Walk until midnight and the slowest terrain of my life


This morning I slept much later than I had originally planned! Today I expected to do about 26 miles, but now we will have to see what I can achieve. I did not sleep at that time, but it was after 6 in the morning when I finally got up. And we had made loose plans to return to walk around 7 am

My stay here at the Knoll was all I needed and something else! Although I really did nothing «productive.» So this morning I was fighting a little to place and packed. And then he had to do a small job to publish a blog and a video. Taco and I did not end up returning to the road until some time after 8 am that was not the end of the world. But it meant that we would not really be walking along the way until some time between 8:30-9 am

Finally we get out and say do doogie. Then Homespun took us back to the path. The two are some of the best humans with whom I have had the pleasure of knowing and spending time. I am surprised that you can meet someone so briefly and still feel so connected to them. He really felt as if he were in my aunt and the house of uncles spending the night. The atmosphere they have in the shelter is incredible. I could not recommend staying there enough!

Taco and I were in Grafton Notch to the north just before 9 am and our day began with a super steep climb! Everything was still quite wet yesterday, but at least I was no longer raining. He had rained all last night and this morning. Then the rocks along the path were going to be wet and slippery all day.

Fortunately, today I was not raining. But everything was soaked yesterday.

Once we reached the top of the climb, the path was briefly level. Then he descended through the Speck Pond shelter. A super pleasant refuge in an excellent location. It is likely that I had slept last night if I had not rained all day. When we arrived at the shelter we decided to stop briefly. Because from there we would be descending Mahosuk’s arm and then entering the Mahosuk notch. Both sections of the path are notoriously slow.

A waterfall in the path.

Going down the arm was much harder than climbing! The face of the rock was so steep and slippery that I had to go very slow to avoid slipping. I was surprised how long it took an hour. Then we arrived at the notch, which knew it would probably take the same amount of time. Yes no more! The last time I was here we did it in an hour or less. But with everything I was so humid and slippery, I knew it would be slower today.

A misty pond right next to the road.

And it certainly was! Notch is a really unique segment of the path and can definitely be fun if you have the right mentality. I think my problem is that I am in a trio of time today. I am trying to finish this path as quickly as I can. So, sometimes, this slower terrain has just made me feel impatient. But being able to go through the notch today with Taco was a dream come true!

Learning through the Mohoosuk notch.

Honestly, walking together during the last 3 days has been incredible. I couldn’t have arrived at a time when I needed it anymore. The land is so tedious and technical. Have someone to suffer a world of difference. In fact, I am enjoying these last days, instead of simply lowering my head and tear as quickly as possible. I am really grateful to have crossed the paths with Taco. Mentally needed this quite bad.

It took us much longer than expected to overcome the notch. Easily somewhere between 1.5-2 hours. I think it is partly due to wet rocks. When we were halfway, we found 3 hikers who went north. One of which was the kitchen sink. I was on the Pinhoti path at the same time as me. But our paths never crossed. Now today he had jumped here to walk with a 79 -year -old woman to help make her dreams come true. She has completed almost all the AT, except for this section and one or two more. But it would not have been safe for her to make this section alone. So the kitchen sink came out to help her! What a kind thing to do.

Nothing like climbing through caves and cracks of slippery rocks.

He also told me that he had apparently met someone before he was waiting for me. But in reality there are no roads nearby, so I was a little confused for that. And after talking to them a little, we continue through notch.

It was a relief to reach the other side of the notch. But at that time, it was too late in the day and still had much more mileage.

When we left it was too late. I can’t believe how slow the terrain. And yesterday’s rain definitely did not help. But in reality there was a surprise waiting for us when we arrived on the other side of the mahoosuk notch! There was a Dr Pepper and a mountain dew sitting on the floor. And at that moment I realized that the person who had been waiting for me was Iceman! He is supporting John Kelly in his attempt at FKT. But John actually dnf’d unfortunately. So we never cross the paths along the path. I literally missed him for a day. But Iceman was trying to meet me. Although my slow pace through the notch did it, so I did not arrive on the other side on time to see it. However, that was a wonderful surprise after going through one of the most difficult sections of the AT.

