7/31/98 Bemis Stream campsite

16.6 miles (1927.7 total)

What a night! Sounded like torrential rains on the shelter’s tin roof. But this morning we awoke to mostly blue skies.

The climb down from the shelter was made even more difficult because of last night’s rain. Down at Sawyer Brook, I discovered my water filter won’t work. Tortoise and Hare let me use theirs for now. The climb up Moody Mountain was long and steep. I figure if this keeps up, I won’t have enough energy to keep up with the girls. We hiked most of the morning with Yamazella in front.

The girls climbin' on down

We had a quick lunch break on top of Old Blue Mountain. A little breezy, kind of cold if you’d been sweating up there. Not really a bad day weatherwise. The rest of the Bemis Range was quick. Made it to the lean-to by 5pm with less than 4 miles to go. But we hated to leave an empty new shelter.

The last few climbs were mazes, that had a lot of twists and turns, but not much up and down. The only thing hard about our climb down was the dirt trail was slippery. Fell a couple of times but caught myself. We camped near Bemis Stream. The girls found a "Katahdin Pale Ale" that some trail angel left by the trail. We sat around cooking dinner and discussing our options for town tomorrow. My first priority is to call home, something I forgot in Andover. I’ve enjoyed Tortoise and Hare’s company, so will travel with them, maybe to Katahdin.

7/30/98 Hall Mountain Lean-to

13.8 miles (1897.3 total)

Woke up way too early! Was packed and on the trail by 7am. Tortoise and Hare were still asleep when I left. Ended up passing Michigan Plowboy going up Baldpate. He’d missed the turn for the shelter and camped near the summit.

Baldpate Mountain was beautiful on this foggy morning. The sun tried to poke through occasionally. The summit climb was up large slabs of inclined rock. I was very happy it wasn’t wet. But I think the climb down was slower for me. Once off the top, I did manage to fall-slide down one slick slab. Landed on my elbow but the pack took most of the impact.

Baldpate Mountain in the early morning fog

Once off the mountain, the trail, terrain and vegetation reminded me more of Virginia. Now we were hiking on dirt, duff and roots, instead of rocks. Made it to the next shelter by 9am.

Pretty slow, but the profile for the next section looked easier. Which turned out to be the case. I made excellent time to Dunn Notch Falls, almost 2 mph. I just wish I could have enjoyed the falls more. They were beautiful.

Made East B Hill Road by 11am which was great considering it was a hard hitch into Andover. It took over an hour and a half before someone stopped. In that time, only 4 cars passed me. Earl is a school teacher, who moonlights in summer helping a friend with a canoe business. Born and married in Maine, he teaches physics and math at a technical college. He dropped me off in "downtown" Andover.

Picked up my mail and sent home my winter gear (hope I don’t need it!). Stopped by the All Seasons Cafe for cheeseburgers and fries while talking to some southbounders. Met the guy who runs the Andover Guest House. Very pushy, thought I’d change my mind about moving on once I had a chance to look his place over. The "long-term" grocery store had very limited supplies but I did get some Ben and Jerry’s.

Headed down the road a few blocks to the Pine Ellis Bed & Breakfast. Paul, who runs it with his wife, Ilene, gave me fuel for free and agreed to take me back to the trail. Very nice guy. Paul was able to give Hoofer a ride back into town after dropping me off.

Wonderful people at the Pine Ellis B&B

Word was Ghandi and Tortoise and Hare had just passed through. So I put on the afterburners. When I passed Surplus Pond, I thought Ghandi would have stopped for a swim. About 5pm, I passed Yamazella. He told me Ghandi and Billy Goat were slacking a 21 mile day. That means I won’t see them! Met Tortoise and Hare at the water source for the shelter. There are 4 northbounders, 2 southbounders and 2 more section hikers here.

Although the sun came out on occasion, enough to cast shadows, and it is raining tonight while I write. Tomorrow we might get to see Katahdin.

7/29/98 Baldpate Lean-to

12.1 miles (1897.3 total)

Guess what? Yes, woke up to rain. Just my luck for the "toughest mile" on the AT. Rained hard till about 9am. We set off with overcast skies and a light drizzle.

The Mahoosuc Notch is a mile-long stretch of large boulders that the trail snakes through. Not hard physically, but more a mental puzzle to figure out how to go; up, over, around, or under. The wet rocks just made it a little harder. We took our time, about 2 hours and had a good time. I only got stuck once out on a ledge with a seemingly impossible jump to make. Kind of scary but I made it.

The Mahoosuc Arm was a very long steep climb out of the notch. Glad I put the poles away because I used my hands a lot. By the time we reached the top, we had sunny skies - go figure.

Reached Speck Pond Campsite by 3pm. Took a long break to talk with the caretaker. Some weekenders heading south didn’t believe us when we told them it had taken us 5 hours to do 5 miles. Still had 7 miles to go so we headed out again.

At one point, I started to pull away from the girls. They take a lot of snack breaks because Tortoise is diabetic. They said the trip has been pretty easy because of snacks and the exercise.

Crossed paths with Adriene, of Lake of the Clouds Hut, and Ned, the AMC trail maintainer who’d told us about the campsite above Liberty. They had a few days off and were hiking up to Speck Pond. Also saw a trail maintenance crew. They were completely covered in dirt from moving large rocks for water breaks.

Practically ran from Grafton Notch to the Baldpate Lean-to, almost a 2mph pace. Something we haven’t been able to do for a while. Seems Tortoise, Hare and I have the shelter all to ourselves. After dinner, the girls made cheesecake while it rained some more. Need my sleep tonight because I’m hoping to do a 14 mile day, and get groceries in Andover. Just depends on the hitch.

7/28/98 Full Goose Shelter

9.6 miles (1885.2 total)

Four southbounders showed up late. Turns out they’re just out of high school and Christian too. So when it sounded like the girls might stop singing, the guys encouraged more. That brought comments from Michigan Plowboy who was trying to sleep. The boys took offense and rude, unchristian comments sounded out in the shelter. Finally everyone quieted down.

Gentian Pond

Ol’ Michigan Plowboy looked like he hadn’t slept all night. Said my good-byes to all the girls and hit the trail by 7am with overcast skies.

The trail was a lot of ups and downs but it went quickly. When you looked up, the next peak looked so high but next thing you know, you’re on top. Made it to the next shelter by 10am. Just hated the 0.3 mile walk down for water. The afternoon was extremely windy, probably in the 50 mph range again. And the trail was pretty exposed on the ridge. The highlight of the day was crossing the NH/ME border - just 280.4 miles to go.

