So right now I am about to go to sleep on a futon with Connor In a condo belonging to a friend of this guy Jaffe, who we met in Lincoln. Jaffe and Keith picked us up from the trailhead, we all went grocery shopping, and they made us some absolutely fantastic pizza and salad. Why? No reason. Wow it is really nice to have had some healthy food.
I got stung by a wasp on the trail today. Boo hiss.
Tomorrow we will probably take a zero because we have lots of logistics to settle out and because this is a cool town and we are invited to stay another night here. Oh and guess what? We hiked almost 24 miles today, our highest :)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Firewardens Cabin shelter
Well I have had a bit of a morale low today, hiking 21 miles of rather boring terrain, really. Also there are a lot lot of negative Nancy northbounders around. They have perfected the art of complaining about things they are voluntarily doing.
It is like a whole new trail, this flat stuff. Well it's not exactly flat of course but flatter and with fewer good above- treeline views. My knees are cool with this change but I miss the old trail. Ah, transitions. We definitely still have the mud and the bog bridges that remind me of a Nintendo game or a circus elephant. I have gotten really really good at slip recovery- that is, I can stay up even after losing my balance on a rock or a slippery log or root. Sometimes I bet it looks like a clown circus stunt, when I slip and dance around until stabilized again.
I should tell the story of Mt Washington. Flora, Brookie, and I all made it up safely to see the foggy views and eat pizza and ice cream and other things at the store at the top, and it began to storm while we were up there so we spent about four hours at the top inside wondering what to do. In that time we came across Cant Stop, Black Eagle, Chipmunk, and Crazy Talk, who had the same dilemma as us, which was that we really didn't want to hike in a thunderstorm on top of the highest mountain in the northeast. Well we couldn't stay at the visitors center. Brookie discussed the radar with a ranger and told us we had an hour window of lighter storminess in which we could book it down the mountain to the Lakes of the Clouds hut, so we all snapped into action, threw our cold rain gear on, and set out as a parade of seven. It was pretty fun I must say. We were getting pelted with rain and for the last ten or fifteen minutes it was really sketchy what with the lightning and all but we made it! All safe and sound, and the volunteer croo at the hut welcomed us with gusto and let us all do work for stay. We were well fed, I played some cribbage, and we slept on the dining room tables. Well I didn't sleep much because there were like fifty teenage girls there that went to the bathroom in giggly groups of five well into the night but anyway.
In the morning we all did stuff like dishes and blanket folding and sweeping and we really took our time because we could see people outside struggling to walk through the wind and rain. We could hear their pack covers and rain pants flapping violently from inside, it was pretty ridiculous. We did eventually leave, parade style again, and those kinds of days are the ones you remember. The days when your pack straps whip you in the face, it is so windy. The days when you contemplate how bad the weather has to be before you toss your trekking poles aka lightning rods far away and crouch on your pack.
That day Brookie was leading and I was second. He nimbly hopped over a giant deep puddle and looked back to see me completely perplexed because there was no way to go around or through and he picked up a rock and put it in the puddle so I and the rest of us shorties could make it. Do you see why I might miss Brookie? Not to mention he was always very generous with his peanut butter m&m and reeces pieces mixed bag. Want to make a friend on the trail? Offer someone some food.
It is like a whole new trail, this flat stuff. Well it's not exactly flat of course but flatter and with fewer good above- treeline views. My knees are cool with this change but I miss the old trail. Ah, transitions. We definitely still have the mud and the bog bridges that remind me of a Nintendo game or a circus elephant. I have gotten really really good at slip recovery- that is, I can stay up even after losing my balance on a rock or a slippery log or root. Sometimes I bet it looks like a clown circus stunt, when I slip and dance around until stabilized again.
I should tell the story of Mt Washington. Flora, Brookie, and I all made it up safely to see the foggy views and eat pizza and ice cream and other things at the store at the top, and it began to storm while we were up there so we spent about four hours at the top inside wondering what to do. In that time we came across Cant Stop, Black Eagle, Chipmunk, and Crazy Talk, who had the same dilemma as us, which was that we really didn't want to hike in a thunderstorm on top of the highest mountain in the northeast. Well we couldn't stay at the visitors center. Brookie discussed the radar with a ranger and told us we had an hour window of lighter storminess in which we could book it down the mountain to the Lakes of the Clouds hut, so we all snapped into action, threw our cold rain gear on, and set out as a parade of seven. It was pretty fun I must say. We were getting pelted with rain and for the last ten or fifteen minutes it was really sketchy what with the lightning and all but we made it! All safe and sound, and the volunteer croo at the hut welcomed us with gusto and let us all do work for stay. We were well fed, I played some cribbage, and we slept on the dining room tables. Well I didn't sleep much because there were like fifty teenage girls there that went to the bathroom in giggly groups of five well into the night but anyway.
