"For with each dawn, she found new hope..."

"...that someday, her dreams of happiness would come true."
-Cinderella

July 21, 2001

I stopped in at N. Woodstock today.  Noble Savage and I got picked up by Rock Dancer, friend of Stuck Tive and Ladder (& Hook) and an AT-L member [this was an AT listserve back in the day where I got all my good advice about how to hike the Trail].  He said he would post a message for me thanking them.  I had a good call home and a good hike up to Lonesome Lake Hut where I got another work-for-stay.  Five: Speck Pond, Carter Notch, Lake of the Clouds, Galehead, Lonesome Lake.  Nice Croo of all girls.

me waving in Lonesome Lake

While I was swimming in this beautiful lake, I looked down and saw some dark shadows zipping around me.  Instinctual terror gripped me while I quickly made my way to shore.

As I got to shore, I noticed a little girl, likely one of those in the picture above, who was holding some such creature, the same kind that I had seen zipping around me.  She approached her parents excitedly to show off her discover.

For those that are squeamish...move on.  To those that aren't, then highlight the area between the arrows that follow to know what the creatures were:

------> they were leeches <------

Fortunately, nobody was harmed.

Franconia Ridge from Lonesome Lake

Meanwhile, all of the tourists and a few of us who were thruhikers enjoyed the sun setting over beautiful Franconia Ridge reflected off of Lonesome Lake.

We headed inside to the Hut.  Now, this being my fifth Hut, I had now memorized the routine of these places.  Before dinner, each group of tourists were subject to hearing the rules of the place.  Carry out all your trash and fold your sheets in the morning.  Several of the Hut "Croos" were creative and had come up with a Cinderella skit to present these rules in an entertaining manner.

Well, I and my fellow hikers had the whole skit memorized.  And, the regular Croo had became rather bored of the whole matter.

So...

....I was nominated to be Cinderella (perhaps it was the beard that helped me get the part?)

That's me in the green mop hair.

It was lots of fun and got lots of laughs!

It would be a great end to my trek through the Hut system of New Hampshire's Whites.

Sleeping tonight by the Lake under the stars.

"Although the effort required is significant..."

"...and the potential dangers are real, the scenic and natural rewards of making this visit are quite spectacular."
-New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau about the Franconia Ridge

July 20, 2001

This was a spectacular day with awesome views:

On Mt. Garfield

From Mt. Garfield I espied the wonderful Franconia Ridge:

Franconia Ridge seen from Mt. Garfield

Any self-respecting hiker loves them some Franconia ridge.  This is good hiking.  Beautiful views above treeline:

Mt. Lincoln from Lafayette

On Mt. Lafayette of the Franconia Ridge

Even this chipmunk was loving the alpine goodness:

Mountain Chipmunk

Looking back the way I've come:

Mt. Washington (tallest peak) from Franconia Ridge

"If the stars should appear but one night..."

"...every thousand years, how man would marvel and stare."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

July 19, 2001

Stayed at Galehead.

Galehead Hut, most remote of all the huts

The night I stayed at Galehead I saw the stars for the first time.  

I awoke at 12:30 am and walked out to the open and looked up.  A satellite startled me as it skittered overhead.  My hand reached out for shooting stars floating by like lightning bugs and my finger dipped into the Milky Way as it splashed across the sky.  

The Big Dipper smiled like a familiar friend as I looked at Scorpio in fear and as my eyes widened while they followed the Dragon's tail wind between the Dippers.

Praise left my lips for God the Creator as my mind tried to grasp the magnitude of the stars, as I realized that behind each star was a field of stars behind leaving a soft glow throughout the night so that no spot was uncovered.

As I wandered along to my sleeping spot my eyes glanced back to the Little Dipper and she winked at me knowing I'd be back.

"Highly curious and always on the lookout..."

