Start: Unmarked Campsite (near Zealand Falls Hut)
We woke up with a lot of excitement today! The plan was to end our 14.3 mile day at Mizpah Hut, which was the first hut both of us had been to (on different occasions). Just before the hut, we would pass our first white blaze too. We got an early start because we wanted to get to Mizpah with time to enjoy it. The beginning of the day was relatively flat until the descent to Crawford Notch. We crossed the street and up we went. We climbed nearly 3000 feet and summitted Mt. Webster (3,910 feet) and Mt. Jackson (4,052 feet) along the way. It was beautiful and clear so we had 360 degree views! It left me speechless to look up and see Mt. Washington with it's peak hidden in the clouds. Mt. Washington was my first mountain, my first backpacking trip, my first trip with Brian, and where I broke my leg back in 2008. It's the place where I knew for sure Brian and I would get married (since he carried me to the peak rather than leaving me : ) ). Looking at that mountain, it is still so surreal that we have walked here from West Virginia. I remember back on June 23rd, walking hand in hand with Brian down the C and O Canal Towpath, talking about how we could not wait to get to Mt. Washington and what it would feel like. Now, we are almost there!!! Once I got past the surreal feeling, I felt proud of us for making it this far on our journey. I felt thankful that we had this opportunity. I feel fulfilled, content, and free... Some of the best feelings I've ever experienced. From the peak of Mt. Jackson, we could also see our intended destination, Mizpah Hut. We walked the 1.7 miles to the hut and as soon as we reached it, I let out a loud "Woohoo!!!" We spent the afternoon in the hut eating the delicious baked goods they have for $1 and soup that they have for $2 (for the first bowl, $1 for refills). Nauman Tentsite is right near Mizpah and we are staying there tonight on tent platform 7... The first tent platform that Brian and I ever stayed on together (and the platform that Brian has stayed on numerous times). What a day!!! Good climbs, beautiful views, our first white blaze, our first hut, and our first tent platform.
End: Mizpah Hut- Nauman Tentsite
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
August 28, 2012
Start: Guyot Shelter
It rained all night long, but we stayed dry. I love our tent! We woke up early, but it was still raining so we decided to wait it out. We got a late start around 10 am, but we only planned to do a little over 4 miles today to Zealand Falls Hut. The forecast was calling for rain all day and we were tired so we were happy to put in a short day and hang out at the hut. We walked the mile long side trail back to the AT and immediately reached the peak of Mt. Guyot (4,597 feet). The trail descended about 2000 feet over the four miles to Zealand Falls Hut. We were supposed to have some views along the way, but the rain and clouds didn't allow that. The rest of the week looks beautiful though, so we are excited. We reached the hut and hung out for a bit. The sky was starting to clear so we decided to hike on. Just a little bit after the hut, we saw an unmarked campsite we stayed in when we did a 50 mile section in 2010. The campsite was the site of my first bear encounter. The night we stayed there, another hiker came in late and didn't hang his food. A hungry bear came into the campsite at least 3 times that night, but I scared Yogi away with my whistle. We really enjoyed that campsite that night (other than the bear) and we were feeling tired, so we decided to call it a day. Hopefully, there will be no bears tonight!
End: Unmarked Campsite a little past Zealand Falls Hut
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
It rained all night long, but we stayed dry. I love our tent! We woke up early, but it was still raining so we decided to wait it out. We got a late start around 10 am, but we only planned to do a little over 4 miles today to Zealand Falls Hut. The forecast was calling for rain all day and we were tired so we were happy to put in a short day and hang out at the hut. We walked the mile long side trail back to the AT and immediately reached the peak of Mt. Guyot (4,597 feet). The trail descended about 2000 feet over the four miles to Zealand Falls Hut. We were supposed to have some views along the way, but the rain and clouds didn't allow that. The rest of the week looks beautiful though, so we are excited. We reached the hut and hung out for a bit. The sky was starting to clear so we decided to hike on. Just a little bit after the hut, we saw an unmarked campsite we stayed in when we did a 50 mile section in 2010. The campsite was the site of my first bear encounter. The night we stayed there, another hiker came in late and didn't hang his food. A hungry bear came into the campsite at least 3 times that night, but I scared Yogi away with my whistle. We really enjoyed that campsite that night (other than the bear) and we were feeling tired, so we decided to call it a day. Hopefully, there will be no bears tonight!
End: Unmarked Campsite a little past Zealand Falls Hut
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Monday, August 27, 2012
August 27, 2012
Start: Franconia Notch, NH
SORE!!!! Is an understatement of how we felt when we woke up this morning! Everything from my fingers (from gripping my poles so tightly yesterday) to my toes was aching. The excitement I was feeling to hike Franconia Ridge (my favorite spot EVER!!!) seemed to ease the aching though. We packed up, checked out of the motel and got a ride to Franconia Notch. We climbed almost 3500 feet to Little Haystack Mountain (4800 feet). Walking across the ridge, we summitted Mt. Lincoln (5,089 feet) and Mt. Lafayette (5,259 feet). The views were amazing! Looking to the left, I could see the mountains we have come from and looking to the right were the mountains we were headed towards. Garfield, North and South Twin and the Presidentials stood tall in the shadow of Mt. Washington in the distance. You can't beat the views along this ridge! We took a break on Lafayette just to soak it all in. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow call for rain so we were happy to have the clear views while we were on the ridge. We descended down Lafayette and then climbed Mt. Garfield (4500 feet). Just as we passed Garfield Ridge Campsite, we literally walked down a waterfall. Beautiful and slippery! We reached Galehead Hut and took a break before taking on the climb up South Twin. The trail literally shot up over 1100 feet in .7 miles before reaching the peak (4902 feet). The clouds were rolling in! We had 2 more miles to Guyot Shelter (plus a mile to the shelter on a side trail) and wanted to make it there before the rain. We continued on, reached the shelter, and set up camp just in time! It is supposed to rain through the night... I like the sound of rain on the tent, but I'm not big on dealing with wet stuff in the morning. Hopefully, we will stay dry along with most of our stuff! Today was another exhausting (15.8 miles), but beautiful day!
End: Guyot Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
SORE!!!! Is an understatement of how we felt when we woke up this morning! Everything from my fingers (from gripping my poles so tightly yesterday) to my toes was aching. The excitement I was feeling to hike Franconia Ridge (my favorite spot EVER!!!) seemed to ease the aching though. We packed up, checked out of the motel and got a ride to Franconia Notch. We climbed almost 3500 feet to Little Haystack Mountain (4800 feet). Walking across the ridge, we summitted Mt. Lincoln (5,089 feet) and Mt. Lafayette (5,259 feet). The views were amazing! Looking to the left, I could see the mountains we have come from and looking to the right were the mountains we were headed towards. Garfield, North and South Twin and the Presidentials stood tall in the shadow of Mt. Washington in the distance. You can't beat the views along this ridge! We took a break on Lafayette just to soak it all in. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow call for rain so we were happy to have the clear views while we were on the ridge. We descended down Lafayette and then climbed Mt. Garfield (4500 feet). Just as we passed Garfield Ridge Campsite, we literally walked down a waterfall. Beautiful and slippery! We reached Galehead Hut and took a break before taking on the climb up South Twin. The trail literally shot up over 1100 feet in .7 miles before reaching the peak (4902 feet). The clouds were rolling in! We had 2 more miles to Guyot Shelter (plus a mile to the shelter on a side trail) and wanted to make it there before the rain. We continued on, reached the shelter, and set up camp just in time! It is supposed to rain through the night... I like the sound of rain on the tent, but I'm not big on dealing with wet stuff in the morning. Hopefully, we will stay dry along with most of our stuff! Today was another exhausting (15.8 miles), but beautiful day!
