Don't Stop Me Now

We got into a town the next day and decided to take a zero to hide out from the weather. We hiked out and found an old abandoned house on a pond that we explored before getting to a shelter and playing some cards. That night we met a couple southbound hikers who had just had to carry out a pack for a hiker we knew that fell ill on trail and hit his rescue device to be carried out by first responders. One of the southbounders had gotten lyme disease early on the trail and had been hospitalized for two weeks. He had let it go for too long and ended up with meningitis and permanent brain damage that left him unable to work. So basically he scared the crap out of all of us who had gotten lyme. We got out early the next day and it was really tough. Southern Maine has been no joke so far, very difficult climbs and boulder hopping is what we do mostly. We got into town for a resupply and some dinner but were stopped by a torrential downpour. We decided to hang out until the rain stopped but it wasn't letting up so we went around the restaurant making small talk and hoping for a place to stay. We ran into a girl named Megan who said the six of us could stay at her place if we bought her a beer. To our surprise she had fully made bunk beds for all of us and had run a hostel the year before. That night we met her roommate who told us we needed to take another zero and he would show us around town. We agreed and the next day we spent at a swimming hole, cliff jumping, then we went and played nine holes of golf and capped the night off with a game of poker which I lost miserably. The next day we hit the trail but I was struggling to breathe. I decided to turn around and hike back into town but not before being startled by a frog and passing out on trail. I made it down and am taking it easy until I can breathe a little easier. Already starting to feel better. Mile 2001. 188.2 miles left!

Through the Whites!

We woke up the next day and got into a town to resupply and fill up on yummy Mexican food. We headed back to the trail that night and had a good fire with good friends. The next day we started our climb up to the presidentials. It was exceedingly tough and the few margaritas we had the night before were not helping. We climbed all day long but saw some of the most amazing views all trail. In the distance we could see Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain in the Whites. It got closer and closer all day until we were at the base of the mountain at the last hut before the summit. We got to do a work for stay at the hut and had to go to sleep late after the paying customers went to bed. We also were woken up early to get off the floor before waiting 4 hours for food and then having to change all the sheets on the bunks. I left feeling like a dog and ran up to the top of washington. As we got there, hundreds of tourists started to pop up in sandals and dresses. I heard a baby cry in the distance and knew immediately this was not the place to hang out. We headed down the ridge to one of the best day on trail so far. Open views, a great breeze, and the serene feeling that the only people around had actually hiked there. We got to a hut and played some cards before heading down the rest of the presidentials.  As we climbed down mt. Madison, which is just a ton of boulders down a steep slope, the skies darkened and the clouds rolled in. I could see tree line about half a mile from where I was at but it was going to take me a while to get down there. As the rain hit, all I could think of was making it under cover of trees. It let up for about ten minutes and I was able to get down to tree line before the downpour hit us. After about five minutes, we were completely soaked to the bone and running through the river which had taken the place of the trail. The wind picked up and we could see the trees blowing almost over. The lightning was so close it lit the sky red and the clang of thunder was constant. After two hours, we got to a visitors center and called a hostel to pick us up for the night. The next day we did a 21 mile slack pack over the last few mountains in the whites and man did it hurt. I broke a toe in the first four miles and took another fall soon after where all my weight came down on my elbow and caused and excruciating pain in my shoulder. We kept moving to make it before the afternoon storm rolled in but our bodies were hurting. Luckily the storm lasted about ten minutes and blew over revealing the sun again. The last four miles flattened out a bit and we were able to run until I rolled my ankle and felt the crunch of the bones on the top of my foot. I let out an involuntary scream but kept moving. Tears streamed down my face as I thought for sure I had just broken my foot and ended my trip less than 300 miles from the end. We got back to the hostel and immediately iced my foot and decided to zero the next day to rest it. I didn't sleep that night because of the pain. We took a leisurely day and got lots of much needed rest and calories from the all you can eat Chinese buffet. We decided to zero again the next day to wait for a package and heal up some more. We left late the next day and the terrain was still very difficult. It took us much longer than expected and our plans had to change a bit. That day we were planning to hike through the toughest mile on trail, named Mahoosuc notch, which they describe as a deranged jumble of boulders. Followed up by the steepest climb on the trail. We got to the beginning of the notch around 5 pm as it started to rain so we set up camp and decided to hit it the next morning. The first mile took us an hour and a half and the second just under an hour. We were rock climbing more than hiking but it was a total blast.  By the end of the day our bodies were tired but our spirits full. We were in Maine, finally. Mile 1932

