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App Trail Album3
App Trail Album2 App Trail Album1 All Photo Albums                                                                        
Day 112
Time: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 19:54:58 -0400 Location: Joe Dodge Lodge mile 1872.6 (Northbound) of the Appalachian Trail
Spent last night at the Madison Spring Hut. It's always a little awkward at the huts in the morning. The croo is busy making breakfast and the guests are milling around. There's never enough coffee and space is cramped, especially when the croo needs to clear the dining room to set the tables. After breakfast, bathrooms are a bottleneck.
The weather was chilly and clear. There was an initial tough climb up Mount Madison and then some windblown ridge walking and rock fields. Eventually the trail dropped below tree line but it was steep, narrow, and filled with slippery roots. The last few miles were much better. Only about 8 miles but it was enough. I wrapped my knees in ace bandages with heat rub in preparation for the big descent today. I think it helped.
Staying at a hut or shelter lets you know there are other people on the trail nearby even when it seems like you're alone.
I got to Pinkham Notch Visitor Center a little after 2. I was expecting the cafe to sell beer like the AMC Highland Center, but no luck. I had a sandwich and Dr Pepper instead. The girl at the Visitor Center said Sneak Attack came by earlier.
I checked into my room at the Joe Dodge Lodge, took a shower and did laundry in the shower, recharged my phone and power brick, and did some photo and blog logistics.
I recognized more and more people who had stayed at Madison Spring Hut as they arrived at the visitor center.
Topo and Peep Show were waiting for the Rattle River Hostel shuttle. Dirt Doctor got here very late. I was worried about him. I sat with him in the dining room while he ate a late dinner and a forest service lady gave a presentation about collecting minerals.
I was able to get cell service walking near the highway after dinner and talked to Helen and Adam. It was nice. I'm feeling lonely and that my friends are ahead of me. Nobody wants to go slow like me.
Tomorrow is the tough Wildcat mountains which will be the end of the White Mountain Range.
Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app Time: Thu, 25 Jul 2019 16:02:45 -0400
Location: Carter Spring Hut Mile 1878.5 of Appalachian Trail
I spent last night at the Joe Dodge Lodge at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. I had my own room, which was nice. There were a couple large teenage groups. The lodge had showers, WiFi, and electricity...things the huts don't have. You also don't have to watch the croo put on any skits.
I ate breakfast with Dirt Doctor and a couple of SoBos, Plank and Walmart. We picked their brains on what to expect in Maine. A lot of thru hikers are frustrated with the camping restrictions in the White Mountains.
I walked to the road where I had cell service and called Helen to wish her a happy anniversary.
The weather was beautiful. It's so nice to be tackling these mountains in nice weather. The climb up the Wildcats was tough. I put my poles away and used my hands to scramble up. There was a gondola running at the top taking people to the Wildcat Ski Area, but no services at the top.
The down was steep to the Carter Notch hut was steep and I definitely used my poles. The younger hikers seem to be able to bound down the steep stuff much better. A young girl thru hiker passed. She's going from Crawford Notch to Rattle River, 48 miles, in 2 days.
It took me about 4 hours to go the 6 miles from Pinkham Notch to the Carter Spring Hut, about 1.5 miles an hour.
I'm trying to plan my next resupply and any way you slice it, I don't see my pace changing much for at least the next 50 miles. I'll probably resupply in Gorham NH in about 15 miles and then again 40 miles later in Andover ME.
In the afternoon, Johnny Walker and Muffet came in and got a work for stay. I was so glad to see them. I caught up with them while they sorted some recycling. Scooch and Sundial stopped in. Johnny Walker and Muffet talked about of the hikers they've been around like Cross Cut and Hatchet and Rabbit and Greyhound.
More big climbs and descents tomorrow to the next notch.
Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app Time: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 21:27:37 -0400 Location: The Barn Hostel Gorham NH Mile 1896.5 of Appalachian Trail
I spent last night at the Carter Notch Hut. Johnny Walker and Muffet did a work for stay. They were getting ready to leave when I went for coffee a little before 6 am. I bunked with Dirt Doctor. He's a really nice older guy from Kentucky. He's been section hiking for 9 years and has this last tough few hundred miles to go. His wife usually comes and supports him but because this area is so remote, she stayed home. It takes him all day to hike not very many miles.