In the morning we all did stuff like dishes and blanket folding and sweeping and we really took our time because we could see people outside struggling to walk through the wind and rain. We could hear their pack covers and rain pants flapping violently from inside, it was pretty ridiculous. We did eventually leave, parade style again, and those kinds of days are the ones you remember. The days when your pack straps whip you in the face, it is so windy. The days when you contemplate how bad the weather has to be before you toss your trekking poles aka lightning rods far away and crouch on your pack.
That day Brookie was leading and I was second. He nimbly hopped over a giant deep puddle and looked back to see me completely perplexed because there was no way to go around or through and he picked up a rock and put it in the puddle so I and the rest of us shorties could make it. Do you see why I might miss Brookie? Not to mention he was always very generous with his peanut butter m&m and reeces pieces mixed bag. Want to make a friend on the trail? Offer someone some food.
Past the Whites
We are at the first shelter after Moosilauke, the last mountain of the whites, Flora, Cant Stop, Black Eagle, and I and also an annoying middle aged section hiker and a nobo. Today after the mountain there were some verdant fields in which we frolicked with delight. Flatness. We could hardly believe it. We did cartwheels and log rolls through the grass.
I will miss the Whites but my knees sure won't! Flora and I miss Brookie, this was our first day hiking without him in a few weeks :( The Whites were awesome, wow. Now trail life is going to be different- more fast walking, less views, I don't know what else.
I will miss the Whites but my knees sure won't! Flora and I miss Brookie, this was our first day hiking without him in a few weeks :( The Whites were awesome, wow. Now trail life is going to be different- more fast walking, less views, I don't know what else.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Mt Kinsman
I am on top of Mt Kinsman and wow it is a beautiful day and view. I just polished off a meager snack of four pop tarts and some starbursts ( screw the northbounders, I'm eating some). The Whites are going fantastically well. I love bouldering, the huts feed us well, I get to scoff at the weekend warriors, I am among great trail friends. Last night there was a full moon and no chance of rain so I slept on a dock by the lake at Lonesome Lake Hut. It was chilly and wonderful. Life is good. Also I am wearing clean socks today, so YOU KNOW it's a good day:)
The night before last we stayed at a shelter and the head caretaker gave me an orange. Heck yes. And then a girl in the shelter offered us BEERS. She had packed up a whole 12- pack of Blue Moon cans. She took everyone by surprise. I was happy but disappointed that I had already scarfed down the orange. Warm Blue Moon in a can never tasted so good:)
I cooked a broccoli Alfredo pasta side and accidentally let it boil over and now my stuff smells like rotten broccoli. Big mistake!
I guess I should stop lolly-gagging on this mountaintop- ten ish miles left to go today:) I just can't help myself when things are this beautiful:)
The night before last we stayed at a shelter and the head caretaker gave me an orange. Heck yes. And then a girl in the shelter offered us BEERS. She had packed up a whole 12- pack of Blue Moon cans. She took everyone by surprise. I was happy but disappointed that I had already scarfed down the orange. Warm Blue Moon in a can never tasted so good:)
I cooked a broccoli Alfredo pasta side and accidentally let it boil over and now my stuff smells like rotten broccoli. Big mistake!
I guess I should stop lolly-gagging on this mountaintop- ten ish miles left to go today:) I just can't help myself when things are this beautiful:)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Mad
Tonight we are sleeping comfortably on dining room tables of Madison Hut. We are full of spaghetti- lasagna, green beans, and salad and also chocolate- the leftovers from the hut dinner. Someone in the bunk room is snoring like a freight train and also there is a gaggle of flatlander teenagers making fart jokes so I figured I would write until I can fall asleep.