Ended up at Full Goose Shelter around 1pm. Probably should have gone on but I thought I needed to be fresh for the "notch". Lots of people here tonight, both in the shelter and on the tent platforms. There are 2 section hikers, 3 guys out for a couple of days, a couple hiking for several weeks, 2 separate summer camp groups and 2 southbounders.

When Ghandi showed up going south, it didn’t surprise me at all. Said he did the notch in 45 minutes. It was 6pm but he hoped to do 10-12 more miles tonight. Hopefully I’ll see him again. About 8pm, Tortoise and Hare arrived, tired but happy. We talked outside while they ate dinner because several people were already sleeping. I’m glad I get to hike with them for a while.

7/27/98 Gentian Pond Campsite

11.9 miles (1875.6 total)

Left town after a post office stop, getting to the trail around 10am. Soon was hiking with Kid, Strider and No Trail Name. The climbs were pretty easy compared to the Whites but it was still hot.

Got to the shelter about 4pm to find the place crowded with a girls’ Christian camp group. They were good kids - lots of questions - and even shared food (guess I looked hungry). The other guys kept going while a bunch of southbounders showed up later.

Headed for Maine

Right now, they’re all singing Christian songs. Kind of corny but OK. Another short day planned for tomorrow so I can tackle the "notch" early in the day.

A shelter full of girls

7/26/98 Gorham, NH

0 miles (1863.7 total)

Said goodbye to Billy Goat this morning. Who knows when I’ll see him again. Seems I change hiking partners every week. Cloudy-windy day while I do my errands. Hung out at the "Barn" for awhile today. Nice place but too many rumors fly between here and Hiker’s Paradise . The owners of both are probably friends but the hikers have made it out to be a feud. Was really hoping a few northbounders would catch up but I didn’t know anyone there.

Talked with Amy again. Seems she was making this big trip because they were worried about me. Guess my last postcard did it. She was going to spend 2 days and a lot of money just to see me for less than 24 hours. I told her that was silly. Assured her I was doing fine.

Late yesterday, Tortoise and Hare, and Lief show up. Maybe I’ll have them as hiking partners. They plan on finishing the 16th, Hare’s birthday.

7/25/98 Gorham, NH

13.2 miles (1863.7 total)

Last night was the coldest I’ve been in a while. Billy Goat crashed early while Obi-Wan spent the evening teaching his sister the basics of setting up camp and cooking.

Got up several times in the night and found nothing in the sky but stars. The cold made it very hard to get out of bed. The funniest thing to happen at this campsite was our comical attempts to hang our food bags. At least 4 times, we got the rope caught in the tree, needing someone to climb the tree twice.

Left Obi-Wan and Spinner about 8am and headed out on the windy trail. Once I worked up a sweat, the wind really got me cold. Our climbs weren’t hard but it still seemed to wear us out. The climb down North Carter was extremely steep. At times, I threw my poles down as I needed both hands to climb down. Saw a few weekenders but this section is a lot less crowded.

The views of Mount Washington were great again. The wind kept blowing clouds across the peaks. Another beautiful day.

Another stream crossing

Up over Mount Mariah and did the long downhill to Rattle River Shelter. The stream was very nice, lots of rapids. Didn’t see the trail that went behind the shelter, so had to ask a weekender camped out by the stream. He pointed out a 10 foot deep swimming hole but we decided to keep heading for town. The last 2 miles were on a flat downhill path. Good thing too, because we almost had to run because of the mosquitoes.

Got to the road at 2:30, just as I predicted. Had a little trouble hitching even though I flashed some leg from time-to-time. A guy out for some weekend canoeing gave us a lift into town.

After getting cleaned up, Billy Goat and I decided to tackle the "super-stomper" at Mr. Pizza. A few southbounders, three in fact, said they couldn’t finish the whole thing. We felt it was a challenge we northbounders were up to. The waitress brought out a huge pan, almost covered the whole table. She didn’t think we could finish it. The last few pieces were tough to get down but we ate the whole 384 square inches of that pepperoni and sausage pizza.

Headed back to the Hiker’s Paraidse with a six pack and ended up getting to bed late, watching TV. That’s OK, because I’m taking tomorrow off. Mom informed me that my cousin Nancy had died this week and the funeral was today. I feel this hike is now for her. I was so looking forward to seeing her and showing pictures and telling stories. Goddess bless her in the next life.

7/24/98 Zeta Pass campsite

7.4 miles (1850.5 total)

After eating a big breakfast, Bruce took us back to the trail. The sun was shining but it was a lot cooler. Upper 40’s on Mount Washington, they said. After walking a mile along its base, we started the long climb up Wildcat Mountain. Lots of real climbing. The poles really got in the way. Although my legs didn’t hurt, they sure got tired.

Stopped at the gondola for a break, near the Wildcat Ski area. Only saw one family out on the trail today. Cold, windy and always threatening rain. Made it to Carter Notch Hut around 1:30pm. Finally met Obi-Wan, who was slowing down to hike with his older sister, Spinner. We all decided to do a little stealth camping near Zeta Pass. The climb up Carter Dome was relatively easy for a 1800’ ascent. The trail also took us over Mount Height where we got a good view of Washington, Madison and Adams. Found a very nice campsite far from the trail with water nearby.

Hikers prepared for the windy conditions

Billy Goat will probably leave me after tomorrow. He’s decided to slackpack for a lot of the beginning of Maine so he can finish earlier, to be with his family a little bit before he heads off to school in Arkansas.

Billy Goat looks down the steep descent

7/23/98 Pinkham Notch

14.6 miles (1843.1 total)

Pandemonium seemed to fill every corner of the hut yesterday. Trying to find a quiet spot to write or read was impossible. Just too many kids. Last night after dinner, Adriene offered us AYCE ravioli, salad, soup, corn and bread for $5 each. We hesitated, so she made it $5 for both of us. We gladly took it. Even though we both had eaten dinner, we ate more than anyone else of the crew on the work-for-stay hikers.

Lake of the Clouds Hut, which holds over 100 paying guests

Later in the evening, the crew invited us to join them for chai (hot sweet tea with milk). Talked with Alison and Karen for awhile about the hike. After watching the sunset, the clouds came in extremely fast. It even started to sprinkle as we got ready for bed. At first, I thought the dungeon would be cold and drafty. But once we shut the door and got in our sleeping bags, I actually got warm enough to unzip the bag a little bit.