The hut-cation is over. After breakfast, Peep Show, Topo, and I got on the trail. It was another beautiful day.
We had a big climb over Carter Dome and Mount Mariah. It was more steep hand over hand rock climbing. And then there were some crazy steep descents. Some comments on GutHook called the descents "stupid and dangerous". Some hikers love the tough parts and tell people who complain to "stop and go home". I like a good workout, but I don't enjoy the dangerous stuff. Weather also makes a big difference. I wouldn't want to do a lot of this stuff in wet weather.
There was a young guy, Zack, at Carter Notch Hut, who ate with us. He's doing all the 4000 footers this summer. We've met a number of people who are doing the 4000 footers. I saw Zack towards the end of the day coming back from Mount Mariah. We were both tired.
Thankfully, the trail flattened out the last few miles along the Rattle River. I made it 16 miles to Route 2, officially marking the end of the White Mountains.
I saw an old guy sacked out in a chair in the Route 2 parking lot. It was Catnapper, the nuclear scientist I had dinner with at Home Place in Catawba VA. He's still out here jumping around doing his favorite trail sections.
I went by the Rattle River Hostel where Johnny Walker and Muffit are doing a double zero. I saw them briefly and they were exhausted. I saw Scooch, Cross Cut, Hatchet, and several other thru hikers. They were full so I called The Barn Hostel and got a shuttle into Gorham NH. Pumba and Ossa, a young couple also showed up for the shuttle. They just completed a SoBo section hike of Maine. She was a high school science teacher for 5 years. She just quit this June saying she was burned out and a lot of the job sucked. All the things I've heard from Helen over the years.
At the hostel I saw Spacemaker and he offered me a beer. We talked about him quitting his 15 year career as a plumber and his disillusionment with contemporary society and not knowing exactly what's next but wanting to minimize his own impact on the environment. I also met a crazy young NoBo named Runaway Jimmy. I had dinner with Mighty Blue, a popular podcaster, Trigger, and Spacemaker.
Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app Time: Sat, 27 Jul 2019 17:08:40 -0400
Location: The Barn Hostel Gorham NH Mile 1895.8 of Appalachian Trail
I'm zeroing today at The Barn Hostel in Gorham NH. Trigger and I were up early and walked over to Cumberland Farms for some coffee and breakfast sandwiches.
I talked with Runaway Jimmy. He looks like a blinged out Unabomber. Quite a character. He says the guides say this the last town NoBo with a Walmart or similar for full resupply. I just resupplied at Cumberland Farms because I don't like to hassle with Walmart.
I talked with Pumba and Ossa, the young SoBo section hikers, a good while about life.
I walked back to Pizza King where I retrieved the credit card that I had forgotten last night.
It started to rain a little in the afternoon. The amazingly nice weather for the last 5 days has been a big topic
More hikers started showing up: Ninja Mouse, End Game, Mad Tree, Smash, Radar, Nibbles, EtchASketch, JSquared. There was a lot of swapping stories and talking about other hikers we know and where they are.
Mad Tree said he had gotten trail magic from Helen a few times but we had never met.
I had a nice talk with Ninja Mouse, a farmer from Iowa, and he talked about his family and when his kids were young and all the adventures he and his wife had done and how they were waiting to fully retire and then she died. He said they shouldn't have waited.
I had dinner with Trigger and Mighty Blue again at Mr Pizza. We talked about their hike from Mt Washington to Pinkham Notch. We talked about the trail and other hikers. Mighty Blue talked about some of his podcast topics. He's interested in hiker perspectives for his podcast. Since he's British we talked about different cultural differences. Shark Tooth and Turd Ferguson stopped by to say hi.
I stopped for a soft serve maple ice cream cone on the way back to the hostel.
Lights were out when we got back since it was after 9. Back on the trail tomorrow.
Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app Time: Sun, 28 Jul 2019 18:30:31 -0400
Location: Gentian Pond Shelter Mile 1905.5 of Appalachian Trail
I spent last night at The Barn shelter in Gorham NH. Trigger and I walked over to Cumberland Farms for coffee and breakfast. Ninja Mouse, Mad Tree, and Mighty Blue joined us at the breakfast table.