Today we summitted our first Prezzie, Mount Madison. It is so beautiful up here. Everything is above treeline. Lots of rock scrambling. We had a tense hour or so during our summit and then descent to the hut when a huge storm came rolling in, but it eventually passed by and so we watched a beautiful sunset from the hut. Then sort of for our work-for-stay we thru hikers gave a question and answer session to the flatlanders during which I started to realize how unpleasant a Massachusetts accent is. I guess they can't help it.
Being around non- thru hikers in the hut, hearing them talk about their lives and smelling their deodorant, seeing them walking around in their cotton clothing, well, I guess I just know I'm a different person than I was a month and three days ago. In a very good way :)
Today we summitted our first Prezzie, Mount Madison. It is so beautiful up here. Everything is above treeline. Lots of rock scrambling. We had a tense hour or so during our summit and then descent to the hut when a huge storm came rolling in, but it eventually passed by and so we watched a beautiful sunset from the hut. Then sort of for our work-for-stay we thru hikers gave a question and answer session to the flatlanders during which I started to realize how unpleasant a Massachusetts accent is. I guess they can't help it.
Being around non- thru hikers in the hut, hearing them talk about their lives and smelling their deodorant, seeing them walking around in their cotton clothing, well, I guess I just know I'm a different person than I was a month and three days ago. In a very good way :)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Pinkham Notch
Flora, Brookie, Chip and I are sitting on the deck of the Pinkham Notch visitor center with coffee, contemplating where to stay the night because we decided not to summit Mt Madison today in the thunderstorms- too difficult, too dangerous, not worth the 4000 foot climb to not have any views and to end up drenched and freezing while stealth camping.
I am eating because I was overzealous at WalMart and bought about five days' worth of food for our three day stretch of the Presidentials (aka the Prezzies) and my pack is insanely huge and heavy (34 lbs).
Walker decided to go about five miles and camp in the rain. Before he left he serenaded us on the porch with his recorder- some Bach.
Yesterday, after our night in the Carter hut shed, we hiked up Carter mountain and the Wildcats and at the top we were faced with making a decision more challenging than our usual decisions which are:
1) two oatmeal packets or three for breakfast
2) shirt or just sports bra
3) wear the dirty socks or break out a clean pair
4) hat or bandanna
5) whether or not to eat the whole sleeve of ritz/Graham crackers/triscuits/ etc in one sitting
6) whether to go over, under, or around the downed tree
7) step in the mud or rock-hop
8) which dinner to make if it's not the last day out
9) one Aleve or two
So not too many decisions. Yesterday however we had to decide whether to hike straight down Wildcat, which is known far and wide as the hugest pain in the a** on the trail because it is a two mile descent for southbounders (the northbounders have it easier going up) straight down slippery boulders and uneven rock steps and rock faces that takes all afternoon... Or... We could take a gondola down the mountain. The place is a ski slope in the winter, and in the summer they take the chairs off the ski lift and replace them with enclosed little gondolas that zip tourists right up and down Wildcat. We debated for DAYS whether to take the gondola. On one hand, we have been trail purists and have passed every single white blaze so far. On the other hand it's a GONDOLA for crying out loud. A once-in-a-thru-hike opportunity.
Well we took the gondola. And I don't want to hear any hemming or hawing from anyone about it! We will be purists the rest of the way!!
I am pretty excited because at walmart I got a package of starbursts. I got them to give to northbounders I pass on the trail, who are becoming more and more frequent and who are usually so trail- hardened at this point that they don't want to stop and talk- they just want to get to Katahdin. So whenever I see a skinny guy with a beard I will ask "Nobo?" which means northbound thru hiker. If he replies in the affirmative I will say "I'm Fauna- have a starburst". Also I will offer to pack out the wrapper because though most thru hikers are good about not littering, I don't want to inadvertently leave a trail of starburst wrappers in my wake. I thought this would be a nice idea because although I don't want to have an in- depth conversation with every nobo I cross, I don't want to just ignore them either.
I am eating because I was overzealous at WalMart and bought about five days' worth of food for our three day stretch of the Presidentials (aka the Prezzies) and my pack is insanely huge and heavy (34 lbs).
Walker decided to go about five miles and camp in the rain. Before he left he serenaded us on the porch with his recorder- some Bach.