"...Gray Jays eat just about anything...may even land on your hand to grab a raisin or peanut."
-the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

July 18, 2001

It was after hiking nine miles miles mostly above tree line, and over four of its larger peaks, that I discovered this warning about the White Mountain National Forest:

Not to worry.  It turned out to be a beautiful day:

I could even see the Cog Train creeping up the valley:

And New Hampshire's Washington Hotel (the white blob in the middle):

And my first encounter with the gregarious, northern bird called a Gray Jay (gray blob on the tiny tree):

This bird, a virtual greyscale version of the Blue Jay, behaved in what is typical of most Gray Jays in that he was very curious.  I was sitting at this overlook of the Zeacliff area, eating some supper, and the bird watched me the whole time.  Seemed very friendly, and won me over as a fan of this people-friendly bird.

"That there was a district in New England..."

"...containing mountain scenery superior to much that is yearly crowded by tourists in Europe."
-Anthony Trollope, beloved English novelist in his book North America

July 17, 2001

I started at Osgood Tentsite and climbed Madison, took a break at Madison Hut (ate lots of muffins and brownies left over from breakfast for $1), took the side trail up Mt. Adams, rand down Gulfside in the rain to the Jefferson Loop, and took it up to Mt. Jefferson, and then bck to the Gulfside Trail to the Mt. Clay loop over Mt. Clay, and right up Mt. Washington...

When I started the day I wasn't sure I'd go very far with a 3000' climb in 2.5 miles at the start of the day, but the $1 breakfast deal (works at any hut with breakfast leftovers!) gave me lots of energy for the day.

Madison Hut

on Madison, Washington in the background

me at Mt. Madison peak (left); at Adams peak (right)

When I got to the top of Adams, a boy scout troup was there saying they had separate groups climbing each of the Presidentials.  One group climbing Adams, another Madison, another Jefferson, and another Washington.  At that moment, I realized I would climb all of them today.

Some of the boy scouts asked how long I had been hiking (I mean, look at my "mountain man" look already!)  I said one month, and they looked at me as if I was from the moon.  So, I explained what a thruhiker is, and at least one boy got that look in his eye meaning one day he would be a thruhiker too.

side trail up and down Mt. Adams

I headed to bag my next peak, Mt. Jefferson.  

On the way I entered the ethereal, otherworldly land above treeline.  I can't describe how it feels to be above treeline, but once you have been there you always miss it.  It's beautiful in a way that's different from every other beautiful.  If you like LOTR, it is like you are in Lothlorien.  If you like Hunger Games it is like being in the arena without any traps, pods, or murderous tributes (maybe a moose or bear).  If you like Peter Pan, it is like being in Neverland.  If you like C.S. Lewis, it is like being in Narnia.  If you like Star Trek, it is like being on the away team.

The Presidentials are above treeline at its best.  Between Adams and Jefferson the Gulfside Trail was foggy with cairns of rocks topped with glowing quartz crystals.  Yes, glowing.  Somehow the sun reached through the fog and would catch hold of the quartz crystals and make them glow.

Told you it is cool.

Gulfside Trail with glowing crystal cairns

The fog thickened as I approached Jefferson's peak, and I encountered another of the boy scout troops. As I passed them along the steep final ascent, I heard one of the radios behind me say, "Remember that hiker you told us about?  crackle Yeah, the one hiking the whole Trail? crackle Well, he's here on Jefferson now and just passed us!"

I smiled at that.  That's when I realized I had my "trail legs", as they call it, because I marched right up Jefferson without much effort.

me on foggy peak of Jefferson

...right up Mt. Washington where I chilled, ate chili, a banana, chocolate-chip cookies, and root beer.

While on Mt. Washington's peak I called my mom and chatted a bit (there is a whole cafeteria, tourist center, and even a post office).  At the end of the phone call I stated I'd be going to Mt Washington obervatory's webcam.  My mom and I had pre-arranged this before I started the Trail, that she would look it up the day I was on top of Mt. Washington:

That's me up front.

Then down to Lakes of the Clouds [Hut] (beautiful and a nice "croo") where I got leftovers (free!) which was a vegetable calzone and [a side of] veggies.  I got full.

Lake of the Clouds Hut

The Hut had taken in more thruhikers than their "limit".  However, due to the sketchy weather that evening, they allowed us all to stay.  Some stayed on the kitchen floor, some on the dining room tables, and a few of us were a little braver...