End: Guyot Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 26, 2012
Start: Kinsman Notch, NH
We got an early start today since we had a 16.3 mile day planned. We were on the trail by 7:30 am and started the day with about an 800 foot climb over .7 miles. That woke me up better than any amount of coffee! We both felt great. The sun was shining, it was still cool, and we felt strong. We continued along a bumpy, gradually ascending 4 mile stretch to the peak of Mt. Wolf (3,478 feet). It's interesting how a 3000 foot mountain felt huge just a couple of weeks ago and now it feels like a warm up! We had a bumpy descent to Eliza Brook Shelter where we rested and ate lunch. After 45 minutes, we were ready to take on Kinsman Mountain. We had heard from numerous people that it was a tough, strenuous climb and didn't have quite the payoff that the Whites are known for, so I wasn't really looking forward to it. My mindset quickly changed though (sometimes I think I'm better off not hearing what others think about the trail that lies ahead of me). For almost a mile, the trail gradually ascended alongside Eliza Brook. There were beautiful waterfalls and small pools that formed beneath the falls. I love hiking to the sound of flowing water! After the trail left the brook, it shot UP! As we reached the end of the 2000 foot ascent, I found myself letting go of my poles to literally pull myself up and over ledges and rock faces. It slowed me down a bit, but it was fun. We reached the south peak (4,358 feet) and took a small break with Dangerfoot and a southbounder. Looking ahead to Kinsman Mountain North Peak, it seemed like a daunting climb, but it wasn't bad. We descended about 500 feet just to ascend 400 feet to the north peak (4,293 feet), but the view of the Franconia Ridge was spectacular. The tall mountains covered in green with peaks of granite shining in the sunlight literally left me speechless as I looked across at them. We've been on Franconia Ridge before, but I still can't believe we have walked here from West Virginia. Thoughts and pictures of our journey played in my mind in the same way the AT thru hike You Tube videos have played on my computer screen for years, but now the memories, the pictures, the happiness, the fulfillment were mine to revel in. We descended a steep 2.5 miles down rock faces, sometimes with wood blocks (placed by the maintenance crew for assistance), sometimes sitting and sliding down, and sometimes with a combination of careful hand and foot placement and a bit of luck. We reached Lonesome Lake Hut and took a break. Lonesome Lake is one of the two AMC huts we haven't been to yet, so we were excited to check it out. With 3 miles still to go and about 2 hours of day light left, we began our final descent (Whenever we are heading down at the end of the day, I literally say "We are beginning our final descent. Please place your trays and seats in the upright and locked position." It always makes us laugh). It was a nice gradual descent with patches of rock, a bunch of bog bridges and some stream and river crossings. The last crossing was a little tricky for me (the bridge had been washed out by Irene last year) but I made it across without falling in. Brian made it across easily before me and with his long legs, he made it seem so easy... I guess that's a second reason for his trail name along with his speed! When we finally reached the end of our day at Franconia Notch, we discovered that we had a .9 mile walk to the parking lot where the shuttle was picking us up. We were tired, but it was a paved bike trail so we figured it wouldn't be so bad. After .2 miles, we saw a sign pointing to a trail in the woods that said .6 miles to the parking lot. Back in the woods we went, walking quickly over rocks and roots in almost darkness (our headlamps were buried away and we were trying not to miss the shuttle). We reached the parking lot just in time for the shuttle! As we were getting in, we realized the paved bike path lead to the same place... Oh well! 16.3 miles may not be our longest day, but hiking those miles in the Whites definitely made it our toughest day yet. It was a great day, but we are both ready for a shower and food if we can get them in before our eyes close!
End: Franconia Notch, NH - Staying at The Carriage Motel in North Woodstock
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We got an early start today since we had a 16.3 mile day planned. We were on the trail by 7:30 am and started the day with about an 800 foot climb over .7 miles. That woke me up better than any amount of coffee! We both felt great. The sun was shining, it was still cool, and we felt strong. We continued along a bumpy, gradually ascending 4 mile stretch to the peak of Mt. Wolf (3,478 feet). It's interesting how a 3000 foot mountain felt huge just a couple of weeks ago and now it feels like a warm up! We had a bumpy descent to Eliza Brook Shelter where we rested and ate lunch. After 45 minutes, we were ready to take on Kinsman Mountain. We had heard from numerous people that it was a tough, strenuous climb and didn't have quite the payoff that the Whites are known for, so I wasn't really looking forward to it. My mindset quickly changed though (sometimes I think I'm better off not hearing what others think about the trail that lies ahead of me). For almost a mile, the trail gradually ascended alongside Eliza Brook. There were beautiful waterfalls and small pools that formed beneath the falls. I love hiking to the sound of flowing water! After the trail left the brook, it shot UP! As we reached the end of the 2000 foot ascent, I found myself letting go of my poles to literally pull myself up and over ledges and rock faces. It slowed me down a bit, but it was fun. We reached the south peak (4,358 feet) and took a small break with Dangerfoot and a southbounder. Looking ahead to Kinsman Mountain North Peak, it seemed like a daunting climb, but it wasn't bad. We descended about 500 feet just to ascend 400 feet to the north peak (4,293 feet), but the view of the Franconia Ridge was spectacular. The tall mountains covered in green with peaks of granite shining in the sunlight literally left me speechless as I looked across at them. We've been on Franconia Ridge before, but I still can't believe we have walked here from West Virginia. Thoughts and pictures of our journey played in my mind in the same way the AT thru hike You Tube videos have played on my computer screen for years, but now the memories, the pictures, the happiness, the fulfillment were mine to revel in. We descended a steep 2.5 miles down rock faces, sometimes with wood blocks (placed by the maintenance crew for assistance), sometimes sitting and sliding down, and sometimes with a combination of careful hand and foot placement and a bit of luck. We reached Lonesome Lake Hut and took a break. Lonesome Lake is one of the two AMC huts we haven't been to yet, so we were excited to check it out. With 3 miles still to go and about 2 hours of day light left, we began our final descent (Whenever we are heading down at the end of the day, I literally say "We are beginning our final descent. Please place your trays and seats in the upright and locked position." It always makes us laugh). It was a nice gradual descent with patches of rock, a bunch of bog bridges and some stream and river crossings. The last crossing was a little tricky for me (the bridge had been washed out by Irene last year) but I made it across without falling in. Brian made it across easily before me and with his long legs, he made it seem so easy... I guess that's a second reason for his trail name along with his speed! When we finally reached the end of our day at Franconia Notch, we discovered that we had a .9 mile walk to the parking lot where the shuttle was picking us up. We were tired, but it was a paved bike trail so we figured it wouldn't be so bad. After .2 miles, we saw a sign pointing to a trail in the woods that said .6 miles to the parking lot. Back in the woods we went, walking quickly over rocks and roots in almost darkness (our headlamps were buried away and we were trying not to miss the shuttle). We reached the parking lot just in time for the shuttle! As we were getting in, we realized the paved bike path lead to the same place... Oh well! 16.3 miles may not be our longest day, but hiking those miles in the Whites definitely made it our toughest day yet. It was a great day, but we are both ready for a shower and food if we can get them in before our eyes close!