A surprise from Iceman!

When we left the notch, it was at some point around 3-4pm. And I still wanted to go 16 more miles for the day. That could be impossible. But I wanted to try to go as far as I could. Taco was walking at night together. At least I would have a friend in my misery! I think it will be a fairly long night.

Uploading slippery bars along the path.

When we left the notch, we had a climb to reach the next refuge. Then I would be going up and down the rest of the day. He did not have the most prominent memories of this section of the path. But definitely remember some very technical portions. I don’t know if I would have tried some of that during the night if I were alone. Although doing some long days and walking until night will be the only way to stay on the road.

Taco sailing slowly for a steep rock face.

During the next 3-4 hours, we move forward, heading towards the Me/NH edge. And the path was far from easy. We had to go up and down a lot of slippery rock and tons of reinforcement bars and stairs. There were some murderous opinions, but it was slow. The path also went through many swamps with Wooden Walk Ways. Which cannot always be trusted! Sometimes they sink under your feet in the mud. At the end of the day, my feet were wet and soaked with mud, even after doing my best to keep them dry.

It ended up being a quite pleasant day, everything considered.

Some parts of the path were literally 5-10 feet high rock walls that you had to go up or down. When I was uphill, it was really fun. I love using my hands and climbing. But the descent was exceptionally slow and felt incomplete due to how wet ones the rocks were still. I was so afraid to slip and fall.

Just the other day I slipped and I really fell. Although I never wrote about that. I fell pretty good and I didn’t hurt my legs or arms. But I was running right in my slot and basically I took the wind. On the days that followed, I noticed that my ribs and the surrounding fabric are hurt. And now it hurts, so roll on my back, sit down from a liar position, to cough, and I can feel that sometimes standing. I guess I just bruit the tissue that surrounds my ribs. But at least I may hurt my ribs. In fact, I did something similar in January and dealt with a quite intense pain in my ribs for more than 5 weeks. So I’m trying not to harm! Fortunately, my discomfort tolerance is quite high.

Beautiful views while I was heading from South Maine to New Hampshire!

Just before dusk, we begin to descend for a while and finally pass the Spur path for a shelter. And I knew that meant we were approaching New Hampshire! In 2023 I stayed in the shelter just after the border. Which means I only made a 15 -mile day the next day for Betel. And it took us all day! I don’t know how I forgot that this time. I think it was too ambitious to think that I could do a marathon today.

In the me/nh border taco and I took a break and some photos. And hope was to continue the next refuge, which was about 5-6 miles away. Keep flying that 6 miles could take 3-4 hours depending on the land. I miss the days of the 3 mph rhythm!

Only on the trail of the Apalaches are expected to make a real rock escalation.

Once it darkened, things definitely slowed down even more. The path was as steep and technical as before. But now it was more difficult to see! There was literally a section of the path with a rope tied to a tree that we had to use to secure the ground safely. We both couldn’t stop laughing at that. Here we were making an incredibly technical path, after a strong rain, in the dark. But I realized the path as soon as possible, and if that means doing 15 hours to walk, then, so. This is only temporary.

The sun started slowly, but it had a long way to go through the day.

The rest of the night was quite exhausting and I would have loved to stop before. But doing something less than 20 miles today would have taken my entire plan! I have a loose plan to climb the presidential ones and then be collected the next day. My dad is out of work on Wednesday and Thursday. But it is very difficult to coordinate when the land is so unpredictable.

Maine is officially complete! And I am excited because that was one of the hardest walks of my whole life. I think it was even more difficult the second time.

It was long after 11 pm, when we finally arrived at the Spur path for the next refuge. And I was very excited to finish the day! The mosquitoes were quite bad, so I knew we would not stay in the shelter. Besides, it was so late. It would be really rude to establish in a shelter so late, in my opinion. Instead, we find some space behind the shelter and we are located. Help that Taco also used a hammock. So I had to choose the flattest place.

In the camp I had my very fast tent. While I did, I boiled water for a dehydrated meal. By the time everything was configured, my dinner was ready. And I crawled inside my store to stretch and eat. I think I ended up sleeping with my spoon still put in the dehydrated meal bag. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open for longer.

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