You haven’t seen anything – the walk

Wow, it is becoming cold again! Good. I like to walk when it’s cold. Although … it is always a fight to get out of the quilt of these mornings. However, all this also reaffirms that I made the right decision with theite of illuminated equipment instead of getting it with the best. Of course, it is lighter, but I want to be playing the game of «This will keep me warm enough» on the 4000 feet in the whites? No, not really.

For once, I also felt very good nutritionally. However, that can only be the large number of nuts that I ate yesterday. High in fat and fiber, they can cause a bit of gastrointestinal anguish, but energy is energy, and I will take it anywhere.

I quickly wrapped my tasks around the camp, and put myself towards the welcome shelter to hikers in Glencliff! Originally, my plan was to spend a night here, and then address Moosilauke at an easy pace the next day. However, tomorrow it will rain, or at least be cloudy. And there is no way to board my first of the white mountains without being able to see the rest!

Because yes, in a way, this is home. It is not a real home, but it is walking home for me. First I really learned from backpack here, after having spent one of my first trips in Pmi Loop, a difficult loop that includes the iconic Francia Ridge in the AT. While I have not walked the 48 mountains of 4000 feet here, I can not recognize them all, I can still recognize the majority and turn them around when you see them. So … to take advantage of the good weather window, we are pressing today.

The first 7.5 miles passed in an instant. It was mostly flat and small ups and downs, which was still in a surprising 2000 feet net. Some Vermont Day hikers wanted to talk to me, but I have a fairly simple policy at this time. If you have a dog with strap, I am not giving you the time of day. Sorry, but among all the dog encounters I have had this path, I overcome it.

At the crossroads of the road to start officially ascending to Mount Moosilauke, I turned a right turn to give a quick diversion in the Welcomme Hostel hikers. I met Pckrat, the owner, and also restart again! I was working on the Haker Haven de Angels Rest, the last time I saw her, and it is not Joke’s wife (who was working in Stanimals). She showed me useful, and sat for about an hour and a half doing some logistics. Reset actually helped me get the Wi -Fi printer in the shelter that worked, so I could send my old Shokz headphones for the guarantee claim. I also helped his fellow walker Skyball grabbing his package. It will come here tomorrow, when the PO is closed, so doing so is a great blessing for him.

I took the opportunity to devour three hot pockets and a chicken sandwich from the shelter, as well as a gatorade and a soda. I am 99.999999% sure that all my fatigue problems come from not having enough calories, thanks to heat, and due to my complicated relationship at this time with any form of food. But a hot pocket? Sign it! While I ate my filling, I saw one of the best interactions along the way. An older man entered and said «Packrat! You look the same as always!» Then Packrat turned around and seemed a bit confused, but asked «Lightning Bolt?» Apparently, the two met at ’94, during their walks, and this is the first time they have been seen since then! I can’t even understand how they recognize themselves, and it is surprising that the path can still link them after all this time.

Around noon, I appreciated the restart and started, dating Pony Boy and Swampfoot after they were updated (and also ate their fillings). The first steps of the Oliveria notch crosses a stream without incredible steps … and without a bridge. There is one in sight, but it is in private property, so using it is transferred. Rude! But it is your right as owners. I hope the Doc put one.

Great Lil ‘Milestone

I was doing everything possible to keep my cardia inside zone 1 as much as possible, so while the others advanced in the UP, I took my sweet weather. There was a silly moment when I sat to adjust my socks (now wet), I left my phone … And I almost walked without him! Fortunately I was playing music when I left, or I would never have noticed when my bluetooth cut.

When I approached the southern peak of Moosilauke, the trees began to shorten more and more … revealing the Alpine area again. Pine forests always make me happy, but being above the tree line in whites is an indescribable experience. When the world raises its veil and can you see the other ranges of whites? Beautiful. I was also lucky to accumulate my first page 4000 of whites in relatively clear conditions.

The New Englanders have an obsession with the «maximum pocket» or walk through a mountain for just playing the «summit.» A common thing for people to aspire to do is walk the 48 feet of 4000 feet in New England, and I have walked 17 before. However, with Moosilauke today, it’s 18! I followed the beautiful bald crest, dodging dogs and rocks, before gathering again with Swampfoot and Pony boy on the top. We all sit down, enjoying the view, and I could point out the following ranges. Looking to the north, you can see almost everything that at goes: the Kinsmans, Francia Ridge and the presidential ones.

At the top here, we also meet firefighter, ’15 class. Actually, he quoted Katahdin the day before Mosey of Mosey’s place in NJ. He talked a little about our walks, and his, and even took a picture! When I began to go down, I realized that … I felt great! Normally for this time, I would feel horrible, I needed to rest constantly and sit down to recover my breath every 20 minutes. But today, I feel that another mountain could climb! Those hot pockets really helped. I know I need more raw calories. It is very difficult for me to eat at this time …

I would like to say that I felt I was on top of the world for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, that was definitely not the case. Because now comes the worst part of any walk in whites … the descent. You can sacrifice your knees or sacrifice your quads, and I always choose the latter. But the holy cow was slow. Going down to Moosilauke Nelo is a lot of bare rock faces next to a waterfall. Then an out of place could mean a great fall if it slipped! With a slow march, it took me more than an hour to cover one mile … and then another hour to cover the second. In the end, I was just remembering every time I spent cursing Lafayette last year going down. And … that is yet to come. Uh oh.

At the bottom of Moosilauke, the path throws you to Kinsman Notch. Here, I met a group of two hikers who tried their last 48 of their 10 -day challenge, and some section hikers that took me to Lincoln, NH! I have only been in two paths of paths in my life, and this is one of them. Lincoln is also known for having the famous «notch hostel.» Unfortunately, the notch was completely reserved tonight for its tenth anniversary (congratulations!), So instead I stayed in Snowchaser’s Lodge. It is directed by Colin, who was in the ’74! It is now deaf, but he is a master lip reader and still communicates super good. I entered and met with the man, the myth, the legend, Stevie Wonder. Stevie is another blogger for the walk, and I met him all the way back to Wood’s hole in Virginia. Then he advanced, but then he was left behind for a 2 -week break. Now, he is ahead of me again (while I took that day off at Wise Pines), but a little white mountain trick has joined us again! It was really good to see him, I am on his blog a lot to keep up with him.

Unfortunately, our meeting did not last long, but that’s for something good, I had a friend who went to visit! My friend Lanson, an avid hiker and climber, was in the whites during the weekend to climb and walk. Then, he picked me up, and we got a little Mexican in the charro and we updated the life of the path. He saw me host a soup and a main one, and then we got some ice cream. It was nice to catch up a bit and also listen to their adventures! He made the PEMI loop in a day, something that took me 3 days in agonizing and disastrous a year ago, and has done a lot of great adventures in the whites this year. Sometimes, I miss the freedom and ease that comes with a car and only … walk by day. But I am here for something different. Still trying to find it.

He left me back in Snowchasers, and quickly took my first shower (well deserved) in 4 days and fell completely. He feels good to have bathed after all my friction problems in recent days. And … to rest. I can’t wait to zero.

(Title lyrics: Don’t have seen anything, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack: Season 2)