Woke up to overcast skies and cooler temperatures. Left the hut about 8am, hoping to get to Mount Washington when the snack bar opened at 9am. A pretty easy, steady climb. It was very hard to take a picture of the peak without a building in the background. While eating a sandwich, we watched the cog railway train arrive. Yesterday the wind had been so fierce but this morning was relatively calm. As we left the summit, the temperature was dropping, the wind picking up speed and the rain started.

The explorer atop Mount Washington

The trail was pretty nice in places, almost like a sidewalk. At one point, we had sleet and snow flurries. About a mile from Madison Hut, the rain really started to come down, along with some strong winds. Billy Goat and I decided to get the AYCE soup to help warm us up. We stayed over an hour till the rain stopped but we really didn’t get warm. The climb up Mount Madison was very difficult because there really wasn’t a trail, just a lot of boulder hopping. Our problems started soon after the summit. Seems the soup gave us incredible gas. It hurt so bad I thought I was giving birth. All afternoon, we farted.

More rain making the trail even that more treacherous

Our plan was to pass Osgood tentsite and head directly for Pinkham Notch. But our going over the rocks was very slow, sometimes only a mile per hour. When we reached the campsite, we found it full anyway. The register was in the privy but it didn’t look like northbounders had signed in.

The last 5 miles were down and flat. Ended up getting to the Visitor Center by 6:30pm. A long time AT hiker, Lone Wolf, was there waiting for a southbounder. While "the barn" was our first choice, "Hikers’ Paradise" would come and get us.

Bruce drove us into Gorham, all the while giving us a running commentary on the towns’ businesses like restaurants. The hostel is really two upstairs apartments at the Colonial Comfort Inn. Mostly southbounders in residence. The surprise came when I found out the Dutch couples I’d met outside of Hanover were sharing the apartment they had assigned to us.

Billy Goat and I showered and headed out for food and beer. But not several blocks from the hostel we got caught in a downpour. We sat it out on a bench of another motel. Had a "stomper", 192 square inches of pizza, and desert at Mr. Pizza. Billy Goat later had a pint of Ben and Jerry’s but could still eat more. Talked to the Dutch about another walk in Europe that leads to the church at Santiago de Compostello in Spain. Sounds like another adventure to add to my list. I went to bed late while Billy Goat fell asleep on the couch watching TV.

7/22/98 Lakes of the Clouds Hut

11.1 miles (1828.5 total)

Got a good early start this morning. Took a Clariton last night and it seemed to help reduce the snoring because Billy Goat said he didn’t hear me once. One of the other guests ended up giving us a ride back to the trailhead.

We expected a long climb up Mount Webster and we got one. The higher we went, the stronger the wind became. Walking along the cliff edges wasn’t dangerous because the wind kept pushing us into the mountain. Lots of clumbing that required hands. The climb over Mount Jackson (4052’) was easier. We could even see Mizpah Hut from the summit. Got to the hut by noon but absolutely no leftovers. We were bummin’. Met a few more southbounders before heading on. We still thought it might rain late this afternoon.

Crossed that road at the bottom of Crawfard Notch this morning
It was a long windy climb

Had another one of those large boulder steep stair-climbs up Mount Clinton (4310’) but it was worth it. We could see the path above treeline as it wound up-over Mount Eisenhower (4761’) and Mount Franklin. The wind now was incredible. Most of our energy was used to stay upright. Later we found out the winds were 50-70 mph with even higher gusts. You could just make out the towers on top of Mount Washington. One guy said it reminded him of the "Land of Oz".

Billy Goat negotiates the steep climbing

Even with the wind and terrain, we made it to Lake of the "Crowds" by 2:30pm. Met Adreane of the crew, who hopefully will fix us up with AYCE dinner leftovers. The dungeon is just that, a damp dark basement room with a broken door, drafty window and six grungy bunks. But, hey, we’re thru-hikers, we can sleep anywhere.

The trail meanders along the ridgeline crossing
Mt Webster, Mt Jackson, Mt Pierce and Mt Eisenhower

7/21/98 Crawford Hostel

14.7 miles (1817.4 total)

In the morning, we ate breakfast with the crew, while waiting for our "work" assignments. We got very lucky. They had us sweep the entire hut, then carry the "shitter" barrels out to the helicopter loading area. That’s it, about 30 minutes of work instead of 2 hours. Maria was great. So we got on the trail before 9am. The sun was out as we left the hut and started our steep ascent of South Twin Mountain. Took a break on top because you could get a great view of where we’d been and where we’re going.

Mount Guyot had a ground-hugging evergreen covering the entire summit and approach. The rest of the way to Zealand Falls Hut was generally downhill. Passed loads of hut-to-hut hikers.

Zealand Falls was great. Billy Goat decided to model his manly thru-hiker body in the frigid falls, screaming the whole time. Good pictures though. Talked with Caitlan on the crew for awhile, even talked her into selling me a spinach calzone for ½ price. Decided we needed to hurry if we were going to make Crawford Notch by 6pm.

Only Billy Goat was crazy enough to take a dip in the Falls
You can almost hear his screaming over the roar of the waterfall

The trail between Zealand Falls and Ethan Pond must have been an old railroad bed because it was so straight. The only problem areas were landslides with very large boulders. By the time we reached the campsite, I was hungry and exhausted.

The last 3 miles to Crawford Notch was tough for me. Ghandi and Billy Goat passed the time with riddles, but my mind was a blank. Finally reached the bottom precisely at 6pm and Ghandi’s mother was there to meet us. Ghandi’s getting off the trail for a couple of days to register at school. Billy Goat and I decided to pay the $12 for a hostel bunk at Crawford Notch. That allowed us both to make a few phone calls.

Called Claire several times and finally got hold of her late. We talked about my trip and Kansas City stuff. Turns out her trip to New Hampshire is in August and sounds packed with wedding meet-the-family stuff. So the only one coming out to meet me now is Amy.

Two hungry hikers eating dinner

The hostel was pretty good. The kitchen and phone were available all night. Plus someone had left a ½ gallon of ice cream which Billy Goat and I gladly sampled. The only problem was we stayed up way too late. The walk from the main house to our bunk cabin at 11pm was spectacular. The stars were so bright and so many. The Milky Way was easily visible. I wish I could just lay down in the grass and look up in the sky all night.