Now, I'm sleeping (or getting ready to sleep) in the "Dungeon".  Dungeon, is no misnomer.  It is an 8x8 room with two triple bunks, concrete walls, damp floor, only accessible from outside, and in the basement.  Fun.

"A picture's meaning..."

"...can express ten-thousand words."
-original Chinese proverb from streetcar advertisement

July 16, 2001

No written journal entry today, but lots of pictures.

A visual journal entry, shall we say.

First, a journal drawing of Pinkham Notch between the Wildcats-Carter area and the Presidentials:

The following pictures I took from Lowe's Bald right in the middle.

The Wildcats here:

The Wildcats had the steepest part of the whole Trail in my memory.  I remember a section where metal rungs were installed into a rock wall and you had to climb down (down for Southbounders).  I wondered how some of my friends with dogs would manage.

Carter Dome and Notch, where I had just stayed the night in Carter Notch Hut:

Adams and Madison:

I would stay the night at the very right side of this picture at a "campsite" (Osgood Tentsite) which was literally just a square patch of earth with some boards around it.  I would start the day going straight up Madison.

Washington:

The crown of the Presidentials, and where the idea of this thruhike was first sprung forth.

"Carter Notch Hut, the farthest east...

"...in AMC's chain of eight high mountain huts, is the oldest structure in the system."
-Appalachian Mountain Club in History of the Carter Notch Hut

July 15, 2001

Tonight I worked my stay at Carter Notch Hut by washing dishes for one hour.  The caretakers are Susan and Brian - very nice people.  Brian is a wildlife major and knows all about local plants, etc.  Susan has a degree in English but is trying to get a position on Mt. Washington observatory hoping for a future in geology.

Carter Notch Hut from above the "notch"

This is a beautiful and awesome hut.  I feel like I'm in town with a bunk bed and a kitchen.  It is nestled just between the Carters and Wildcats.  

Unknowing to me, this would be the beginning of a wonderful relationship between myself and AMC's hut system.

I had planned to stay in my tent along the way and avoid the high prices of staying in the huts, but found out here that I could work my stays.

And, eat lots of good food as part of the deal!

I would stay in five huts over the next seven days, and gain weight hiking through some of the roughest terrain on the East Coast.

Self-portrait on North Carter peak

The view from Carter Dome and the viewpoint on the ledge above Carter Hut had a nice view of the Presidentials.

Presidential Mountains off to the right behind Carter Dome

"One pound off your feet..."

"...equals five pounds off your back."
-common hiker wisdom supported by US Army research

July 14, 2001

We stayed at Hiker's Paradise.

There were two hostels in Gorham, NH that were vying for Appalachian Trail hikers.  I think the other one was the White Mountain Hotel.

This was great, I tell you.

Because of the competition, each bent over backwards trying to accommodate thru-hikers!  The guy at Hiker's Paradise drove us wherever we wanted, and kept bikes in the back of the van in case some of us wanted to go different directions.  He drove us to get resupply food, and some went to watch a movie, while others of us took bikes to go shopping.

I went to the outfitter and bought a pair of low-cut approach shoes (Lowes) and mailed home my boots.  Also got smaller cord.  

The boots would be a great relief.  More on that later.

I was carrying thick rope for tying food up in trees away from bears.  The rope was pretty weighty, so it was nice to getter a lighter-weight yet still strong enough cord.  I mailed the heavy rope home and still use it today to tie up our paddle boat.

I left at 10:30 AM after calling home and hiked 8 miles to Imp Campsite.  It's really full of section hikers.  The weather is really cold and rainy.  I'm using my thermal underwear already (not for hiking yet...but maybe tomorrow).

Gorham, NH from Imp Campsite's bench

I really love my new shoes.  I feel so much better w/out those clunkers on my feet.  I can get my feet into smaller rock holes and get those feet a little higher.  It really helps with jumping...especially down for some reason.