Yesterday, after our night in the Carter hut shed, we hiked up Carter mountain and the Wildcats and at the top we were faced with making a decision more challenging than our usual decisions which are:
1) two oatmeal packets or three for breakfast
2) shirt or just sports bra
3) wear the dirty socks or break out a clean pair
4) hat or bandanna
5) whether or not to eat the whole sleeve of ritz/Graham crackers/triscuits/ etc in one sitting
6) whether to go over, under, or around the downed tree
7) step in the mud or rock-hop
8) which dinner to make if it's not the last day out
9) one Aleve or two
So not too many decisions. Yesterday however we had to decide whether to hike straight down Wildcat, which is known far and wide as the hugest pain in the a** on the trail because it is a two mile descent for southbounders (the northbounders have it easier going up) straight down slippery boulders and uneven rock steps and rock faces that takes all afternoon... Or... We could take a gondola down the mountain. The place is a ski slope in the winter, and in the summer they take the chairs off the ski lift and replace them with enclosed little gondolas that zip tourists right up and down Wildcat. We debated for DAYS whether to take the gondola. On one hand, we have been trail purists and have passed every single white blaze so far. On the other hand it's a GONDOLA for crying out loud. A once-in-a-thru-hike opportunity.
Well we took the gondola. And I don't want to hear any hemming or hawing from anyone about it! We will be purists the rest of the way!!
I am pretty excited because at walmart I got a package of starbursts. I got them to give to northbounders I pass on the trail, who are becoming more and more frequent and who are usually so trail- hardened at this point that they don't want to stop and talk- they just want to get to Katahdin. So whenever I see a skinny guy with a beard I will ask "Nobo?" which means northbound thru hiker. If he replies in the affirmative I will say "I'm Fauna- have a starburst". Also I will offer to pack out the wrapper because though most thru hikers are good about not littering, I don't want to inadvertently leave a trail of starburst wrappers in my wake. I thought this would be a nice idea because although I don't want to have an in- depth conversation with every nobo I cross, I don't want to just ignore them either.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Carter Notch Hut shed
Connor and I are sleeping in a small shed tonight, the shed that is next to the hut, where all of the first-class citizens are sleeping. The hut system is strange and sucky so far!
Well that's not entirely true I guess. The hut people gave us some cold leftover chicken and some hot fantastic tomato lentil soup.
I am not really the type to 1) accept handouts from strangers, and definitely 2) ask for favors/handouts from strangers. But that is how the White Mountains work apparently. Lo and behold, Superguide was at the hut before us and got one of the two work for stay things, so they could only take one of us, and we stick together so neither of us took it. they then fed us and some other hikers some leftovers and the others went to stealth camp (which I would much prefer but we don't have our tent/hammock bc we are semi slackpacking) and the hut people let us sleep in their shed thing. It only locks from the outside so it is not locked and it is chock full of bulk supply foods like canned goods so I hope a bear doesn't eat me. Goodnight.
Well that's not entirely true I guess. The hut people gave us some cold leftover chicken and some hot fantastic tomato lentil soup.
I am not really the type to 1) accept handouts from strangers, and definitely 2) ask for favors/handouts from strangers. But that is how the White Mountains work apparently. Lo and behold, Superguide was at the hut before us and got one of the two work for stay things, so they could only take one of us, and we stick together so neither of us took it. they then fed us and some other hikers some leftovers and the others went to stealth camp (which I would much prefer but we don't have our tent/hammock bc we are semi slackpacking) and the hut people let us sleep in their shed thing. It only locks from the outside so it is not locked and it is chock full of bulk supply foods like canned goods so I hope a bear doesn't eat me. Goodnight.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
One Month-aversary !!
Today we have begun the White Mountains! It is a beautiful day :) We gained a crap ton of elevation this morning and it is cool and breezy up here.
We are having lunch at a shelter and then we have 8 more miles to get to Carter Notch Hut, where we will try to do a work-for-stay because otherwise staying at huts in the Whites costs an astounding $100 per night. We are pretty likely to be able to do this because we are girls, most people say. Brookie and Chip will be stealth camping half a mile away or so but we can't because we didn't bring our hammock and tents. The Whites are complicated and difficult mostly because they are crowded and expensive and places you can stay are limited. But so far they are also unbelievably beautiful. Weather could be an issue. Get after it!