End: Franconia Notch, NH - Staying at The Carriage Motel in North Woodstock
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Saturday, August 25, 2012
August 25, 2012
Start: Kinsman Notch, NH 112
Yesterday, Phatchapp recommended that we hike Moosilauke southbound. He said descending down the north side of the mountain can be dangerous, so that's what we decided to do. We took a shuttle to Kinsman Notch and started the 9.3 mile day with a 3000 foot climb. For the first 1.5 miles, we climbed alongside a beautiful, cascading waterfall. It was a steep, difficult, but fun climb! For the next .5 miles to the shelter, the trail climbed up part of the waterfall that was just trickling, but still slippery. We reached Beaver Brook Shelter and took a break. We were hoping some of the clouds burned off so we could have a view of Franconia Ridge from the shelter, but we were still in the clouds. Towards the end of the break though, we could see the faint outlines of the mountains that are in our near future. Intimidating, but beautiful. We continued up to the summit. The 2.3 miles from the shelter to the summit were not as steep. About .4 before the summit, we left tree cover. It finally felt like we were in the whites! We ate lunch at the summit (4,802 feet, our first 4000 footer of the trip), but with the lack of sun, I was cold. We only stayed about 30 minutes before we started the hike down. On the way down, Brian and I were talking about what we've taken away from our hikes. I think the two greatest lessons I've learned out here are to live in the moment and to simplify life. Before the trail, I was always planning 15 steps ahead of where I was or what I was doing. On the trail, I've learned to live in the moment and the rest will come. This really stood out the other day with the sheep. I knew we wanted to get them to their owner, but I dealt with the situation without worrying what I would do next. As we were walking them down the mountain, I wasn't worried about what we were going to do. That kind of thinking was not characteristic of pre-trail Heather, but it is of Flicka and will be of post-trail Heather. I know some things in life require planning, but I will live in the moment as much as possible, because I now realize that if I'm always steps ahead in my mind, I'm unable to appreciate where I am or what I'm doing at that moment. The other lesson that Flicka has taught Heather is that life is enjoyable when it is simplified. Having my basic needs met and spending time with those who I love are really what make me happy. Everything else is just "fluff," and while fluff is sometimes nice, it isn't necessary to my happiness.
Somewhere during our philosophical (and one of my favorite) conversation, we reached NH 25 in Glencliff and walked to the hostel, where we found Baltimore Jack! Baltimore Jack is a bit of a trail celebrity, being featured in many trail movies and books, and having completed 9!!!! thru hikes. We met him back at the Doyle in Duncannon, so we caught up for a bit before Phatchapp drove us back to the hotel. We REALLY enjoyed our day today. Mt. Moosilauke is a beautiful hike with amazing views!! Tomorrow, we have a big 16.3 mile day from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch so I am happy to be in a bed to rest up for that!!
End: NH 25, Glencliff, NH - Staying at the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Yesterday, Phatchapp recommended that we hike Moosilauke southbound. He said descending down the north side of the mountain can be dangerous, so that's what we decided to do. We took a shuttle to Kinsman Notch and started the 9.3 mile day with a 3000 foot climb. For the first 1.5 miles, we climbed alongside a beautiful, cascading waterfall. It was a steep, difficult, but fun climb! For the next .5 miles to the shelter, the trail climbed up part of the waterfall that was just trickling, but still slippery. We reached Beaver Brook Shelter and took a break. We were hoping some of the clouds burned off so we could have a view of Franconia Ridge from the shelter, but we were still in the clouds. Towards the end of the break though, we could see the faint outlines of the mountains that are in our near future. Intimidating, but beautiful. We continued up to the summit. The 2.3 miles from the shelter to the summit were not as steep. About .4 before the summit, we left tree cover. It finally felt like we were in the whites! We ate lunch at the summit (4,802 feet, our first 4000 footer of the trip), but with the lack of sun, I was cold. We only stayed about 30 minutes before we started the hike down. On the way down, Brian and I were talking about what we've taken away from our hikes. I think the two greatest lessons I've learned out here are to live in the moment and to simplify life. Before the trail, I was always planning 15 steps ahead of where I was or what I was doing. On the trail, I've learned to live in the moment and the rest will come. This really stood out the other day with the sheep. I knew we wanted to get them to their owner, but I dealt with the situation without worrying what I would do next. As we were walking them down the mountain, I wasn't worried about what we were going to do. That kind of thinking was not characteristic of pre-trail Heather, but it is of Flicka and will be of post-trail Heather. I know some things in life require planning, but I will live in the moment as much as possible, because I now realize that if I'm always steps ahead in my mind, I'm unable to appreciate where I am or what I'm doing at that moment. The other lesson that Flicka has taught Heather is that life is enjoyable when it is simplified. Having my basic needs met and spending time with those who I love are really what make me happy. Everything else is just "fluff," and while fluff is sometimes nice, it isn't necessary to my happiness.
Somewhere during our philosophical (and one of my favorite) conversation, we reached NH 25 in Glencliff and walked to the hostel, where we found Baltimore Jack! Baltimore Jack is a bit of a trail celebrity, being featured in many trail movies and books, and having completed 9!!!! thru hikes. We met him back at the Doyle in Duncannon, so we caught up for a bit before Phatchapp drove us back to the hotel. We REALLY enjoyed our day today. Mt. Moosilauke is a beautiful hike with amazing views!! Tomorrow, we have a big 16.3 mile day from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch so I am happy to be in a bed to rest up for that!!
End: NH 25, Glencliff, NH - Staying at the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 24, 2012
Start: Hexacuba Shelter
We hit the trail at 9 am for a 15.7 mile day to Glencliff, NH. Right away, we were climbing to the peak of Mt. Cube. We reached 3 or 4 false summits before finally reaching the real summit at 2,911 feet. We took a short snack break and continued down the mountain. The trail climbed Mt. Mist (2200 feet) and eventually reached NH 25 in Glencliff. The caretaker at the Welcome Hiker Hostel is Phatchapp. He gave us a ride to the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock. We got a room for 3 nights so we can do 2 days of slack packing. We finally did some laundry (it had been a while!) and ate at the Woodstock Inn. Tomorrow, we will take on the 4800 foot Moosilauke!!
End: NH 25, Glencliff, NH - Staying at Carriage Motel in North Woodstock
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We hit the trail at 9 am for a 15.7 mile day to Glencliff, NH. Right away, we were climbing to the peak of Mt. Cube. We reached 3 or 4 false summits before finally reaching the real summit at 2,911 feet. We took a short snack break and continued down the mountain. The trail climbed Mt. Mist (2200 feet) and eventually reached NH 25 in Glencliff. The caretaker at the Welcome Hiker Hostel is Phatchapp. He gave us a ride to the Carriage Motel in North Woodstock. We got a room for 3 nights so we can do 2 days of slack packing. We finally did some laundry (it had been a while!) and ate at the Woodstock Inn. Tomorrow, we will take on the 4800 foot Moosilauke!!
End: NH 25, Glencliff, NH - Staying at Carriage Motel in North Woodstock
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Friday, August 24, 2012
August 23, 2012
Start: Lyme-Dorchester Rd.
We finally pulled ourselves away from Hanover today. It is such a great town, so that's not an easy thing to do! We got a ride to the trail head on Lyme-Dorchester Rd where we left off. We immediately started climbing the 2100 feet up Smarts Mountain. At 2369 feet, we had beautiful views from Lamberts Ridge. We even saw the Smarts Mountain summit up ahead. The last mile of the climb was steep!! We even had rebar and a ladder to help climb the steep ledges! We reached the peak and took a lunch break. A group of Dartmouth students were out for a day hike, and we were also with thru hikers Purple Rain, Kazoo, Hashbrown, and Senator. After an hour, we started the descent down Smarts. The 3.9 mile descent seemed to go on forever, but was not as steep as the ascent. The end of our day was a 700 foot climb to the trail for Hexacuba shelter and then a .3 mile, steep climb to the shelter! We are here tonight with a bunch of section hikers, and thru hikers, Purple Rain, Kazoo, Hashbrown, Senator, Sweet Potato, and Gowser.
Today was only a 9.1 mile day but with all the elevation changes, it felt much longer. I love being on NH trail though! There are some beautiful views that come along with the climbs!
End: Hexacuba Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We finally pulled ourselves away from Hanover today. It is such a great town, so that's not an easy thing to do! We got a ride to the trail head on Lyme-Dorchester Rd where we left off. We immediately started climbing the 2100 feet up Smarts Mountain. At 2369 feet, we had beautiful views from Lamberts Ridge. We even saw the Smarts Mountain summit up ahead. The last mile of the climb was steep!! We even had rebar and a ladder to help climb the steep ledges! We reached the peak and took a lunch break. A group of Dartmouth students were out for a day hike, and we were also with thru hikers Purple Rain, Kazoo, Hashbrown, and Senator. After an hour, we started the descent down Smarts. The 3.9 mile descent seemed to go on forever, but was not as steep as the ascent. The end of our day was a 700 foot climb to the trail for Hexacuba shelter and then a .3 mile, steep climb to the shelter! We are here tonight with a bunch of section hikers, and thru hikers, Purple Rain, Kazoo, Hashbrown, Senator, Sweet Potato, and Gowser.
