Day 146
Location: Near Trescott Road, NH
Miles hiked today: 4.5
Miles from Springer: 1,738.8
Miles to Katahdin: 437.4
Elevation: 490’
Well this weekend really turned into a nice little vacation. Tailgate and I connected with Keychain, Zen, The Thinker, Cookie Monster, Spidey, No Amp and the famous Ray Ray. Famous because its her cabin, and she is the most fabulous host and cook that a hiker could ask for. She’s not a hiker, but a school friend of Spidey and No Amp. Did I mention she loves to cook? The cabin was back in Vermont somewhere, on a pond in the woods. It was quite a beautiful place!
I should also mention that Cookie Monster is actually a chef in a former life, and cooked up some mean stuffed peppers. There was much eating, sleeping, laughing, fooseball, pinball and even a heated discussion on prenuptual agreements. Ray Ray cooked and cleaned tirelessly, making a strong case for best trail angel status. We were there all of Sunday and most of today, as nobody really got up that early and there was much cleaning up to do. As there was just one car, we piled as many hikers and packs in as we could and Thinker droves us back to town in Ray Ray’s car. Instead of taking one zero, it was now almost two zeroes. Tailgate caught a ride down to Boston to visit his girlfriend, and I would not see him again on the trail. I learned later he was maybe just a day or two behind me at times, but I was starting to get worried about finishing the trail before my cut off date.
When I got back into Hanover, I went for another round of pizza at the place that gives free slices to hikers, and ran into my favorite crew; Freckles, Sprite and Papa Sarge. It really has been awesome to get to know these three, and it seems that every time I meet I am busy zipping ahead of them, never sure if I would ever see them again. They have really been amazing to get to know though, and I wish just once I could have the luxury of hiking with them for a good amount of time. It was not to be, however. They were looking to get transportation to the other side of New Hampshire where they had use of a condo, and planned on doing some slack packing. I was headed out of town on foot, so it wasn’t to be this time. Sprite did take down my plans for the next few days, and asked me what my absolute favorite trail magic was. I told her the thing I had dreamed about since Georgia was finding a whole bag of McDonald’s double cheese burgers with my name on it. It sure does pay to have good friends!!!
I eventually pryed myself out of the vortex that was Hanover, and headed for the outskirts of town. Just before the trail goes into the woods again is the grocery store, where I stopped to resupply. When I walked past the soccer field and towards the edge of the field, I once again ran into Freckles, Sprite and Sarge!! They were setting up camp. After a nice visit, we once again we bade farewell, and this time I would never see them again.
On my hike up the mountain I once again was struck with how truly different each state is on the AT. This definitely felt different than Vermont. There were a lot more firs, the mountains seemed somehow more alpine, and if I wasn’t just imagining it, I could have sworn the air was less humid, and more like out west. Maybe that’s because this state has some real mountains?? Maybe it was just the weather. At any rate, I am so glad to finally be in New Hampshire. I could live here!
On the way up the first climb I met a hiker named Lee, who can’t weigh more than 115 pounds. He is from Korea, and speaks no english. He has come all the way from Springer carrying a pack that looks to be about 115 pounds too. I love this trail.
Walken' 