Live Free or Die

We didn't get too far the next day when we left Hanover. After 4 miles we ran into the Ice Cream Man or Bill Ackerly.  He lives just off the trail and offers hikers free ice cream, drinking water, and a rousing game of croquet.  We stayed for 4 hours before heading back to the trail and catching a great sunset. We woke up early the next morning in anticipation of an amazing sunrise but were slightly disappointed when the sun rose behind the mountain we had to climb that morning. We found a great camp spot after a long 20 mile day and didn't sit by the fire too long before calling it a night and drifting back to our tents. The next day we got into Lincoln and were warned about the weather coming in that afternoon. We decided to wait it out and try to slack pack the next day over the first mountain in the Whites. True to form the weather never came in but we met a nice guy who said we could use the pool and hot tub at his condo complex so we weren't too discouraged.  He then offered us a nights sleep on his tempur pedic bunk beds. Well rested we hit Mt. Moosilauke. The first part of the climb was crawling up a waterfall but soon turned to rock slabs that we were meant to climb. We made it to the summit as clouds rolled in and out giving us peeks at the view. We got back down and went to Chet's place in Lincoln.  Chet was a fireman and search and rescue volunteer as well as an extremely avid hiker before a canister of fuel for a backcountry stove blew up on him, knocking him unconscious and burning down his home around him. Luckily he survived but is now in a wheelchair and is partially blind. Speaking to him for five minutes will tell you what an amazing person he is. He opens up his home to hikers and has built some bunk space in the garage for us. All he asks is that we help with keeping it clean, and sign our names somewhere. Every surface of the garage is covered with trail names from at least the last decade. All people who Chet has touched in some way. We sadly left the next day, after catching a movie at the local theater, and Chet invited us back for the winter to ski if we were around.  He also let us know of a great camp spot next to a pond just out of town so we made it there and went for an evening swim before drying by the fire and hitting the hay. It felt good to fall asleep in the Whites, which is by far the most scenic and the most difficult of the entire trail. Since Georgia I've been hearing "just wait for the Whites" and here we were finally.  The next day proved some hard miles. We were either rock hopping over all of the mud or rock climbing up steep exposed rock. The Whites were already no joke. Before climbing our second mountain of the day we got to a small water hole that can only be described as a pot of gold. We ripped off our sweaty clothes and jumped into the chilly mountain water. After thoroughly cooled down we hit the climb. We also got to check out our first hut in the Whites.  The huts are placed so people can spend hundreds of dollars to hike up to it and sleep in a tiny bunk with 30 other strangers. They also have good food and often let hikers work for the leftovers. The first hut we got to was the most popular and the crowd of people could be heard from half a mile away. Overwhelmed,  we hiked on without food to get away from the crowd. The next day we got to climb over Franconia ridge and Mt. Lafayette,  one of the most gorgeous areas of the Whites. The climb was extremely grueling and the humidity was causing us to drip sweat out if every pore but when we reached the top it was all worth it. Some of the most incredible views I've ever seen hit us as we walked along the ridge to the top. Finally we were above tree line. A cloud came over as we hit the summit of Lafayette and it began to sprinkle down on us. Knowing we were going to get some bad weather that afternoon, we found a camp spot and hunkered down for the night. Soon it began to pour and I started collecting rain water for the next mornings hike. I got about two liters before it cleared up for a nice sunset. We woke up the next morning and played some cards before hitting the trail. We got to a really nice, secluded hut and were able to do some dishes for some hot soup and freshly baked bread. The next few miles were difficult and rocky and the Whites were weighing on my muscles.  We got to do some more work at the next hut for some dinner leftovers and moved on to camp a bit further.  We are now halfway through the Whites and enjoying it immensely. Mile 1844. Only 345 to go!