Today was only a 9.1 mile day but with all the elevation changes, it felt much longer. I love being on NH trail though! There are some beautiful views that come along with the climbs!
End: Hexacuba Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
August 21, 2012
Start: Lyme-Dorchester Rd., Lyme, NH
Since we love this hotel so much (the Six South Street Hotel is a beautiful, luxurious hotel that gives hikers a rate of $99 rather than the usual $199 and up rate) and to give Brian another day of hiking without his full pack, we devised a way to do another slack packing day. The end point of the day was a trail head on a remote gravel road and the taxi company was not sure of its location, so we decided to start there and hike south bound for the day. This way, I would be able to give directions to the driver using my phone. The taxi picked us up at 9:30 am and we started our 13.7 mile day at 10:00 am. The first two miles to Grafton Turnpike were relatively flat. We were surrounded by lush, green flora. The NH trail never seems to disappoint with its beauty. Just as we crossed Grafton Turnpike, a man got out of his car and asked us to hold up. Longstride is a local fellow hiker who goes to different trail heads and offers trail magic. He handed us each a cookie bar (graham crackers, chocolate chips, and coconut) that he had baked and wished is well. So nice!!! We started the nearly 1200 foot climb to Holts Ledge. There was a precipitous drop off and unbelievable views of the mountains around us. We continued on and just as we started our descent, we saw a bunch of moose scat. A couple of hundred feet down the trail, I heard a rustle in the woods, looked up and saw something brown run down the hill. It seemed smaller than what you would expect for a moose and didn't have antlers, but I thought I had just spotted a baby moose. I turned to Brian and said "Moose! Moose!" Just then, Brian saw a second one. We started to look up the hill to look for the mother, but didn't see anything. As we walked, we talked about how the animals seemed small and seemed to have bushier hair than a moose, but I was convinced that those were just characteristics of young moose. Brian thought that maybe they were sheep. Of course I made fun of him since sheep are not indigenous to the NH woods. Well, as we walked a little further the animals had stopped to eat and they were... SHEEP! The two brown sheep were grazing on the brush on the side of the trail. We continued to walk toward them and when we were about 5 feet away, they turned and started walking down the trail. They had tags on their ears so I knew they belonged to someone. I wasn't sure what we were going to do with them, but there was a road not too far away so our plan was to get them there and then figure out what to do. We followed the sheep for almost two miles!! They even hiked over the bog bridges!! When we were about 100 feet from the road, I saw a woman and her dog at the trail head. The dog started towards us so I yelled, "There are sheep here!". I didn't want the dog to scare the sheep because we were going to attempt to call the police to see if anyone had reported them missing. The woman replied, "Those are my sheep!" The woman's name is Becky and it turns out that the two sheep, Annabelle and Chocolate Chip, jumped the fence and got out two nights ago!! Becky, her husband, Jeff, and their friend and co-owner of the sheep, Bruce, have been searching for the sheep for days, but figured at this point they must have fallen victim to a bear or a coyote. She was so relieved to see the sheep were alive and healthy! Since I didn't have cell service, Becky rode her bike to a house down the road to use their phone, while Brian and I kept an eye on the sheep and her dog, Prudy. She returned and told us that her husband was on his way. A little while later, Jeff and Bruce arrived. Now the challenge was how to get the sheep to their house. There were six adults now (a friend of Bruce's came to help) so we decided to approach the sheep, who were laying in the brush, from six angles. We started to close in on them and as we got closer, the sheep tried to bolt. Jeff practically dove to grab onto their wool because once you grab them, they are very docile and don't fight. He grabbed them and quickly the five of us helped grab them too. We picked them up (sheep are much lighter than they look!!) and put them in the back of Bruce's van. Layla, Jeff and Becky's 9 year old daughter, was so happy to have her sheep rescued. She kept thanking us. We went back to Jeff and Becky's house and helped get the sheep in their pen (with a higher fence!). We spent about an hour talking to everyone and then Becky offered to drive us back to Hanover. What an adventure!!! How many AT hikers can say they have hiked 2 miles with 2 sheep?!?! We must have been quite the sight... Two hikers herding two sheep down a mountain! It seems that there is always an adventure out here! We had a great day! Not only did Brian's ankle hold up well on bigger ascents and descents, but we also saved two sheep an met an amazing family and made new friends!!!
End: Etna-Hanover Center Road
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Since we love this hotel so much (the Six South Street Hotel is a beautiful, luxurious hotel that gives hikers a rate of $99 rather than the usual $199 and up rate) and to give Brian another day of hiking without his full pack, we devised a way to do another slack packing day. The end point of the day was a trail head on a remote gravel road and the taxi company was not sure of its location, so we decided to start there and hike south bound for the day. This way, I would be able to give directions to the driver using my phone. The taxi picked us up at 9:30 am and we started our 13.7 mile day at 10:00 am. The first two miles to Grafton Turnpike were relatively flat. We were surrounded by lush, green flora. The NH trail never seems to disappoint with its beauty. Just as we crossed Grafton Turnpike, a man got out of his car and asked us to hold up. Longstride is a local fellow hiker who goes to different trail heads and offers trail magic. He handed us each a cookie bar (graham crackers, chocolate chips, and coconut) that he had baked and wished is well. So nice!!! We started the nearly 1200 foot climb to Holts Ledge. There was a precipitous drop off and unbelievable views of the mountains around us. We continued on and just as we started our descent, we saw a bunch of moose scat. A couple of hundred feet down the trail, I heard a rustle in the woods, looked up and saw something brown run down the hill. It seemed smaller than what you would expect for a moose and didn't have antlers, but I thought I had just spotted a baby moose. I turned to Brian and said "Moose! Moose!" Just then, Brian saw a second one. We started to look up the hill to look for the mother, but didn't see anything. As we walked, we talked about how the animals seemed small and seemed to have bushier hair than a moose, but I was convinced that those were just characteristics of young moose. Brian thought that maybe they were sheep. Of course I made fun of him since sheep are not indigenous to the NH woods. Well, as we walked a little further the animals had stopped to eat and they were... SHEEP! The two brown sheep were grazing on the brush on the side of the trail. We continued to walk toward them and when we were about 5 feet away, they turned and started walking down the trail. They had tags on their ears so I knew they belonged to someone. I wasn't sure what we were going to do with them, but there was a road not too far away so our plan was to get them there and then figure out what to do. We followed the sheep for almost two miles!! They even hiked over the bog bridges!! When we were about 100 feet from the road, I saw a woman and her dog at the trail head. The dog started towards us so I yelled, "There are sheep here!". I didn't want the dog to scare the sheep because we were going to attempt to call the police to see if anyone had reported them missing. The woman replied, "Those are my sheep!" The woman's name is Becky and it turns out that the two sheep, Annabelle and Chocolate Chip, jumped the fence and got out two nights ago!! Becky, her husband, Jeff, and their friend and co-owner of the sheep, Bruce, have been searching for the sheep for days, but figured at this point they must have fallen victim to a bear or a coyote. She was so relieved to see the sheep were alive and healthy! Since I didn't have cell service, Becky rode her bike to a house down the road to use their phone, while Brian and I kept an eye on the sheep and her dog, Prudy. She returned and told us that her husband was on his way. A little while later, Jeff and Bruce arrived. Now the challenge was how to get the sheep to their house. There were six adults now (a friend of Bruce's came to help) so we decided to approach the sheep, who were laying in the brush, from six angles. We started to close in on them and as we got closer, the sheep tried to bolt. Jeff practically dove to grab onto their wool because once you grab them, they are very docile and don't fight. He grabbed them and quickly the five of us helped grab them too. We picked them up (sheep are much lighter than they look!!) and put them in the back of Bruce's van. Layla, Jeff and Becky's 9 year old daughter, was so happy to have her sheep rescued. She kept thanking us. We went back to Jeff and Becky's house and helped get the sheep in their pen (with a higher fence!). We spent about an hour talking to everyone and then Becky offered to drive us back to Hanover. What an adventure!!! How many AT hikers can say they have hiked 2 miles with 2 sheep?!?! We must have been quite the sight... Two hikers herding two sheep down a mountain! It seems that there is always an adventure out here! We had a great day! Not only did Brian's ankle hold up well on bigger ascents and descents, but we also saved two sheep an met an amazing family and made new friends!!!