We are having lunch at a shelter and then we have 8 more miles to get to Carter Notch Hut, where we will try to do a work-for-stay because otherwise staying at huts in the Whites costs an astounding $100 per night. We are pretty likely to be able to do this because we are girls, most people say. Brookie and Chip will be stealth camping half a mile away or so but we can't because we didn't bring our hammock and tents. The Whites are complicated and difficult mostly because they are crowded and expensive and places you can stay are limited. But so far they are also unbelievably beautiful. Weather could be an issue. Get after it!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
I guess I should explain the "Dont look, Chip" title of the last post. We were in the Mahoosuc Notch, scrambling over and under and around boulders, and Chip was behind Flora and I, watching our different methods of getting through stuff then picking the preferable way for himself.
I hike in a skirt which is absolutely awesome in every way EXCEPT when scooting down rocks or climbing up things in front of a boy. I am usually very ladylike with my skirt, Flora says. However, in the Notch, I had a particularly daunting boulder to climb and I ended up on almost the top of it, on my stomach, my pack crushing me holding me to the rock, with nowhere to go and as far as the skirt goes, I was in a very compromising position. I yelped in agony because I thought I was going to fall off, but then realized the full extent of the disaster I'd made and yelled, "don't look, Chip!!" which cracked Flora up and Chip as well. I glanced at him while floundering around and he was dutifully averting his eyes.
I hike in a skirt which is absolutely awesome in every way EXCEPT when scooting down rocks or climbing up things in front of a boy. I am usually very ladylike with my skirt, Flora says. However, in the Notch, I had a particularly daunting boulder to climb and I ended up on almost the top of it, on my stomach, my pack crushing me holding me to the rock, with nowhere to go and as far as the skirt goes, I was in a very compromising position. I yelped in agony because I thought I was going to fall off, but then realized the full extent of the disaster I'd made and yelled, "don't look, Chip!!" which cracked Flora up and Chip as well. I glanced at him while floundering around and he was dutifully averting his eyes.
"don't look, Chip!!"
I am currently relaxing by a pool at our hostel in Gorham, New Hampshire, which is our stepping off point for the White Mountains, which we've heard are extremely challenging. I don't have a swim suit technically so I am wearing underwear and a sports bra, in case you were wondering. People must think I have been abused, because my legs look like I have been pushed down some sharp stairs several times.
There is a lot of deep deep mud in NH so far. I am disappointed a little that so far NH is exactly as hard as Maine was, with less helpful signage. About the mud- we are all carrying trekking poles except Brookie, and they make for excellent mud feelers. Like for example say you are walking on a plank that a trail crew carefully placed into a mud hole such that one end is exposed but it slowly disappears into the mud. A pole will help you determine where the plank ends and where you should probably jump in order to avoid a muddy boot casualty. Like I mentioned, Brookie does not carry poles because he is a native Mainer and has joints of steel. Yesterday he came up on Flora and I eating , looking all disgruntled, because a plank had ended unexpectedly and he had plunged one foot into the mud up to his knee.
There is a lot of deep deep mud in NH so far. I am disappointed a little that so far NH is exactly as hard as Maine was, with less helpful signage. About the mud- we are all carrying trekking poles except Brookie, and they make for excellent mud feelers. Like for example say you are walking on a plank that a trail crew carefully placed into a mud hole such that one end is exposed but it slowly disappears into the mud. A pole will help you determine where the plank ends and where you should probably jump in order to avoid a muddy boot casualty. Like I mentioned, Brookie does not carry poles because he is a native Mainer and has joints of steel. Yesterday he came up on Flora and I eating , looking all disgruntled, because a plank had ended unexpectedly and he had plunged one foot into the mud up to his knee.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Last night in Maine
Tonight is our last night in Maine... Tomorrow we cross into New Hampshire. It is a lovely night after a hard day. I am at a shelter with Flora, walker, Brookie, and Chip- our trail family:)
Today we did the Mahoosuc Notch, a mile- long stretch of bouldering between two mountains. It was pretty fun. I got ALL scratched up and also very dirty today but what else is new?