Oh, more Trail Angels.  first, four day hikers from Massachusetts gave me some dried-fruit gorp.  Second, a group from Portland, ME at Imp Shelter gave us lots of food.  So far turkey and potatoes, cookies, and promise of Pop-tarts.

"Live free or die:..."

"...Death is not the worst of evils."
-General John Stark on July 31, 1809

July 13, 2001

Today, I walked into New Hampshire.

Notice caption "Live Free or Die" on bottom.

I walked into Gorham.  I took the Mahoosuc Trail into town instead of the AT (with a hitchhike).  The reason why is because the Mahoosuc Trail section was the same mileage and it was the original route of the AT.  So, I was historic.

I remember at one point I had a scary fall.  It was a beautiful day, but for some reason a boulder had some invisible slippery moss on it (I know...weird, but true).  I slipped and slid right down the boulder all the way to the end and stood right up.  No injury, not a scratch!

Getting first view of the famed Presidential Mountains

Joe, Dan, and Jay also took the same route.  Our order was 1st Joe, Jay, me, Dan.  I came out of the woods to a power plant on the Androscoggin River.  I kept going down a road along the river for a mile or so and ran into Joe.  

We were both realizing we took the wrong way and that Gorham was just across the river.  After considering swimming the river we turned back and found we had to cross at the power plant.

"We must put faith and love into action...

"...to make them real, to make them come alive for people."
-Millard Fuller in The Theology of the Hammer

July 12, 2001

Last night the kids from Walt Whitman Camp gave us burritos with SUN-DRIED TOMATOES!!!  Yum.  Maiya also made us some cheesecake and got trail saint status.  The camp staff were Amanda and Maiya; the kids were Annie, Becca, Lee, Sam, Dan.

I learned a camp song from them:

"If I had a hammer,
I'd hammer in the morning,
I'd hammer in the evening,
I'd hammer all over this land,
L-A-N-D,
I'd hammer out danger,
I'd hammer out warning,
I'd hammer out love for my brothers & sisters,
[Repeat with "bell" and "song" instead of "hammer"]
Well, I've got a hammer, 
It's name is justice.
And I've got a bell,
It's name is freedom."

I didn't quite get the whole ending down, but you can see the full lyrics here.

Gentian Pond Leanto (L to R: Yo-yo, Dan, Joe)

"The caretaker at the shelter told us it was like a jungle gym down here..."

"...well, it's like the Jungle Gym you were scared to death to go on as a kid."
-Carrie Tweeten about the Mahoosic Notch (USA Today article)

July 11, 2001

Today, I did the Notch.

The Notch is considered the toughest mile of the whole Appalachian Trail.  Some dispute that claim, but it is definitely not easy, and is definitely the longest mile.

The Notch is a narrow valley (down to about ten inches at one point) which contains thousands of rocks that have fallen to cover a stream (you can hear it sometimes but never see it).

It took me about 2 1/2 hours, even though I stopped and played.

Journal drawing of choices in the Notch

In the Notch you have several choices to make in order to get through it.  Sometimes, when there were two that looked interesting, I would go through one, come back, and do the other one for fun!

A) Crawl through a narrow cave

B) Climb over tall, wet rocks and fall down other side

C) Crawl through mud and pine needles of the Trail, ruin the precious alpine plants, and possibly step in moose crap

Choice of crawl under or over (see different white arrows)

Crawling through a hole in the Mahoosic Notch

Tight squeeze in the Notch (I had to climb 10 feet up to get through with my pack on)

The Notch falls into one of those categories you do and tell your mother about afterwards.

When I was telling my parents about it, I described slipping at one point and falling into a hole.  My fingers caught hold of the rock lip while the rest of me dangled into the hole.  I looked down to see only inky blackness and hear the rush of some mysterious, subterranean stream.

Immediately, adrenaline flexed my arm muscles shooting me back out of the hole and onto the safety of sturdy rock.

My mom agreed that it was best she knew about this incident only after I had finished the Notch.

One more item:  the beginning of the day.  I got going early knowing I had a big day and was greeted with this awesome view:

View from Mahoosuc Arm

See the clouds settled into the valley in the distance?  It was like that in every direction like a sea filling the valleys.  Nothing stirred except a few early birds starting their morning songs.  