So Close, Yet So Far

We left our make shift campsite the next morning on our way to meet Skippers dad at a road for lunch. On the way I came upon Cookie Monster who was holding a small kangaroo mouse. The mouse had clearly been attacked and it's back legs were broken. On the verge of death, Cookie didn't want the mouse to sit and get eaten alive by ants so he carried it for a few miles before it passed and he left it under a fern. We met Skippers dad for some amazing BLT's before heading up to the top of Stratton Mountain. We went up the fire tower and saw the most amazing 360 degree view of Vermont.  Later we passed a gorgeous lake and sat silently, taking it all in. The next day we got in and out of a town for resupply and headed up to a Ski patrol warming hut that they leave open in the summer for hikers.  The summit of Bromley was covered in a cloud and we waited till the morning to catch the view. The next day we ran into town to meet my friend, Lemon, who had to get off trail for a foot injury but came out to do some magic. We got to camp together that night and then the next day we slack packed over the top of Mt. Killington. Not before seeing a bear that morning that I miraculously missed. We got lunch before begrudgingly saying goodbye to Lemon. We hiked out of town after a couple zero days and my antibiotics were really effecting me. I was sick to my stomach and throwing up along trail every mile or so. We got to another gorgeous pond with a dock and decided to jump in. I immediately felt better as the cold water washed away the heat of the day. We ran into a ton of South bounders and got to meet some new people later that night at a shelter. We got up and hiked the next day and were praying the weather would hold up. Around mid afternoon a crack of thunder was heard in the distance and I new we were in for something bad. On top of a ridge, there was nothing we could do but keep walking when the sky opened up and poured on us. Usually the storms pass quickly but this one would not quit. It didn't even let up a bit. Then the wind came and we started to get cold. Traveling downhill, we knew things were going to get dangerous if we couldn't warm up soon. The nail in the coffin was when I realized my sleeping bag had gotten wet, rendering it useless. We looked for a place to set up the tent but the ground was flooding everywhere. We got to a road and decided the safest thing to do was to hitch a ride into town to dry out. The rain was still coming down hard and we were wet and muddy but a car came through and said we could get in the back with the dog. So thankful,  he got us to a restaurant where we dried out and filled up on calories. We got back to the trail but were thoroughly soaked again the next morning when another storm hit. It was short lived and the sun came out to help dry us off. We also entered our thirteenth state, New Hampshire! We walked into the town of Hanover and onto the campus of Dartmouth. They were having a farmers market which we enjoyed until a friend's uncle, who lives in town, came to pick us up and bought us pizza. That night a trail angel in town offered us a free room so we went and soaked in their hot tub before drifting off to sleep. The next day, not wanting to leave our amazing trail angels, we decided to slack pack out of Hanover and hitch back to their house that night. We made dinner for them and watched a movie before heading back out to the trail the next day. Mile 1751!

Getting Back is Hard

During my trailcation I got to see some amazing friends get married and I got to celebrate my cousins engagement, I also spent some quality time with my cat. Unfortunately I also dropped my phone in a pool, had a parked car run into the side of mine, and pulled a tick out from under my skin and was subsequently diagnosed with lyme disease.  I flew back into Boston where I met up with my PCT friend, Juneau,  and we walked the freedom trail for the fourth of July.  The freedom trail is two and a half miles long through downtown boston, stopping at 16 historical sites.  We like to say we thru hiked it. He took us back to the trail and we started back on our hike. On my first day out I pulled 19 miles in new shoes, with lyme disease, after being off trail for 20 days. I was pretty happy with myself until I woke up the next morning. I was terribly sore and exhausted. We slept in and got going later in the day. I was having a rough time and had been in a bit of a funk since getting back on trail. Suddenly the rain began to come down and no matter what you did, you were completely soaked to the bone in seconds. I began to laugh. I couldn't help it. Skipper caught my laughter and as we tramped through the mud in the pouring down rain, I realized why I was out here. The worst thing in the world wasn't standing there muddy and soaking wet, in fact it was enjoyable.  I was having a good time and it just felt comfortable to be exactly where I was at that moment. It rained on us off and on all day till we got to the cookie lady's house. She offered us fresh baked cookies and said we could crash in the garage to try to stay dry. After stripping off our wet clothes and getting comfortable again, we got a call from our good friend and amazing trail angel, Rob Bird. He picks us up, buys us pizza and takes us back to a hotel for showers and a bed. The next day he bought us breakfast and then took us back to the trail and slack packed us back to the hotel for a second night. He's around town for a while and will be helping us and many other hikers along the trail out for the next month. The next few days we got to slack pack all the way into Vermont and got the tour of all the best restaurants in town from Rob. We even treated ourselves to a zero day before hitting the trail again. That night there was no room at the shelter or tent area so we had to push on to another spot. We have been blessed with really great weather for Vermont and have managed to stay out of the mud. At the moment we are trying to outrun a thunderstorm that has been threatening us for the past couple days. Only a few more days until we hit New Hampshire and the dreaded whites! Mile 1651, 538 left to go!