End: Etna-Hanover Center Road
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 20, 2012
Start: Hanover, NH - Dartmouth College
Today we decided to set out for a 5.8 slack pack to test Brian's ankle on the trail, but not before we ate our free donut from Lou's Bakery and our free bagel from Bagel Basement (Best hiker town!!). The first .7 miles were a road walk through town. The trail out of Hanover is beautiful! Very green and covered in pine needles in a lot of places. We hiked through an area known as Velvet Rocks. I don't know if it was just this section of trail, being in NH, or just that we hadn't been on trail in a few days, but I just felt like I was surrounded by incredible beauty. About a half mile before Etna-Hanover Center Rd., where we planned to hitch back into town, we met Ann and her dog, Abby, on the trail. Abby is a black lab and when she ran at me with Ann out of sight around a corner, my brain initially thought, Bear! Abby was far from a bear though. She covered me in kisses while we talked to Ann about the trail. She asked questions about our journey and then offered to drive us back to Hanover. The people in NH are just amazing! It was a great, short day and Brian's ankle felt good. There were a bunch of short ups and downs so we were happy he felt so good. Tomorrow, we will tackle some bigger climbs.
End: Etna-Hanover Center Rd., Etna, NH - stayed at Six South Street Hotel in Hanover, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Today we decided to set out for a 5.8 slack pack to test Brian's ankle on the trail, but not before we ate our free donut from Lou's Bakery and our free bagel from Bagel Basement (Best hiker town!!). The first .7 miles were a road walk through town. The trail out of Hanover is beautiful! Very green and covered in pine needles in a lot of places. We hiked through an area known as Velvet Rocks. I don't know if it was just this section of trail, being in NH, or just that we hadn't been on trail in a few days, but I just felt like I was surrounded by incredible beauty. About a half mile before Etna-Hanover Center Rd., where we planned to hitch back into town, we met Ann and her dog, Abby, on the trail. Abby is a black lab and when she ran at me with Ann out of sight around a corner, my brain initially thought, Bear! Abby was far from a bear though. She covered me in kisses while we talked to Ann about the trail. She asked questions about our journey and then offered to drive us back to Hanover. The people in NH are just amazing! It was a great, short day and Brian's ankle felt good. There were a bunch of short ups and downs so we were happy he felt so good. Tomorrow, we will tackle some bigger climbs.
End: Etna-Hanover Center Rd., Etna, NH - stayed at Six South Street Hotel in Hanover, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Monday, August 20, 2012
Pictures!!!!!
Check out Brian's blog for new pictures!!!!
www.appalachiantrail-daddylonglegs.blogspot.com
www.appalachiantrail-daddylonglegs.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 19, 2012
August 19, 2012
Start: Bromley Sun Lodge, VT (VT 11/ VT 30 on the AT)
Since Brian sprained his ankle, we have been at the Bromley Sun Lodge just outside of Manchester Center, VT. He has been resting it in hopes that he can hike on it soon. Today, we made the decision to shuttle ahead to Norwich, VT so that we would be able to finish our journey with our favorite part, the Whites. If we had more time before work, we would have continued from Manchester Center, but we couldn't let this trip end without a Mt. Washington climb. Once we arrived in Norwich, VT, we walked the 1.5 mile road walk (still part of the AT) into Hanover, NH. Just as we paused to take our picture on the bridge over the Connecticut River where the VT/NH border is, we were greeted by Sandy. There was a kayaking event (PowerPaddlers) going on for suicide prevention. Sandy is a volunteer who was standing on the bridge watching her husband paddle. After taking a picture for us, she gave us great big hugs and told us we are such an inspiration to her. She then walked with us to the end of the bridge, telling all the people around,"They're AT hikers!" Everyone congratulated us and wished us well on the rest of our trek. What a way to enter NH!!! As we parted ways with Sandy, she told us that hiking the AT is on her bucket list. I know she'll do it! Once we reached Hanover, it felt surreal. We've been here before, but we've never walked here (well, mostly walked). So many times we have seen thru-hikers or long distance section hikers in this town (and other towns), always wanting to do what they were doing. Now, we ARE doing it. So surreal. For the last two months, we've been looking forward to walking into NH and today, we finally did. We ate lunch at a great restaurant, visited the couple of outfitters and now are just relaxing in the middle of town. Later, we will get our free piece of pizza that the local pizzeria gives hikers and tomorrow, our free bagel that the bagel store gives hikers. What an awesome town!!! Brian's ankle held up well on the road walk into town, so we are looking to hike out tomorrow. With rocks and roots, we will have to take it slow, but with an average of 10.2 miles a day, we will make it to Gorham, NH by our end date.
End: Hanover, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Since Brian sprained his ankle, we have been at the Bromley Sun Lodge just outside of Manchester Center, VT. He has been resting it in hopes that he can hike on it soon. Today, we made the decision to shuttle ahead to Norwich, VT so that we would be able to finish our journey with our favorite part, the Whites. If we had more time before work, we would have continued from Manchester Center, but we couldn't let this trip end without a Mt. Washington climb. Once we arrived in Norwich, VT, we walked the 1.5 mile road walk (still part of the AT) into Hanover, NH. Just as we paused to take our picture on the bridge over the Connecticut River where the VT/NH border is, we were greeted by Sandy. There was a kayaking event (PowerPaddlers) going on for suicide prevention. Sandy is a volunteer who was standing on the bridge watching her husband paddle. After taking a picture for us, she gave us great big hugs and told us we are such an inspiration to her. She then walked with us to the end of the bridge, telling all the people around,"They're AT hikers!" Everyone congratulated us and wished us well on the rest of our trek. What a way to enter NH!!! As we parted ways with Sandy, she told us that hiking the AT is on her bucket list. I know she'll do it! Once we reached Hanover, it felt surreal. We've been here before, but we've never walked here (well, mostly walked). So many times we have seen thru-hikers or long distance section hikers in this town (and other towns), always wanting to do what they were doing. Now, we ARE doing it. So surreal. For the last two months, we've been looking forward to walking into NH and today, we finally did. We ate lunch at a great restaurant, visited the couple of outfitters and now are just relaxing in the middle of town. Later, we will get our free piece of pizza that the local pizzeria gives hikers and tomorrow, our free bagel that the bagel store gives hikers. What an awesome town!!! Brian's ankle held up well on the road walk into town, so we are looking to hike out tomorrow. With rocks and roots, we will have to take it slow, but with an average of 10.2 miles a day, we will make it to Gorham, NH by our end date.
End: Hanover, NH
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Friday, August 17, 2012
August 15, 2012
Start: Stratton-Arlington Rd
At 8 am, No Whistle, Brian and I took a taxi to the gravel road we left yesterday. Our day started with a 3 mile, 1700 foot climb up Stratton Mountain. We were slack packing today, so we flew up the mountain and reached the summit in a little over an hour. At 3,936 feet, we were in the clouds. There is an observation tower at the peak, so we climbed another 55 feet up the staircase and had amazing views of the mountains and valleys that surround us. Beautiful! After about a half hour, we were starting to get cold so we continued on. The descent felt like it took no time, even though it was another 3 miles down. When We came off the mountain, we sat at Stratton Pond Shelter for a short snack break. It was noon and we had another 10.7 miles on relatively easy terrain so we were happy. About .1 miles after we left the shelter, Brian rolled his ankle on a rock. It instantly started swelling and it seemed pretty painful. We were quite a ways from the road, so Brian and I took it slowly while No Whistle continued on. I was happy we were slack packing because we only had one pack between the two of us so I carried the pack for the rest of the day. We finally reached the road and there were some forest service workers who were nice enough to give us a ride. We went to the hospital to have Brian's ankle looked at. Luckily, it isn't broken, but he has a bad sprain. The doctor advised him to rest for a few days.
