Day 98: dividing for the last of New Hampshire

• Route NH 25A (1789.7) to Route 25 (1799.4)
• 1926 feet of ascent, descent of 2254 feet

I cannot believe that I have eaten junk food for breakfast here on my last day in New Hampshire when I turn to a solo slack pack. The dawn have a somewhat standard rate in their freezers for hikers to buy them. There is almost always frozen pizza. Most have ice cream. Some have frozen breakfast food. We do not eat those things. They can be the epitome of ultra -processed inflammatory foods. We ate those things this morning. I knew better than I expected. Much better, I had two frozen breakfast sandwiches. The historian, the one who needs calories, ate wisely one. My hyper-palatable breakfast, too salty and too fatty stayed with me for hours, even with the antacids I ate for the dessert.

My junk food breakfast made me my now deceased hiking of New England, Rich. He avoided junk food. I would analyze doubtfully something that we bought in a small city with few groceries and declared that «it had no original aggregate ingredients.» Once we finish with a giant grape jelly bottle that was made with grape flavor (not grapes). Even in our poor budget, we couldn’t eat it. We take it for days, waiting for him to become more eaten. He did not.

Leaving the historian behind

Even trying to digest our breakfast «Original ingredients» are not added, the historian and I load for the short trip to my slack pack. We both feel a bit sad to separate this morning. We talked about that extensively and agreed that it made logical sense. He had no reason to cover these miles disconnected. He did not have a red line to walk to maintain his continuous path from Georgia to Maine.

He was here, as for 50 years, for me. Fortunately, he likes to walk, but he doesn’t feel like walking all the path of the Apalaches. Although his mileage is leaning for the middle of the brand, when asked if he wants to finish, he only laughs.

I need miles. I care. I am happy that I can rest today. It has gone far in my name. I am grateful for that, but I am also well on my own. Even so, we both delayed in the car this morning, reluctant to separate.

Walking

I finally broke the spell and climbed the road. Perhaps recognizing our desire to stay together, Packrat del Albergue had suggested that we meet for lunch. There are so many road crosses here that they were not only possible, but something that we could both expect.

Once I started walking, my attention was captured by a variety of vibrant fungi. I always wonder how delicious this could be or that, but not knowing it, leaving them alone. Maybe after this trip we can learn.

The first I saw were yellow, CanthareLlus minor, Believe.

I also saw more vibrant orange fungi. I tried to discover what were in the photo, but they really don’t know. They can be a bermellones wax lid, Hygrocybe Aurantiosplendens But I have very little confidence in that. Maybe a reader knows and can comment. It did not look like those we saw before that could have been the orange fungi.

The next fungus on my way this morning grew in a tree, rather from the ground. I wasn’t sure of this either, but it can be Ischnoderma resinosumA common support fungus that is tasty when it is small, but becomes hard and woody with age. As I did not pack a pan and butter, or the ability to verify your identity, I did not try it.

A wonderful meeting of houses

After my fungal incursion, my energy and interest were marking. Suddenly I felt the charge of walking all this path. Although I know there are not many miles, it seems very far. I reminded myself of one foot, then the next. Then another and another. My rhythm was slowing down under the weight of my imagination.

Behind, I heard a hiker approach. Knowing that I was at a terribly slow pace, I stepped aside to let the hiker pass. We exchange the usual jokes through a hiker. It was Stevie Wonder, fellow Trek blogger and extraordinary hiker.

My mind was staggering, it is doing the eastern continental path. It began on January 1 in Key West, Florida. Not satisfied with a triple triple and current crown, he was walking along the trail of the Apalaches as part of his Tec. And I felt tired of the AT.

I wanted to ask you many questions. He listened carefully to the story of my trail name. We walk together for a while. Fortunately, it was flat so that I could still speak. He never made me feel bad about holding him, he walked as if he had all the time in the world. While we were talking, he even saw and pointed out our great fat frog.

Soon we left where the historian was waiting for me. I am not sure how long we walk together, but for me, I changed for the better my all day and even my way of seeing my out -of -the -art trip. Be sure to enjoy Steve’s blog on the walk if you are not yet following your trip.

Lunch in a sedan

The crossing of the road was burning and there were no obvious places to enter the shadow. We drove on the road a little and finally achieved in a wide place with shade and ate in the car. The road was remarkably busy, but not surprisingly, since the whole area was full of summer camps. While walking, children could laugh and other frivolity of summer camps.

I had asked for two large bottles of foamy water, which were waiting for me. Knowing my continuous desire for vegetables, the historian brought me another salad as I had last night. We share its crispy goodness, along with a turkey sandwich. We take our hands for a moment. Who knew that a Slack Pack lunch would be more romantic than dating night?

Without merodeator

When we finished eating, I sat for a moment to rest. It was little use. My engine was working and I didn’t want to lodge. Eat and run. It is not the best in a digestive system, especially given my frozen breakfast and my white bread lunch. My feet cancel my stomach and left.

Its supercharged with junk food and a light package, I removed quickly. I was burning miles. I needed to pay attention. Just when I finished admonishing myself, I arrived at the sign of the Mount Mist. I laughed out loud. The irony of a sign, in the middle of a forest that said «almost strange Mount Mist» was doubly good in front of my self-conference.

After arriving at the peak, I went down. I expected a steep path given the miles to advance, and the elevation of surrendering, but was not prepared for what I found.

Irritating, rocks with ankle and ankle bite. I slow down my feet down, but my engine was still accelerating on the red line (Trail/Automotive Words set for those of you who are old enough to remember cars on manual shift).

Find the historian

I drove the historian to see. Only a few hours had passed from lunch, but I wanted a meeting. I didn’t feel that nothing was wrong, I just wanted to see it. The rocks were slowing down.

I finally arrived at Dirt Trail and entered a trot. I don’t run. I didn’t run when I had original equipment knees. This was me quickly. It was surely close.

Finally, I saw the car below through the trees. I was going so fast that I almost passed since I didn’t leave enough space to stop.

And to all a good night

When I finally stopped, I had a big hug and a warm congratulations to finish everything to Baxter State Park. I even thought my feet did, my brain had not yet been completely reached. However, it was worthy of a celebration.

We return to the general store and buy more salad and ice cream. After returning to the hikers of the night, I wore the outdoor shower and became loan clothes. Everything you need to go to the washing machine tonight for our trip to Maine tomorrow

The washed bodies, the dinner ate and the clothes made, we adhere to our fellow shelters and head to bed. After a couple more antacids to compensate for all my meals of «non -original aggregate ingredients» today, we fell asleep dreaming with Katahdin.