7/20/98 Galehead Hut

10.2 miles (1802.7 total)

Woke up this morning to rain. The guys decided that we’d wait and see if it would pass. By 9am, the rain had stopped at least for a while. We packed up and headed for the treeline.

Above treeline, the trail was a rock-lined path and a lot of rock steps. Even though it wasn’t raining, the wind was gusting. Cold enough, we all put on jackets. Little Haystack (4760’), Lincoln (5089’), and Lafayette (5249’) were all covered in mist. The trail really seemed to kick out butt. Seemed to take us forever to cover just a mile.

After waking up in the rain, we can see down to
Liberty Mountain as it pokes through the clouds

Stopped by the Garfield Ridge Campsite to check the register and use the privy. Talked to the caretaker for a few minutes. But no sooner had we left the campsite and it began to rain, rain real hard. The terrain was steep and rocky, hard enough during good weather, treacherous when wet. Fell once but the pack broke my fall. Passed a bunch of people on the way to Galehead Hut.

Tons of people already at the hut but we were able to get work-for-stay. I felt guilty because so many people were turned away because the hut was full, and we get to sleep on the floor. Funny thing though, about 5pm, the clouds completely disappeared and the sun came out. We passed the time outside waiting for the "paying" guests to finish dinner so we could eat with the crew. A few people asked questions about my hike. I really don’t mind repeating the story ( over and over) to people that genuinely are interested.

Dinner was a vegetable calzone and pasta with red sauce. I ate till I couldn’t hold any more. Maria has been the friendliest of the crew, but Shawn, Lairs and Amy were busy with other stuff. Tomorrow, its breakfast and then we work for 2 hours to pay for our stay. Maybe Zealand Hut tomorrow if the weather is bad or Crawford Notch if good. Sleeping tonight under the dinning room tables.

7/19/98 Liberty Spring

11.7 miles (1792.5 total)

Most of the weekenders that tented nearby had left by the time we got up. Didn’t leave the shelter till almost 9am. We’d gone less than a quarter of a mile when Ghandi stopped to take a dip in an inviting pool. Billy Goat and I tackled Kinsman by ourselves. We had to use our hands so much to climb - the poles really got in the way.

That's me on top of Kinsman Mountain

Ghandi caught up to us while we took a break on the north peak of Kinsman. They went way too fast for me on the screamer of a downhill, so I met them at the Lonesome Lake Hut. We bought breakfast leftovers but the hut crew was not very friendly. A trail maintainer told us about an unofficial campsite to try for tonight. Ghandi took off trying to make it into North Woodstock for groceries, while Billy Goat and I took a leisurely hike down to Franconia Notch.

Billy Goat takes a much needed rest

The day continued to be a nice sunny one with occasional breeze. In fact, this is one of the longest stretches of good weather I’ve had in a long time. We thought the climb up to Liberty tentsite was a lot easier than we thought, at least the first half. Passed a lot of weekenders. Reached the tentsite just in time for dinner. The caretaker tried to talk us into staying instead of camping off trail. We said thanks but no thanks.

Standing on top of Liberty Mountain

Our campsite was another 0.3 of a mile up the trail. After setting up the tents, we headed up to Liberty Peak to watch the sunset. You could really see the mountains. While up there, Ghandi showed up. He’d gotten a great hitch from two women coming home from a powwow. The sunset was beautiful. Spent the rest of the night trying to catch up writing in the journal.

Spectacular sunset from Liberty Mountain

7/18/98 Eliza Brook Shelter

16.9 miles (1780.8 total)

After a quick breakfast we were on the road back to the trail by 7:30am. Back at the post office, I tried to call home one more time. The morning plan was to climb Mount Moosilauke (4802’). I’d been dreading it all week. But as I climbed, I felt pretty good. As I got near the summit, I could see it was covered with dark clouds with lots of wind and moisture in the air. But when I got to the top, the skies cleared and I had great views.

Sometimes you would cross sections of forest destroyed
by the severe winter storms of this past year

Headed down to Beaver Brook Shelter for a break and saw Charley again. The climb down to Kinsman Notch followed Beaver Brook almost straight down for several miles. The trail was so difficult, several places had steps bolted to the rock and used a couple of rebar handrails. But the entire way down followed cascading waterfalls. Because it was Saturday, I must have passed 20 or 30 day hikers headed up that trail. My knees were relieved when I reached the bottom.

The trail followed this waterfall straight down
almost 2 miles as we entered the White Mountains

Did some more climbing and crossed paths with Michigan Plowboy who mentioned Ghandi was just ahead. Found him taking a break on a big rock. He’d wanted to get a good view on Moosilauke so he’d camped only part way up last night. We walked together the rest of the way to Eliza Brook Shelter. Met a few more southbounders there. Wanderlust and Bugbite, who remembered me from the AT98. Who should walk into camp after dinner but Billy Goat. Always good to see him. We all compared trail stories till long after dark.

Hike UP!

7/17/98 Haverhill, NH

8.0 miles (1763.9 total)

Even drinking all that beer, I was up and out on the trail by 7:30am. But there was no way I was going to make the post office in Glencliff by 10am. The weather was overcast, so it was hard just to slow down and relax.

The post office was ½ mile from the trail and Warren was another 4 miles. Martin and Melanie, the Quebec tourists I met in Hanover, had been hitch-hiking for over an hour. Melanie was complaining that she had drunk bad water and had gotten sick. I ended up walking to the post office.

Michigan Plowboy and the Quebec tourists talked a man in his yard into giving them a lift into town. He pulled over and I joined them. Martin and Melanie went to a campground while Michigan and I stopped at the deli for lunch. Michigan ended up talking another guy who wasn’t even going our way, into taking us back to the post office.

Met Rainman, a southbounder. Because he beat his mail drop to Glencliff, he decided to call and stay at Roger’s "House of Weather". Because I was only planning on going to the shelter a mile away, I decided to join him.

John picked us up at Glencliff and drove us the 11 miles to Haverhill, "the most sophisticated hamlet in the Northeast!" according to Roger. He has been taking in thru-hikers for 25 years, all at no cost. Our beds were mattresses up in the attic, above the AT Hikers Pub (with a 36 foot mural of the trail). We had an elegant dinner with real china and crystal. Then went for a swim in the pool. Plus Roger had a fridge by the pool stocked with liquor, wine, beer and pop. Later, while Rainman and I tried to write in our journals, John kept bringing in more beer. He asked a lot of questions "why" we hike. Didn’t get to write much and finally went to bed.