After getting this news, we contemplated coming home, but we aren't ready to end our adventure. Looking at pictures of the amazing trail that lies ahead, particularly the Whites, we are excited to continue. We are taking a few days off near Manchester Center, VT for Brian to rest.
With two weeks left, the end is starting to sink in. I'm concerned about my transition back into everyday life. It's incredible how easy it was to simplify my life to the basics: walking, eating, and sleeping. Things like a bed, laundry, pure water, and being dry seem like luxuries. One would think that the thought of my own bed every night, any type of food and drink when I want it, TV, car, and, showers would be enough to lure me home. As much as I miss my family and friends, my cats, and my home, my heart, my spirit is home when I'm on the trail.
End: VT 11/ VT 30, Manchester Center, VT
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
At 8 am, No Whistle, Brian and I took a taxi to the gravel road we left yesterday. Our day started with a 3 mile, 1700 foot climb up Stratton Mountain. We were slack packing today, so we flew up the mountain and reached the summit in a little over an hour. At 3,936 feet, we were in the clouds. There is an observation tower at the peak, so we climbed another 55 feet up the staircase and had amazing views of the mountains and valleys that surround us. Beautiful! After about a half hour, we were starting to get cold so we continued on. The descent felt like it took no time, even though it was another 3 miles down. When We came off the mountain, we sat at Stratton Pond Shelter for a short snack break. It was noon and we had another 10.7 miles on relatively easy terrain so we were happy. About .1 miles after we left the shelter, Brian rolled his ankle on a rock. It instantly started swelling and it seemed pretty painful. We were quite a ways from the road, so Brian and I took it slowly while No Whistle continued on. I was happy we were slack packing because we only had one pack between the two of us so I carried the pack for the rest of the day. We finally reached the road and there were some forest service workers who were nice enough to give us a ride. We went to the hospital to have Brian's ankle looked at. Luckily, it isn't broken, but he has a bad sprain. The doctor advised him to rest for a few days.
After getting this news, we contemplated coming home, but we aren't ready to end our adventure. Looking at pictures of the amazing trail that lies ahead, particularly the Whites, we are excited to continue. We are taking a few days off near Manchester Center, VT for Brian to rest.
With two weeks left, the end is starting to sink in. I'm concerned about my transition back into everyday life. It's incredible how easy it was to simplify my life to the basics: walking, eating, and sleeping. Things like a bed, laundry, pure water, and being dry seem like luxuries. One would think that the thought of my own bed every night, any type of food and drink when I want it, TV, car, and, showers would be enough to lure me home. As much as I miss my family and friends, my cats, and my home, my heart, my spirit is home when I'm on the trail.
End: VT 11/ VT 30, Manchester Center, VT
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
August 14, 2012
Start: Kid Gore Shelter
We woke up to a beautiful view this morning! The shelter faces mountains with a lake in the distance and watching the sun come up over the mountains was gorgeous. I caught glimpses of the beauty between falling back asleep. I was really tired since the sound of squeaky, scampering mice had me up most of the night. We moved slow this morning, taking in the view and allowed Brian to walk around on his foot. We hiked out around 11 am and had a 500 foot climb to start the day. After 4.6 miles, we stopped at Story Spring Shelter for lunch. The spring water at this shelter was delicious!! It's amazing how much I appreciate cold, fresh, pure water! It was cold enough for Brian to use to "ice" his foot. We hung out for about an hour in the shelter to avoid the rain. While we were there, Miles Supertramp and Carver caught up to us again! We were happy to have the rest of our trail family back! After 3.8 miles we crossed a gravel road. Brian's foot was hurting and it was still threatening rain so I worked my town magic. We found a taxi that was available to take us to a motel about 20 miles away, but since they were from another town, it was going to cost $120!! I saw a mini van driving down the dirt road in the middle of nowhere and figured this was the perfect chance to put my yogi-ing (asking for something without actually asking for it) skills to work. I waved the van down and asked them if the road was closed in the direction they came from (the taxi had said the road was closed from that direction due to Hurricane Irene and that is why the price was so much). They said that it was and asked if we needed a ride. I explained that we had a taxi coming and why I asked them about the road closure. Their response... "Jump on in. We'll give you a ride!" I called to cancel the taxi and this awesome couple and their 3 kids drove us 3 very smelly hikers 23 miles to the motel!!! We couldn't thank them enough!!! Tonight, it is supposed to rain and thunderstorm so Brian, No Whistle and I are happy to be indoors after our 8.4 mile day.
End: Stratton-Arlington Road, VT - staying at Bromley Sun Lodge
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We woke up to a beautiful view this morning! The shelter faces mountains with a lake in the distance and watching the sun come up over the mountains was gorgeous. I caught glimpses of the beauty between falling back asleep. I was really tired since the sound of squeaky, scampering mice had me up most of the night. We moved slow this morning, taking in the view and allowed Brian to walk around on his foot. We hiked out around 11 am and had a 500 foot climb to start the day. After 4.6 miles, we stopped at Story Spring Shelter for lunch. The spring water at this shelter was delicious!! It's amazing how much I appreciate cold, fresh, pure water! It was cold enough for Brian to use to "ice" his foot. We hung out for about an hour in the shelter to avoid the rain. While we were there, Miles Supertramp and Carver caught up to us again! We were happy to have the rest of our trail family back! After 3.8 miles we crossed a gravel road. Brian's foot was hurting and it was still threatening rain so I worked my town magic. We found a taxi that was available to take us to a motel about 20 miles away, but since they were from another town, it was going to cost $120!! I saw a mini van driving down the dirt road in the middle of nowhere and figured this was the perfect chance to put my yogi-ing (asking for something without actually asking for it) skills to work. I waved the van down and asked them if the road was closed in the direction they came from (the taxi had said the road was closed from that direction due to Hurricane Irene and that is why the price was so much). They said that it was and asked if we needed a ride. I explained that we had a taxi coming and why I asked them about the road closure. Their response... "Jump on in. We'll give you a ride!" I called to cancel the taxi and this awesome couple and their 3 kids drove us 3 very smelly hikers 23 miles to the motel!!! We couldn't thank them enough!!! Tonight, it is supposed to rain and thunderstorm so Brian, No Whistle and I are happy to be indoors after our 8.4 mile day.
End: Stratton-Arlington Road, VT - staying at Bromley Sun Lodge
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 13, 2012
Start: VT 9, Bennington, VT
Daddy Long Legs, No Whistle, and I finally escaped Bennington after 3 zeros. On our first zero and for half of the second zero, we spent time with Brian's parents. It was so great to see them! Thanks guys for coming all the way up to Vermont to see us! When they came, they brought the pack I had purchased before we left. The pack is an Osprey Aura 50 so it is lighter and smaller than my Gregory Jade 60. I love my Gregory pack, but I wanted to downsize before we left. Unfortunately, all of my stuff didn't fit in the Osprey, but now that I have sent home a lot of stuff I realized I didn't need, the Osprey is perfect!
We intended to leave town yesterday, but the three of us were so tired and or bodies were screaming for more rest so we took the zero. It was the best zero! We woke up, ate breakfast, took a nap, showered, went to the movies and watched The Campaign (very funny!), went in the indoor pool and hot tub, went to Chilis for dinner and relaxed some more!