I am dealing with some extra pack weight because I have winter gear in preparation for the White Mtns now, and also I overdid a mail drop and am carrying too much food. The weight in conjunction with the UBER rough terrain has thrown my balance and caused a couple of hilarious falls. One was where I was stepping down a giant rock and slipped on a root or something and landed backwards with my pack wedged into some rocks. I flailed around like an overturned beetle for a minute helplessly until Brookie yanked me up by an arm, kindly refraining from laughing until after the ordeal was over.
Today we did the Mahoosuc Notch, a mile- long stretch of bouldering between two mountains. It was pretty fun. I got ALL scratched up and also very dirty today but what else is new?
I am dealing with some extra pack weight because I have winter gear in preparation for the White Mtns now, and also I overdid a mail drop and am carrying too much food. The weight in conjunction with the UBER rough terrain has thrown my balance and caused a couple of hilarious falls. One was where I was stepping down a giant rock and slipped on a root or something and landed backwards with my pack wedged into some rocks. I flailed around like an overturned beetle for a minute helplessly until Brookie yanked me up by an arm, kindly refraining from laughing until after the ordeal was over.
Friday, July 9, 2010
We have stopped in town for the last time in Maine! By this time next week we will be in New Hampshire. I am already feeling nostalgic about leaving Maine- we've had a blast these last several miles ( with the exception of yesterday when the trail down Moody Mountain was talking smack - it was rerouted and what we were hiking on, straight down, could hardly be called a trail- more like a slip n slide of dirt including some giant rock faces and downed trees, one branch of which I almost impaled my eye on because I was too busy looking at my feet, and the deer flies we call HO's for Head Orbiters were especially tenacious and did laps buzzing around my head for hours and hours but anyway ).
In case anyone is interested, I weighed myself today at the hostel after lunch which consisted of a ten inch pizza and a container of ben and jerrys cherry Garcia and a soda. I had lost five pounds. I don't know how much the food weighed but I'm guessing at least three pounds. It seems like on the trail I am always hungry, and the more I eat, the skinnier I get! And you should see my arm and leg muscles. I feel like a machine.
In case anyone is interested, I weighed myself today at the hostel after lunch which consisted of a ten inch pizza and a container of ben and jerrys cherry Garcia and a soda. I had lost five pounds. I don't know how much the food weighed but I'm guessing at least three pounds. It seems like on the trail I am always hungry, and the more I eat, the skinnier I get! And you should see my arm and leg muscles. I feel like a machine.
I hitchhiked!
This week has been pretty much great. We knew there were lots of serious mountains coming up so we planned to take it slow. You know, only one or two high mileage days. Well it has paid off.
We have been hiking with our friends Chip and Brookie. I have been feeling spontaneous and have been doing things out of the ordinary... Like one night we watched the sun set from Saddleback Mountain and then hiked the four miles down the mountain to the shelter in the dark, stopping to exlore a random cave because what better time to go caving than when you already have your headlamp on? So what if it is midnight.
Yesterday we lunched by a lake that had a couple of abandoned canoes so we had a nice paddle. Last night I went swimming in a pond with minimal leeches and watched another sunset and by the time I was done the shelter was full so I cooked and slept out under the stars. Over breakfast of oatmeal-using-the-packet-as-a-bowl I saw a moose sneakily walking up the privy trail not more than thirty feet away.
Today Connor and I decided to bite the bullet and give hitchhiking a shot because we crossed the road to Oquossac at about lunchtime and we had time to spare. Connor clipped her knife to her waist band and put on a giant smile and hailed the second truck that went by. We had a fabulous lunch at the general store during which someone offered to drive us back to the trail. Overall it was not bad. Not bad at all. We even saw another moose on the way to town.
Now I am laying on my air mattress trying to stretch out my shoulder which I twisted while falling up a slippery rock today. Contemplating eating the second giant cheesecake brownie I hauled up the mountain from town because it is looking at me saying " you should eat me, I am heavy and there are tons of mountains tomorrow " but I don't think I can eat it!!
Connor's alarm is set for 3 am because weather permitting we may try to hike up Bemis Mountain in the morning to watch the sunrise. The sun rises here at about 4:30. We shall see!
This week has been pretty much great. We knew there were lots of serious mountains coming up so we planned to take it slow. You know, only one or two high mileage days. Well it has paid off.