Roger gave us a tour of his "Museum of Weather", a collection of weather exhibits about some of the USA’s worst storms and disasters. One very neat thing he had was the hand-drawn German weather map of Europe for D-day. Right now, he’s thinking of moving it to New York so more people can see it.

7/16/98 "Atwell Hilton"

19.7 miles (1755.9 total)

Those Europeans sure get up early. They were up and cooking breakfast by 6am. But it was OK, they offered me tea, crackers, and preserves. Last night, Lea said she would rather use the woods than the privy. So this morning I told her I’d judge the privy. Well, it tilted left and backward (a lot, I guess) but it had a captains chair with a hole in the seat which was a nice touch. I didn’t see any reason not to use it.

Kind of an overcast morning. Hard to tell what kind of day it was going to be. I already knew I was going to do the 19.7 miles to Dizzy B’s and the Atwell Hilton but I was in denial. Within an hour, I came to Ghandi’s campsite. He wanted to do the same as I but he wasn’t sure he’d do it by himself. So we teamed up for the day.

The overcast skys kept the temperatures cool which helped in the climb up Smarts Mountain. I really didn’t look forward to the 2000’ climb, especially the steep summit section. Met Fuzzy, Wuzzy, and Medusa at the fire tower on top. These 3 very young girls had hiked all the way from Katahdin. It gave me a little more confidence in my ability to do it. The shelter was a disaster and the water such a scummy puddle, we opted to wait till later for water. The descent was long, over 4 miles.

Stopped at South Jacobs Brook for a refreshing lunch break. Ghandi and I soaked our feet while I ate way too much GORP. Cool bridge but you have to be real skinny to fit through the uprights.

Soaked our feet and just relaxed

By now, the sun is beaming down on us. With all the winter storm damage, shade is sometimes hard to find. I knew we had another climb but after an hour thought we were close to the top when I saw the peak a lot higher than expected. "Fuck" I said. Ghandi’s reply "It’s great to be walking with you again. I miss your comments". The sun just kept getting hotter. At one point, I drank so much, Ghandi tried to remind me to breathe.

Hexacuba has to be one of the biggest one-story shelters on the trail. Really a unique design. The Penta-Privy might have been good too but it was such a "shit-hole".

Hexacuba shelter is one of the more unique shelters

Ended up, finally, after a long day, at Atwell Hill Road. Just as advertised, Dizzy B left jugs of water by the trail. The Atwell Hilton is a house, once used by the DOC as a maintenance headquarters, now condemned by the NFS, so everyone tents in the yard. After dinner, right on queue, Dizzy B pulls up in her pickup truck, drops the tailgate and starts handing out beers.

Most of the other hikers had one beer and then went to bed. But Dizzy B kept Ghandi and I with a beer in our hands at all times. We ended up moving into the house and talked and drank till 10:30pm. Because we could hear thunder we decided to take down the tents and sleep in the house. Had carpeting, window screens and a 2nd floor fire place.

7/15/98 Trapper John Shelter

16.6 miles (1737.2 total)

Left Hanover this morning under an overcast sky. Had a bit of breakfast at Lou’s Restaurant and bought a deli sandwich at the coop before I left. The sun burned off the fog and mist and proceeded to make it a very warm day. Before I left town, the weather reports said to expect temperatures in the 90’s. The terrain wasn’t that bad, but with a full pack, it was work! Seems I always have trouble the first day after a day off in town.

The forests seemed older, and bigger

Stopped off at Moose Mountain Shelter for an hour lunch break. It was definitely getting hot. Lots of winter storm damage near the shelter, had to climb over several trees just to get to the privy. Still very hot when I left but I just don’t like getting to the shelter late. Plus with the terrain getting a little more difficult, I’m not always sure how slow my pace will be.

Surprised to see Ghandi taking a break near Holt’s Ledge because he left yesterday. He’s pushing on further tonight so he can make Atwell Hill Road and trail angel Dizzy B tomorrow.

Ghandi near Holt's Ledge

At the Trapper John Shelter, met two couples from Holland. They are out for three weeks, hiking the White Mountains. Billy Goat showed up but just to take a break. He’s headed to Lyme, NH, about ½ mile further, to wait for new tent poles.

7/14/98 Hanover, NH

0 miles (1720.6 total)

Didn’t get much sleep last night. It was hot and muggy. The frat next door partied "loud" till 3am. And I thought I’d lost my bag with the journal, guidebook, maps, addresses, etc., at the theater. Got up at 7:30 to look for breakfast. At least I had my wallet. After getting a few donuts at Toni’s Restaurant/Bakery, headed back to Tabard. Bluegrass was already packed and ready to go and Ghandi had asked me to wake him so he could get an early start. While packing, he found my journal bag. I was so relieved, I bought him breakfast at "Everything-But-Anchovies". Again, stuffed to the gills with food.

So as those guys left, many more came in. Ran into Not Yet, Bulldog, Leif, Kentucky Fried, Tortoise and Hare, Miles and a few more I can’t remember. Decided to move across campus to Foley House so I could get some sleep tonight. Hopefully, will meet up with Bulldog later for beers. But I want an early night, to make up for last night and because it’s supposed to be hot tomorrow, in the 90’s, at least for the next couple of days.

I’m both excited and terrified of the mountains coming up. I expect them to be breathtaking but I wish I was with a bunch of people I know.

7/13/98 Hanover, NH

5.9 miles (1720.6 total)

Once I got in the tent last night, I felt more comfortable, more at ease than I’ve felt in a long time. Hadn’t used the tent in a long time. Felt good sleeping on the soft ground, and not having to worry about my snoring.

Woke up refreshed and ready for town. Bluegrass and I only have a 5 mile walk into town, half of which is a road walk. A little buggy but the morning was cool and the sun was out. Most of the trail was wide, dry and along rolling hills. A pleasant walk indeed.

Had to go through Norwich, VT. Very posh. The homes looked like barn-house combinations from the old farm days but now rehabed for the rich. Still, very nice. Walked across the Connecticut River Bridge and into Hanover, NH. We couldn’t get over how many women are here. We’ve been in the woods too long! Poor Bluegrass, every time he’d say hello to some girl walking by, they’d totally ignore him. After a while, he’d get more outrageous trying to get a response - any response.

