4.2 miles.
The skies dimmed and after sunset very little light filtered down to the forest floor. Ahead of me Heather walked through the darkness with only the few feet around her illuminated by her headlamp. Heather and I both agreed that our senses seemed heightened in the darkness. A couple times I turned off my headlamp and stood there in the black of night. All around me the sounds of the forest grew: the chorus of crickets, deep songs of the frogs, and hoots of owls filled my ears while fireflies twinkled all around us.
At about 8:45 the trail turned downwards in a steep descent to the road. Ahead of me Heather walked slowly down a stone staircase plunging into a dark abyss. Hiking into night echoed the feelings I've been having about our trip nearing its end. I want many more weeks of hiking but darkness is approaching...
~DADDY LONG LEGS
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Start: North Adams, MA
Finish: Bennington, VT
Today: 18.4 mi
Total: 421.3 mi
I woke up with a full bladder and completely drained of energy. I got up to drain my bladder but each step was a sharp pain on every square inch of my feet. I definitely felt like taking the day off, especially when considering the 18.4 miles on rough terrain we had waiting for us. Heather looks like a zombie after taking Benadryl last night to ease her poison ivy so she would definitely jump at the chance of a zero. No Whistle and EMT shared the hotel room with us and they looked really tired too. The idea of zeroing is infectious - if one person in the group gets it the entire group can fall victim to it so I put on my game face and began getting my things together for hiking.
It took us a long time to hitchhike out of North Adams. After 10 minutes of waiting an older lady on a moped was driving towards us. We all thought it was funny to stick out our thumbs, asking her for a ride. From a distance I saw she had a small kid standing in front of her holding the handlebars. As she neared we realized the small kid was actually a fully clothed porcelain doll and the old lady was wearing a huge bucket helmet with a cigarette sticking sideways out of her mouth. All our thumbs slowly dropped down in unison as it became more scary than funny. After another 5 minutes we got a ride from a vegan chef to our trailhead.
We climbed for the first 2.5 miles until we hit a plateau which better resembled a mini roller coaster. Because we started the day late, I was hesitant to take long breaks so we stopped briefly at the top of the steep climb. Heather called me a "break Nazi."
A few miles later we crossed into Vermont and have now walked along the AT in 8 states. After 150 miles of Vermont we will have another 160 miles of New Hampshire before reaching our goal of Maine.
After about 7 miles we took a break for lunch at Seth Warner shelter and spoke to a couple who were doing a one week section hike in Vermont. After the shelter the trail shot upwards. In the heat of the midday sun the sweat was pouring off me.
As I neared the next shelter, the smell of a camp fire filled the air. This told me there must be weekend hikers at the shelter because long distance hikers got tired of fires long ago. After 14.2 miles we arrived at Congdon Shelter at 6:30 pm for a quick 20 minute break before pushing on another 4.2 miles.
The skies dimmed and after sunset very little light filtered down to the forest floor. Ahead of me Heather walked through the darkness with only the few feet around her illuminated by her headlamp. Heather and I both agreed that our senses seemed heightened in the darkness. A couple times I turned off my headlamp and stood there in the black of night. All around me the sounds of the forest grew: the chorus of crickets, deep songs of the frogs, and hoots of owls filled my ears while fireflies twinkled all around us.
At about 8:45 the trail turned downwards in a steep descent to the road. Ahead of me Heather walked slowly down a stone staircase plunging into a dark abyss. Hiking into night echoed the feelings I've been having about our trip nearing its end. I want many more weeks of hiking but darkness is approaching...
~DADDY LONG LEGS
Newest Pics
Heather in Vermont!
Who is this guy?!
Sun through leaves
No Whistle at a view
Couldn't pass this by without taking a picture!
Lightning hit this tree!
Morning Sun...
Top of the 20 foot tall tree that almost made Flicka a headless horse
Beautiful slope
Take a picture! Take a picture!
Apparently, in his second coming, Jesus stayed at this shelter
"It's a beaut, Clark!"
Ribbet!
Canoe at Upper Goose Pond
Our path (are we in PA again!)
"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world." John Muir
Brian, Heather, and EMT at the Summit of Greylock
Apparently these mushrooms taste like chicken but I'll stick to Snickers
Me Brian.....me move rock!
Who is this guy?!
Sun through leaves
No Whistle at a view
Couldn't pass this by without taking a picture!
Lightning hit this tree!
Morning Sun...
Top of the 20 foot tall tree that almost made Flicka a headless horse
Beautiful slope
Take a picture! Take a picture!
Apparently, in his second coming, Jesus stayed at this shelter
"It's a beaut, Clark!"
Ribbet!
Canoe at Upper Goose Pond
Our path (are we in PA again!)
"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world." John Muir
Brian, Heather, and EMT at the Summit of Greylock
Apparently these mushrooms taste like chicken but I'll stick to Snickers
Me Brian.....me move rock!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)