I soaked up the peace and beauty, taking this one picture knowing it would never capture the moment.  

And the ridge in the picture?  It's the one that's been rolling boulders down into the Notch.

"Anyone who doesn't believe in miracles...

...is not a realist."
-David Ben-Gurion

July 10, 2001

Today I had another of God's "little miracles" to boost my faith.  I was climbing up Speck Mountain with thunderstorms running around.  This time I was worried because I was racing a storm up the ridge.

drawing in my Trail journal

Having been caught in the hail storm yesterday, I recognized this new storm as one containing hail.

I did not want to be caught in hail again.

So, I prayed to God that I would reach the lean-to before the thunder and hail arrived.  I knew I would run into lots of rain on this trip, but I felt strongly to ask for this from God.

When I reached the peak the storm was covering half the mountain up to the ridge with the other half all clear.  I took a picture and then hiked to the lean-to.

Storm cloaks half of Speck Mountain

Right when I got to the lean-to, dropped my pack inside, and sat down the hailstorm hit.

Just into the shelter when the hail started

Praise God!

The lean-to that I made it to is part of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) camping system.  It is nestled next to Speck Pond, the highest pond in Maine.

the beautiful, serene Speck Pond

The reason you pay $6 at several AMC spots is because they fly in bark for the composting of the privies. 

Wait? Isn't the camp surrounded in bark on all the trees!?  Anyways...

So, because I am a thruhiker I was able to "work my stay".  

For 45 minutes I sifted compost out of bark.  The way they do it is shovel out a full privy (full of waste and bark), compost it for many weeks (the stuff I did was over the whole winter) and then sift the compost from the bark.  They spread the compost over the forest and re-use most of the bark.

It wasn't as sick as it sounds, but I think I'd pay the $6 next time...

"The storm starts, when the drops start dropping...

...When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping."
-Dr. Seuss

July 9, 2001

I got a ride to the Trail head from Earl today.  I hope to see him and Marge again someday.

I hiked right around with Yoyo and Truly Blessed (the '98 thruhikers).  Also, Dan and Joe are here.

Yoyo, Truly Blessed, and I on Table Rock

Yoyo and Truly Blessed and I and another guy all got caught in a hailstorm over the west peak of Baldplate Mountain.  

Enjoying Baldplate Mountain's peak

We were all enjoying the beautiful peak of Baldplate Mountain when suddenly a very dark cloud came up over the ridge.  We laughed at the cloud, not respecting it at all, perhaps due to the beauty of the evening.  Suddenly, it let loose

The hail was small but there was lots of it so it covered the ground.  It rained really hard and flooded the Trail.  I raced off the peak because the thunder was getting close.  I got a headache from the hail pelting me.  It was a blast.

We all got to the shelter without injury (not counting the headaches), and got changed into dry clothes.  The Mahoosucs already have been a wild and beautiful place, inspiring me to pen this "poem" about The Cabin:

In the land of Moxie and stony peaks,
Up above Mahoosucs and below the Crocks,
Is a place the heart stays for weeks,
Even though there's no ties or locks.
It slows the time in the mind,
And heals the hurry sickness of the soul,
As slowly the pains and hurts unwind,
And the healing land will take a toll.

Mahoosuc: "The word is from the Wabanaki...

..., meaning 'abode of wild animals,' probably for its inaccessibility and the numerous rock caves in Mahoosuc Notch, which create many spots for safe dens."
-Steve Pinkham, Mountains of Maine: Intriguing Stories Behind Their Names

July 8, 2001

I stayed one more day at The Cabin to get to know Earl and Marge and Ken and Beth all better.

Several other visitors arrived during the evening.  I stayed with one of them (Yo-yo) in the teepee.

I plan to do the Mahoosucs in five or six days (should only take four) just to enjoy them (especially the Notch!) and the end of Maine.

To accent the difficulty of this terrain, I end with a simple quote from the National Cooperative Soil Survey of the Mahoosuc Range: "Slopes range from 8 to 80 percent."