Stuffed ourselves in Thayer Hall at the AYCE lunch buffet. Later, we met Yahoola’97 who is a student here at Dartmoth. She told us Billy Goat has stayed a few days with a bad case of poison ivy. Seemed we all gravitated to the outfitter, where the Emersons were and finally, Ghandi showed up also. Yahoola’97 decided to treat us all to AYCE dinner at Thayer Hall (again!). I’ve never eaten so much food. We ended the evening sitting outside, telling outrageous stories (probably for Yahoola’s benefit - the nice girl she is!).

Ghandi and I took in a late movie, "The Truman Show". Felt the directors had a good movie but could have had a stronger ending. Ended up spending the night at Tabard, a coed fraternity. Met two Quebec section-hikers, Martin and Melanie. Also talked awhile with a bunch of southbounders. Had 10 of us sprawled out on the floor.

7/12/98 Happy Hill Shelter

20.6 miles (1714.7 total)

What a day! Long, hard miles (my last 20+) but the sun was out and had cool breezes all day.

Last night, who should stroll in about 8pm but Ghandi. It was so good to see him, since the last time was in Port Clinton, PA. He’d skipped the Long Trail because of his deadline. But, as he told me, that meant everyone else, Smiley, Piper, Veto, Longstride, etc., were at least 5 or 6 days behind. Really no way to catch me except maybe at Katahdin. He spent the evening telling his tales of adventure.

Found many wild flowers along the trail

By morning, much to my surprise, it hadn’t rained any last night. Still, clouds in the sky but a lot of blue. I just didn’t want to get my hopes up. Set out by myself about 8am, sometime after Bluegrass. The last couple of days has taken me through some of the worst winter-storm damage I’ve seen since Virginia. Ran into Bluegrass sometime before reaching Cloudland Shelter. Again, relocations of the trail seem to have made it longer because our mileage was so slow. Even though it continued to be a nice day, Bluegrass was in a foul mood. Finally, after taking a quick break, he headed off for the White River some 6 miles away. Ran into 3 more southbounders from Katahdin. The first was hiking with the infamous Wolf. Next came Eric. who I thought at first had a speech problem, but then I guessed he was from Quebec. Then met Dirt at the White River who seemed like a nice guy.

I just love it when the trail passes a store with a deli
Ummmmm Great Lunch!

Arrived a little earlier than I expected, but found Bluegrass down by the riverbank eating some Ben and Jerry’s with a smile. I myself set off to the newly opened store for a sandwich, coke and ice cream. Went back to the riverbank to eat and just sit in the sun, while Bluegrass and Dirt went swimming.

The only bad thing was still having several more climbs this early evening after eating all that food. Bluegrass and I set out at a pretty slow pace. Finally found it, only because the privy is still there, but the shelter had burned down. We knew we’d have to tent, and besides, the mosquitoes were pretty bad so the tents worked out fine. Still no sign of Ghandi but he’s used to night hiking, so he could arrive at any time.

7/11/98 Wintturi Shelter

16.9 miles (1694.1 total)

The funny thing about the weather - I hate it! This morning, we woke to full sunshine on our faces at 6am. By 7am, it was raining cats and dogs. It soon stopped but guaranteed the trail would be muddy. We continued to slog through the mud well past Kent Pond. But the long steep climb out of Ottanquechee River basin was fairly dry. You could tell the trail was new but it sure did seem that the relocation added several miles.

Met Rim Runner and Kestral, the first southbounders I’ve gotten to talk to at Stony Brook Shelter. It had a beautiful stream nearby, complete with bathtub rocks and shower-high falls. By late afternoon, the sun started to fight it out with the clouds. At this point, I wasn’t hopeful. We made it to the cabin at Lookout Farms. It had an observation deck, so you could see all the mountain ranges, including Killington and the White Mountains. Although it was very cool and windy, the sun did shine even though the clouds stretched as far as you could see.

Got to the Winturi Shelter to find Michigan Plowboy, whom Bluegrass had met in Pennsylvania, and his friend, Charlie. So far its partly cloudy/sunny after dinner. Hoping tomorrow is the great day they promised us today.

7/10/98 Tucker-Johnson Shelter

17.5 miles (1677.2 total)

Woke up this morning to more rain. Hard to get motivated when you know you’ll be slogging through the mud all day. Bluegrass slept late so I said my good-byes by 8am. Most of the morning, it was overcast and cool. Lots of mud. Occasionally the sun would come out but only briefly.

Sometimes sunny then it would rain

The Governor Clement Shelter was a good place for a break. The sun came out briefly. The shelter could have been nice, but it was right on a dirt road. Not recommended as an overnight stop in the guidebooks.

We had a big climb up Killington Peak, but it was spread out over many miles. Not really a tough climb at all. Passed Finn, wearing Groovin’Moose’s red shorts. A few people were already taking a break at Cooper Lodge, so I dropped my pack and climbed the trail up to the peak. Kind of strange, all the valley - almost 360 degrees was in sunlight, except the mountain I’m standing on. But the sun broke out for awhile and I got a few good views. Once back to the lodge, Bluegrass had already passed by to Pico Camp. Saw a lot of day hikers today.

More sun, more clouds, more mud. Caught Bluegrass and talked him into stopping for a beer at the McGrath’s Irish Pub at Sherburne Pass. On the way down the mountain, we had a brief moment of hail with the rain. The weather seemed to change every 10 minutes. Got to the door of the pub seconds before another downpour. Nice bar but expensive. Headed back to the trail with blue skies and sunshine only to get rain 30 minutes later. Ended up staying at the Tucker-Johnson shelter on the Long Trail with David, a weekender.

7/9/98 Clarendon Shelter

17.0 miles (1661.0 total)

Continued to rain all night, very hard at times. Max’s grandfather coughed all night. I asked him if he needed anything but he said no. So it was very hard to wake up this morning. A light sprinkle outside and a warm sleeping bag inside. Finally, after 7am I had to get up to go to the privy. Bluegrass and I didn’t leave the shelter till 9am. Grandfather was still sleeping, so I told Max to look out after him. A good kid. Most of the morning was just slogging through the mud. If only it would just stop raining long enough for the ground to dry.

Met an 87 year old woman out for a day hike. Considering the trail we’ve been doing, a considerable accomplishment for her age. She’d hike while her husband with a bum knee would wait ahead for her in the car.