Mad Tree and I took the shuttle to Route 2. Everyone else was going back to Pinkham Notch. I saw Catnapper walking towards us. He said he had seen a moose and her cow. There was a lot of moose scat on the trail, but I didn't see a moose.
The trail had everything we've seen just not as extreme as we've seen. There was more of a tree canopy as well. It was hot and humid and there were a lot of bugs.
I stopped at the Gentian Pond Shelter after 12 miles. I had some food and put my feet up. Thunderstorms were forecast and I was tired and worried about getting caught in a storm so I decided to stay. It rained a little but nothing too bad yet.
I called Helen and wished her luck tomorrow on her first day back to work. She was grilling salmon and Derek and Madison were coming over. He has exams this week.
The shelter is full tonight with the threat of storms. There are several southbounders here also. One has a pit bull. She's sweet. Her name is May.
Butt Shot, Meep, Shark Tooth, Turd Ferguson, Mooney, and Frankentruck are here.
Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app Time: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 20:17:16 -0400
Location: Speck Pond Shelter Mile 1920.2 of Appalachian Trail
I'm in Maine!
I stayed last night at the Gentian Pond Shelter. There was a full house there. Three Sobos and their dog, Mabel along with NoBos Frankentruck, Turd Ferguson, Shark Tooth, Mooney, Meep, and Butt Shot.
It was a 13 hour 15 mile tough hike today, but it felt good after sitting around so many days. It turned out to be a good decision to stop early and avoid the storns, but it was boring and not getting me to my finish.
I'm tired of all the treachorous slippery steep ascents and descents. I just want to relax and enjoy the walk.i slipped down a rock face today and ripped my shorts.
I went through Mahoosic Notch, a big boulder field known as the slowest mle on the trail. It wasn't too bad, although I was apprehensive about going through alone. There are some younger people around me who aren't really interested in relating to an old guy like me. I miss being around people I can relate to.
I'm at Speck Pond Shelter. There are three SoBos here as well as Frankentruck, Turd Ferguson, and Shark Tooth. We all talked about our long tough day and swapped trail stories.
Love you ❤️Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guthook App Time: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 21:22:31 -0400
Location: Pine Ellis Hostel Andover ME Mile 1938.6 of Appalachian Trail
I spent last night at the Speck Pond Shelter with a few SoBos: Chesire, Slim Shady, and Goat. Frankentruck, Turd Ferguson, and Shark Tooth tented nearby as well as a nice section hiker named Trout.
I passed an old British guy and his son after Mahoosic Notch. The old guy was so slow and the son so patient. They came into camp after dark with headlamps. It's amazing how hard people are willing to work.
We were out early. I ran into A Scooch and Sundial at the top of the first big climb. We talked about Evan's Backpacking YouTube channel and being tired of the steep treachorous descents.
It was over 90 degrees. I didn't feel hot but the humidity was sapping. There's no way I was close to replenishing what I was sweating. Everything was soaked. My fingers were pruned and my poles kept slipping out of my hands.
There were more big steep ascents and descents with a lot of the trail on granite faces. Thank goodness it wasn't raining.
At Grafton Notch I saw Sparky getting back on the trail after a zero in Bethel. He's been hiking with Doc and Solo who have been together since Georgia. There are some unusual pairings who have hiked a long time together.
Sparky said his friends Grizz and Limey had to go home because Grizz fell and broke 2 ribs and they told him he has Lyme disease.
It was another tough day. I did 15 miles and got a shuttle into Andover ME. I was going to stay at the Little Red Hen but ended up at the Pine Ellis hostel. Neither has air conditioning. I had a burger, fries, and shake at the general store grill.
Spacemaker is here also. We caught up over a beer.
Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘
Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z= Sent from the Guthook's AT Guide app |
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
2019 App Trail Thru Hike: Week 16 - Gorham NH to Andover ME
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App Trail Album3
App Trail Album2 App Trail Album1 All Photo Albums
Day 112
Time: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 19:54:58 -0400 Day 113 Time: Thu, 25 Jul 2019 16:02:45 -0400 Day 114 Time: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 21:27:37 -0400 Day 115 Time: Sat, 27 Jul 2019 17:08:40 -0400 Day 116 Time: Sun, 28 Jul 2019 18:30:31 -0400 Day 117 Time: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 20:17:16 -0400 Day 118 Time: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 21:22:31 -0400 |
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