We have been hiking with our friends Chip and Brookie. I have been feeling spontaneous and have been doing things out of the ordinary... Like one night we watched the sun set from Saddleback Mountain and then hiked the four miles down the mountain to the shelter in the dark, stopping to exlore a random cave because what better time to go caving than when you already have your headlamp on? So what if it is midnight.
Yesterday we lunched by a lake that had a couple of abandoned canoes so we had a nice paddle. Last night I went swimming in a pond with minimal leeches and watched another sunset and by the time I was done the shelter was full so I cooked and slept out under the stars. Over breakfast of oatmeal-using-the-packet-as-a-bowl I saw a moose sneakily walking up the privy trail not more than thirty feet away.
Today Connor and I decided to bite the bullet and give hitchhiking a shot because we crossed the road to Oquossac at about lunchtime and we had time to spare. Connor clipped her knife to her waist band and put on a giant smile and hailed the second truck that went by. We had a fabulous lunch at the general store during which someone offered to drive us back to the trail. Overall it was not bad. Not bad at all. We even saw another moose on the way to town.
Now I am laying on my air mattress trying to stretch out my shoulder which I twisted while falling up a slippery rock today. Contemplating eating the second giant cheesecake brownie I hauled up the mountain from town because it is looking at me saying " you should eat me, I am heavy and there are tons of mountains tomorrow " but I don't think I can eat it!!
Connor's alarm is set for 3 am because weather permitting we may try to hike up Bemis Mountain in the morning to watch the sunrise. The sun rises here at about 4:30. We shall see!
This week we stopped to resupply in Stratton, ME. Hostels that cater to hikers generally have a selection of old clothing you can wear while you are doing laundry, which is handy. This time the timing of showering and laundry was such that we wore our hostel clothing into the very touristy town of Rangely to do our shopping for groceries etc. I absolutely could not wear the XXXL teal scrubs that were my hostel pants into town, mostly because I could not guarantee they would stay up. So I wore my black hiking thermal pants, the brown hostel shirt, and my navy crocs. I had only used the pants to sleep in this week, so they did not smell too dirty, but I also can't say they smelled clean. Connor and the rest of our group were also wearing various forms of "hiker chic" fashions and while we were shopping around at the grocery store and at a "mountain outfitter" that was stuffed with rich 4th of July tourists buying glass animals and boxers with moose on them etc., I experienced a new feeling. We looked like a band of homeless people. At least I had showered so my hair was clean!
Anyway the shopping trip was a success. Also at the hostel I found out that Brookie plays cribbage! So we played a few games.
This week we have some serious mountains coming up, it will be a challenge! Next Wednesday or so we will be in New Hampshire! Time is flying by.
Anyway the shopping trip was a success. Also at the hostel I found out that Brookie plays cribbage! So we played a few games.
This week we have some serious mountains coming up, it will be a challenge! Next Wednesday or so we will be in New Hampshire! Time is flying by.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
"Switchbacks are for pack animals"
This week we experienced a lot of boggy mud and also some mountains without switchbacks so what else is new? A Maine AT club told us switchbacks are for pack animals and our friend Mother Goose said well, what do you think we are?
We have made a few really nice friends that we are more or less traveling with. One is Mother Goose. I don't know how old she is but it's pretty old. She's hiked the AT five times and was the first woman to do a yo- yo which is where you hike GA to ME then immediately turn around and hike back to GA. Then there is Walker. He is always in a good mood ( except once when it started hailing 30 mins before he reached the lean- to) and he sings songs that he's inserted his own trail lyrics into. Also one day he made and shared some cherry cornbread with us, that was tasty. He even put butter on it. Then there is Brookie, who is the rain fire starter and who named us Flora and Fauna. He is faster than us but he also stops several times a day to fish with a retractable fishing pole.
We have made a few really nice friends that we are more or less traveling with. One is Mother Goose. I don't know how old she is but it's pretty old. She's hiked the AT five times and was the first woman to do a yo- yo which is where you hike GA to ME then immediately turn around and hike back to GA. Then there is Walker. He is always in a good mood ( except once when it started hailing 30 mins before he reached the lean- to) and he sings songs that he's inserted his own trail lyrics into. Also one day he made and shared some cherry cornbread with us, that was tasty. He even put butter on it. Then there is Brookie, who is the rain fire starter and who named us Flora and Fauna. He is faster than us but he also stops several times a day to fish with a retractable fishing pole.
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