Little Rock Pond was shrouded in fog. On a hot afternoon, I’m sure it would be a great swimmin’ hole. Stopped at Greenwall Shelter for lunch. At times, it really seemed like the sun wanted to come out. We went through an area covered with big Spruce trees with the forest floor covered with 2-3 foot saplings. The afternoon did turn sunny and warm. The Deet had worn off, so the mosquitoes were biting while we slogged through more muddy trail. The register at Minerva Hinchey Shelter revealed that Finn had fallen in love with Groovin’Moose but he had moved on.

Bluegrass couldn't get enough wild blueberries

After leaving the shelter, our pace quickened a little because we were headed for VT-103 near Clarendon Gorge. The descent turned into a steep drop. Fell once pretty hard. Got to the gorge to cross the Mill River suspension bridge which was one of the bounciest I’ve walked across. Saw a bunch of kids swimming in the river. But our real destination was the Whistle Stop Restaurant, about ½ mile off the trail. Had a good sirloin burger and fries, and washed it down with a M&M flurry. Sat under the umbrella eating and writing in my journal. After awhile, we headed back to the trail.

Note to self: Don’t eat too much when you have a climb still to do!

Our ascent out of the gorge was an almost vertical stone stairway. Both Bluegrass and I were struggling. Ended up dropping the tent under the bunks at the shelter late last night at the Clarendon Shelter. Bluegrass moved back into the shelter when we started hearing thunder (again).

7/8/98 Big Branch Shelter

15.9 miles (1644.0 total)

After a very late night at the movies, struggled to get up this morning. Ate breakfast at the almost empty Quality Restaurant. Had a few last minute things to mail home, most notably my penny-whistle and glasses. The forecast was for rain, so I wasn’t surprised by the overcast sky. Started to follow Bluegrass out of town but he got a hitch too fast for me to catch him. About 10 minutes later a woman picked me up as she was headed home, about 5 minutes past the trail. She was from NJ but moved here 3 years ago as a school teacher.

Caught up to Bluegrass on Bromley Mountain

Bluegrass was waiting for me at the trail parking lot off the highway. The terrain moved steadily up but the rain held off for a few hours. Part of the trail went up a ski run on Bromley Mountain. The peak was all fog when we reached it. After Mad Tom Notch, the rain began.

No views on top of Styler Peak or Peru Peak because of the weather. Made pretty good time to Peru Peak Shelter for lunch. Both Bluegrass and I got cold sitting out of the rain. Lots of bog bridges today. And the mud was tolerable but I almost did a face-plant anyway.

The rain let up a bit as we headed back out on the trail. Heard a few song birds, and saw lots of ferns and moss amongst the trees. By the time we got to Baker Peak, the clouds broke just enough for us to see the valley.

Bluegrass taking a journal break

Found the girls from the Goddard at Lost Pond Shelter. The trip was going well and they’d taken trail names - Chewbacca and Skywalker. Finn had left some very strange messages in the register. But it seems Groovin’ Moose is traveling with her. Said our good-byes and headed for the next shelter. No one else at Big Branch. The river’s loud running in front of the shelter. By the time we had finished dinner, the rain started again. Bluegrass and I have our tents set up like sleeping nets. A grandfather and his grandson, Max, showed up for the night. His granddad is hard of hearing so its difficult to talk to him. The mosquitoes are getting bad so its time for bed.

7/7/98 Manchester Center, VT

0 miles (1628.1 total)

Other late arrivals last night were the Emersons’-ASSman and Shaggy. I’ve been reading their journal entries the whole way from Springer. Very funny guys.

Today was basically a day off. Just tried to relax. Bought new socks, had lunch, went to the bookstore. Late that afternoon I spot Bluegrass coming from the post office. Seems he didn’t get another of his mail drops - he’s missed several.

Unfortunately for us Tuesday is Church Bridge night till 11pm. So the hikers have to make themselves scarce. We decided to catch a late show at the movies. I didn’t really want to see X-Files, so I saw Armageddon again. Not as good the second time around. Didn’t get back to the hostel until close to midnight.

7/6/98 Manchester Center, VT

10.5 miles (1628.1 total)

Groovin’Moose got up "real" early. He asked if I was up for a 10 by 10 day. At first I thought he was crazy, but if we left by 6am, it wouldn’t be that hard. Made great time getting to the first shelter but didn’t stop. We took our first break at Prospect Rock with a view looking down over the city. Even though we took a leisurely break, I still thought we had a chance of doing 10 miles by 10am. After that, Groovin’Moose took the lead and he slowly pulled ahead. I pushed and pushed. Zoomed right past the second shelter and went into the home stretch. Believe it or not, we made the road into Manchester Center by 10:05am.

Groovin' Moose awake with the early morning mists

Groovin' said he was a luckier hitch-hiker, so I let him show me his stuff. Couldn’t believe it, got a ride in less than a minute. Got to love those pickup trucks. Manchester Center was not what I expected. I’ve never seen so many factory-outlet stores, everything from Mukasa to Jockey. Dropped our stuff at the hostel while in search of the Ben and Jerry’s store.

The Zion Episcopal Church lets hikers sleep on the floor of their activity room. Plus we have full run of the kitchen and showers. Someone had left a box of hotdogs, so we chowed down. Some other section hikers here but no northbounders. Most of the day was spent on errands like the post office, laundry and groceries. I did take Researcher to Candlero’s for his 30th B-Day. Later a bunch of us went to the movies and saw "Armageddon". Not really a bad movie. When we got back, we found Finn (the skittish girl) there. Turns out she is a Long Trail hiker.

7/5/98 Stratton Pond

19.5 miles (1617.6 total)

Before the evening was over, we’d crammed even more people into the shelter. Groovin’Moose was hiking with Researcher, plus those girls did finally make it. Add to this a couple more weekenders and you have a crowded shelter. Most of the people camping had hoped for a great view of the Bennington 4th of July fireworks from the firetower behind the shelter. But the rain kept coming down, sometimes as torrential downpours. I was very glad I didn’t have to tarp.

This morning, the rain continued but only lightly. We passed a lot of the weekenders even before the first shelter. But soon after leaving the next shelter, Stony Spring, the sun came out.

With Groovin’Moose hiking behind me, I always feel I’m holding him back, so I speed up. Just like with EWOS, I always lead by their choice. Stratton Mountain was a hard climb, so I was glad when we reached the top. Up in the firetower the wind was so fierce, the tower swayed. We didn’t stay up there long.