Today, it was time to put some miles in! We took a taxi to the trail head on Rt. 9, where we had left the trail. Almost the entire day was uphill! After 2.6 miles, we were up on the ridge which was a gradual uphill until Goddard Shelter at 3,573 feet. We took about an hour break and then continued 4.3 miles to Kid Gore Shelter where we are spending the night. At least most of the last 4.3 miles were downhill. About a mile into it, Brian rolled his right ankle/foot on a rock/root. We took it slow getting into camp. I wrapped his foot for him and he is elevating it. Hopefully, it will feel better in the morning. We have a big day with Stratton Mountain at the end.
We are sleeping in Kid Gore Shelter tonight. There is a beautiful view of mountains and a lake in the distance. The shelter has bunks in it, which is good because I can already hear mice scampering around. Yuck! We were going to tent, but there aren't any good tenting spots available. I guess that's the trade off for being in a mountainous spot with great views! Today was a great 14.4 mile day!
End: Kid Gore Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Daddy Long Legs, No Whistle, and I finally escaped Bennington after 3 zeros. On our first zero and for half of the second zero, we spent time with Brian's parents. It was so great to see them! Thanks guys for coming all the way up to Vermont to see us! When they came, they brought the pack I had purchased before we left. The pack is an Osprey Aura 50 so it is lighter and smaller than my Gregory Jade 60. I love my Gregory pack, but I wanted to downsize before we left. Unfortunately, all of my stuff didn't fit in the Osprey, but now that I have sent home a lot of stuff I realized I didn't need, the Osprey is perfect!
We intended to leave town yesterday, but the three of us were so tired and or bodies were screaming for more rest so we took the zero. It was the best zero! We woke up, ate breakfast, took a nap, showered, went to the movies and watched The Campaign (very funny!), went in the indoor pool and hot tub, went to Chilis for dinner and relaxed some more!
Today, it was time to put some miles in! We took a taxi to the trail head on Rt. 9, where we had left the trail. Almost the entire day was uphill! After 2.6 miles, we were up on the ridge which was a gradual uphill until Goddard Shelter at 3,573 feet. We took about an hour break and then continued 4.3 miles to Kid Gore Shelter where we are spending the night. At least most of the last 4.3 miles were downhill. About a mile into it, Brian rolled his right ankle/foot on a rock/root. We took it slow getting into camp. I wrapped his foot for him and he is elevating it. Hopefully, it will feel better in the morning. We have a big day with Stratton Mountain at the end.
We are sleeping in Kid Gore Shelter tonight. There is a beautiful view of mountains and a lake in the distance. The shelter has bunks in it, which is good because I can already hear mice scampering around. Yuck! We were going to tent, but there aren't any good tenting spots available. I guess that's the trade off for being in a mountainous spot with great views! Today was a great 14.4 mile day!
End: Kid Gore Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Saturday, August 11, 2012
August 9, 2012
Start: MA 2, North Adams, MA
Why is leaving town at a reasonable time always so difficult??? We were excited to get on the trail but we still got off to a late start. After we packed up and ate breakfast, we stopped at Subway to get sandwiches to pack out. Brian and I met up with No Whistle and EMT and stuck out our thumbs. With 4 of us, we thought it might be difficult to get a ride so Brian and I walked a little bit down the road to hitch separately, but just after we separated, a nice guy on his way to work pulled over for all 4 of us! We started the day with a 1500 foot climb over 2.7 miles. The last part of the climb was up a steep boulder "wall." After that climb, the trail continued on the ridge for about 4 miles, during which we crossed the border into Vermont! Our 8TH state! We stopped at Seth Warner Shelter for about 30 minutes and ate our subs. Packing out Subway was a great idea! There was a 700 foot climb from the shelter and then a few bumps with a small descent to another ridge. We reached Congdon Shelter at 6:30 pm, took a short 20 minute snack break and continued on. We had 4.2 miles to VT 9 and planned to stay in Bennington. We knew it would get dark so we got our head lamps ready. The first 3.2 miles included 3 small elevation ups and downs. As the sun set, we turned our head lamps on and all of my senses seemed to be heightened. Night hiking is an exciting adventure. By the time we reached the 700 foot steep descent over 0.8 miles, it was DARK out. We took the descent slowly and were happy to see it was made up mostly of rock steps. There was a large tree that had fallen across the trail, which added some extra excitement to the evening. My knee began to ache on the way down and at one point, I came down on my right leg just to have it give out completely. I fell, but landed very gracefully in a seated position on a rock step. First full fall of the hike. Once we finally reached the road, I called a taxi. We thought that was a better idea than trying to hitch 6 miles in the dark. Once again I was able to use my skills to get the taxi driver to make a stop at McDonalds before taking us to the hotel. We ended the night with yummy food, a shower, and a bed. Tomorrow, Brian's parents will be visiting us and we will enjoy a double zero relaxing with them. Overall, today was a great 18.4 mile day!
End: VT 9, Bennington, VT - Best Western
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Why is leaving town at a reasonable time always so difficult??? We were excited to get on the trail but we still got off to a late start. After we packed up and ate breakfast, we stopped at Subway to get sandwiches to pack out. Brian and I met up with No Whistle and EMT and stuck out our thumbs. With 4 of us, we thought it might be difficult to get a ride so Brian and I walked a little bit down the road to hitch separately, but just after we separated, a nice guy on his way to work pulled over for all 4 of us! We started the day with a 1500 foot climb over 2.7 miles. The last part of the climb was up a steep boulder "wall." After that climb, the trail continued on the ridge for about 4 miles, during which we crossed the border into Vermont! Our 8TH state! We stopped at Seth Warner Shelter for about 30 minutes and ate our subs. Packing out Subway was a great idea! There was a 700 foot climb from the shelter and then a few bumps with a small descent to another ridge. We reached Congdon Shelter at 6:30 pm, took a short 20 minute snack break and continued on. We had 4.2 miles to VT 9 and planned to stay in Bennington. We knew it would get dark so we got our head lamps ready. The first 3.2 miles included 3 small elevation ups and downs. As the sun set, we turned our head lamps on and all of my senses seemed to be heightened. Night hiking is an exciting adventure. By the time we reached the 700 foot steep descent over 0.8 miles, it was DARK out. We took the descent slowly and were happy to see it was made up mostly of rock steps. There was a large tree that had fallen across the trail, which added some extra excitement to the evening. My knee began to ache on the way down and at one point, I came down on my right leg just to have it give out completely. I fell, but landed very gracefully in a seated position on a rock step. First full fall of the hike. Once we finally reached the road, I called a taxi. We thought that was a better idea than trying to hitch 6 miles in the dark. Once again I was able to use my skills to get the taxi driver to make a stop at McDonalds before taking us to the hotel. We ended the night with yummy food, a shower, and a bed. Tomorrow, Brian's parents will be visiting us and we will enjoy a double zero relaxing with them. Overall, today was a great 18.4 mile day!
End: VT 9, Bennington, VT - Best Western
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
August 8, 2012
Start: MA 8, Cheshire, MA
We woke up excited today! We were going to be over 3000 feet for our first time this trip! The plan was to do a 14.1 mile slack pack up and over Mount Greylock. EMT, No Whistle, Brian and I headed out to get a 10 mile hitch back to where we left the trail. Within the first 3 minutes a car pulled over with a mother and daughter. The four of us squeezed in the back and they took us all the way back to the trail. The 7.7 miles up the mountain were a nice gradual climb with some short steep climbs mixed in. EMT walked far ahead while No Whistle, Brian and I walked together. I was hiking without a pack and I felt as though I was floating and gliding down the trail. Brian and I reached the summit of Greylock in 2 hours and 50 minutes. It was a gorgeous day so we climbed up the observation tower and had views of the Catskill, Adirondack, Taconic, and Green Mountain ranges. Stratton Mountain stood tall in the distance proudly displaying the climb we will face in a few days. We spent about 2 hours at the summit eating lunch and talking with lots of other hikers, both northbound and southbound. At 3pm we began the 6.3 mile descent to North Adams. It started gradual but the last 3 miles were steep, descending over 1500 feet in elevation. We reached MA 2 and stuck out our thumbs. Two nice women in a Prius pulled over about 100 feet in front of us and backed up all the way to where we were standing. They told us to jump in and they took us back to town. It was a beautiful day on a great trail up a tall mountain with gorgeous views. Amazing!