We passed a girl hiker on the way up that reminded me of a deer caught in your headlights - very scared - skittish. We speculated she was headed to Stratton Pond like us. She was cute, probably about Groovin’Moose’s age, so I kidded him about their budding romance.

Stratton Pond Shelter is the first we’ve had to pay just to stay there. The others at the shelter were a weekender who loved cigars and a couple headed for Katahdin. The skittish girl showed up but was expecting a hiking partner to be there (who had hooked up with Pokey and headed for the next shelter). The girl never looked at us or spoke and she tented even though we had room in the shelter. And I had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure the open space in the shelter was next to Groovin’Moose. The caretaker came by to collect his fees and talk with us. The view over the pond was wonderful. Tomorrow we head in to Manchester Center.

7/4/98 Goddard Shelter

21.6 miles (1598.1 total)

Had a wonderful evening just sitting around the fire with Groovin’Moose and his friends. Talked with the older couple section hiking to Maine. They retired as high school teachers, physics and french. Clevland and Krissy are a couple of Dead Heads just starting the Long Trail. And later, a small family showed up for an overnight. Everyone was pleasant and friendly. The night was cool, so I needed the sleeping bag, but I slept well.

A nice bright sunny day but got kind of a late start, especially for a 20 mile day. Again, I’m hiking alone, not hard to get into a groove. Passing another pond, I almost didn’t see the moose. As I tried to get closer, she took off. The swampy area slowed her down, but once she hit solid ground, she moved incredibly fast. Not bad hiking, still hopping from rock-to-rock, but the mud is getting solid. Average mosquito day. Talked to a few section southbounders at Congdon Shelter. They warned me that Goddard might be very crowded.

Early I spotted my only moose this trip

The killer of the day was the drop into Bennington, 800’ of boulder steps. By the time I reached the bottom, my knees were screaming "STOP!" The climb back up and out of the gap was a lot easier, with a lot of switchbacks. Found two more girls beginning Long Trail taking a nap at the Melville Nauheim Shelter -- tough 2nd day for them. They said they were going to Goddard also.

Took off at 2pm, looking at 4 hours to do the next 8.4 miles. The sky became overcast and I knew we were in for more rain. The climbs were OK but I misread the map and thought I was a lot further away. Started to rain and all of a sudden I popped out of the trees next to the shelter. I was a little confused because I didn’t expect the shelter for another 30 minutes. I had to ask someone if this was the Goddard Shelter. Like I was told, lots of people but most are tenting. The shelter is full of people cooking. Hopefully, things will quiet down.

7/3/98 Seth Warner Shelter

13.4 miles (1576.5 total)

The climb down Greylock was brutal. My knees "screamed" the whole way. It was a relief when we finally reached the bottom. We headed into town and were meeting Sandi off State Road at the community center. Unfortunately for us, we found the car, but no Sandi. We waited 15 min. in the sun, and Sandi showed up after taking a walk. We stopped by the grocery store first, then the AYCE lunch at Pizza Hut. It was good to see Sandi again, also known as Bugbait. She was going to day-hike with EWOS last day to the Vermont border.

Totally stuffed, we headed back to the trail. Not a bad climb but the mosquitoes were annoying. One of my pet-peeves about the trail is the signage at the state lines. There were signs for the Long Trail, "Welcome to Mass" and the forest service but no VT-Mass sign. We made do with a large rock as EWOS’s final peak. Hopefully, he can finish his thru-hike in a couple of years after grad school. It was a sad goodbye. I’ve enjoyed EWOS’s company on the trail.

Ed 'EWOS' Polushock

Headed off into Vermont. Found the Seth Warner Shelter empty but 2 other couples were tenting. The older couple were section hikers while the younger couple were on the first day of hiking the Long Trail. Later, Groovin’Moose showed up with his best friend and his girlfriend who met him in town.

7/2/98 Mount Greylock

16.9 miles (1563.1 total)

The rain cleared off during the night so we had great weather, cool and sunny, as we left town. The hiking was better with only a little mud here and there. We made good time heading for Cheshire. The "Cobbles" overlooking the town gave great views.

EWOS, Groovin'Moose and I sit atop The Cobbles

We dropped our gear at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church while looking for lunch. Seems we eat, and eat, and eat. The deli was closed so we got a few sandwiches at Donna Bella, a fancy place on the outside but just a deli on the inside. We left Groovin’Moose here in town while he had a few phone calls to make.

The War Memorial atop Mt Greylock,
the highest point in Massachusetts

The climb up out of the valley was long but not too steep. The heat didn’t help much but the shade of the trees was a relief. Took a break on the Mark Noepel Lean-to before tackling the final climb up to Mount Greylock (3500’).

It’s amazing how much mud and swamp I find at the top of these mountains. Saw a beautiful pond near the summit. We knew we were near the top when the day hikers multiplied. The Bascom Lodge was a welcome sight. EWOS and I decided to pay the $22 for a bunk and a shower. It really was a nice place to stop. Mt. Greylock has a War Memorial with a globe light on top. Spent most of the evening writing postcards.

Another wonderful sunset on Mt Greylock

7/1/98 Dalton, MA

20.5 miles (1546.2 total)

Bluegrass showed up very tired. He said he just couldn’t pass up having a roof over his head with all the rain. Had a AYCE pancake breakfast. Can’t beat the price here, bunk and pancakes, for $3. Looked like more rain this morning. So EWOS and I started Round 2 of the "swamp crossing championships." The rain was really just intermittent. Kept bumping into Groovin’ Moose all day. Stopped by the "Cookie Lady" house but she wasn’t home.

We won the "Doubles Swamp Crossing Championships"
but it was mostly a miserable day of rain and mud

The afternoon got warm and sunny. We decided to go a little farther today, so we’d be in Dalton tonight. Good thing because the Kary Wood Lean-to was packed with kids. Groovin’ Moose caught us there, so the three of us headed into town.

Tom Levardi’s house is right on the trail. We dropped our gear and went in search of food. Later at Tom’s, he brought out the fanciest ice cream I’ve ever seen. Shade and Owl had gotten in earlier, so they’d eaten dinner with Tom. Because of the continued rain, we all ended up sleeping on the porch. EWOS ended up setting up his tent in the middle of the night because of the mosquitoes.

Tom let us sleep on his porch