End: MA 2, North Adams, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We woke up excited today! We were going to be over 3000 feet for our first time this trip! The plan was to do a 14.1 mile slack pack up and over Mount Greylock. EMT, No Whistle, Brian and I headed out to get a 10 mile hitch back to where we left the trail. Within the first 3 minutes a car pulled over with a mother and daughter. The four of us squeezed in the back and they took us all the way back to the trail. The 7.7 miles up the mountain were a nice gradual climb with some short steep climbs mixed in. EMT walked far ahead while No Whistle, Brian and I walked together. I was hiking without a pack and I felt as though I was floating and gliding down the trail. Brian and I reached the summit of Greylock in 2 hours and 50 minutes. It was a gorgeous day so we climbed up the observation tower and had views of the Catskill, Adirondack, Taconic, and Green Mountain ranges. Stratton Mountain stood tall in the distance proudly displaying the climb we will face in a few days. We spent about 2 hours at the summit eating lunch and talking with lots of other hikers, both northbound and southbound. At 3pm we began the 6.3 mile descent to North Adams. It started gradual but the last 3 miles were steep, descending over 1500 feet in elevation. We reached MA 2 and stuck out our thumbs. Two nice women in a Prius pulled over about 100 feet in front of us and backed up all the way to where we were standing. They told us to jump in and they took us back to town. It was a beautiful day on a great trail up a tall mountain with gorgeous views. Amazing!
End: MA 2, North Adams, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
August 7, 2012
Start: Dalton, MA
As is normally the case when leaving the town, the trail went straight up first thing this morning. We climbed almost 1000 feet and then walked along the bumpy ridge. 6.2 miles in we had a gorgeous view of the Hoosic River Valley and Mt Greylock from high outcroppings of marble called The Cobbles. The trail then descended into the town of Cheshire, MA. We were walking with No Whistle and EMT and just as I walked past a tree, it fell down with a thunderous BOOM!!! I narrowly escaped getting hit in the head with a tree as everyone else yelled, "WATCH OUT!!!!!" Crazy!!! After that scare we decided to stop for what we thought would be a quick lunch. We only ordered sodas and a few appetizers but it took FOREVER!! By the time we left it was over two hours later at 4:15 pm. The original plan for the day was to climb up Mt Greylock but now we wouldn't be able to summit it until around 10 pm tonight. The four of us decided to call it quits for the day after 8.8 miles and save Greylock for tomorrow. It was a short day, but after yesterday's 19 mile day, my legs don't mind. We are staying in North Adams tonight so we had to hitch 10 miles to the town. My pretty hitching thumb (as Brian likes to call it) worked well again and I was able to get us there in one hitch within 10 minutes. Thank you Derek! Tomorrow we will start in Cheshire and walk over Greylock into North Adams. Looking forward to the views!!!
End: MA 8, Cheshire, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
As is normally the case when leaving the town, the trail went straight up first thing this morning. We climbed almost 1000 feet and then walked along the bumpy ridge. 6.2 miles in we had a gorgeous view of the Hoosic River Valley and Mt Greylock from high outcroppings of marble called The Cobbles. The trail then descended into the town of Cheshire, MA. We were walking with No Whistle and EMT and just as I walked past a tree, it fell down with a thunderous BOOM!!! I narrowly escaped getting hit in the head with a tree as everyone else yelled, "WATCH OUT!!!!!" Crazy!!! After that scare we decided to stop for what we thought would be a quick lunch. We only ordered sodas and a few appetizers but it took FOREVER!! By the time we left it was over two hours later at 4:15 pm. The original plan for the day was to climb up Mt Greylock but now we wouldn't be able to summit it until around 10 pm tonight. The four of us decided to call it quits for the day after 8.8 miles and save Greylock for tomorrow. It was a short day, but after yesterday's 19 mile day, my legs don't mind. We are staying in North Adams tonight so we had to hitch 10 miles to the town. My pretty hitching thumb (as Brian likes to call it) worked well again and I was able to get us there in one hitch within 10 minutes. Thank you Derek! Tomorrow we will start in Cheshire and walk over Greylock into North Adams. Looking forward to the views!!!
End: MA 8, Cheshire, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Monday, August 6, 2012
August 6, 2012
Start: US 20, Lee, MA - Berkshire Lakeside Lodge
The day started at 9:20 am with a 700 foot gradual climb. The weather today was absolutely perfect. It was 80 degrees, low humidity and there was a nice breeze blowing. Once we were on the ridge, we stayed there for most of the day. We took a short break after 5.3 miles and talked to two day hikers from Brooklyn. The "Cookie Lady" was only 4.2 miles away and I was ready for some cookies, so we got started again. The Cookie Lady is a women who makes chocolate chip cookies for hikers for free and also allows hikers to tent in her yard. She also sells blueberries that you can pick yourself, hard boiled eggs, soda, and ice cream. We took a 40 minute break and enjoyed some soda and snacks. No Whistle was there when we arrived so we hiked out together. It was time to conquer an additional 9 miles to make it a total of 19 miles today. Our biggest day yet! The trail continued to follow the ridge with a few minor climbs until it was time to descend into Dalton, MA. We reached the town at 7:45 pm and had achieved our 19 mile day. We were hungry and celebrated our day with a delicious dinner. Now we are showered and exhausted.
Today was another amazing day on the trail. As the wind blew in my face and I felt the warmth of the sun shining on me, all I could think was how lucky I am to be out here experiencing this! We saw 2 garden snakes, many orange newts, walked a beautiful part of the trail, and were treated like royalty by complete strangers. I'm not sure a day could be better. I'm starting to get a bit nervous about my transition back into "normal life." Six weeks ago, September 1st seemed so far away. Now, it appears to be quickly approaching. I do miss my friends, family, kitties, and bed, but this trail life is exactly what my wild spirit craves. It will be hard to leave the trail. For now though, I will live in the present and enjoy each day, not worrying about the future. Living in the present moment is another trail lesson I have learned.
End: Dalton, MA - Shamrock Village Inn
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
The day started at 9:20 am with a 700 foot gradual climb. The weather today was absolutely perfect. It was 80 degrees, low humidity and there was a nice breeze blowing. Once we were on the ridge, we stayed there for most of the day. We took a short break after 5.3 miles and talked to two day hikers from Brooklyn. The "Cookie Lady" was only 4.2 miles away and I was ready for some cookies, so we got started again. The Cookie Lady is a women who makes chocolate chip cookies for hikers for free and also allows hikers to tent in her yard. She also sells blueberries that you can pick yourself, hard boiled eggs, soda, and ice cream. We took a 40 minute break and enjoyed some soda and snacks. No Whistle was there when we arrived so we hiked out together. It was time to conquer an additional 9 miles to make it a total of 19 miles today. Our biggest day yet! The trail continued to follow the ridge with a few minor climbs until it was time to descend into Dalton, MA. We reached the town at 7:45 pm and had achieved our 19 mile day. We were hungry and celebrated our day with a delicious dinner. Now we are showered and exhausted.
Today was another amazing day on the trail. As the wind blew in my face and I felt the warmth of the sun shining on me, all I could think was how lucky I am to be out here experiencing this! We saw 2 garden snakes, many orange newts, walked a beautiful part of the trail, and were treated like royalty by complete strangers. I'm not sure a day could be better. I'm starting to get a bit nervous about my transition back into "normal life." Six weeks ago, September 1st seemed so far away. Now, it appears to be quickly approaching. I do miss my friends, family, kitties, and bed, but this trail life is exactly what my wild spirit craves. It will be hard to leave the trail. For now though, I will live in the present and enjoy each day, not worrying about the future. Living in the present moment is another trail lesson I have learned.
End: Dalton, MA - Shamrock Village Inn
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 5, 2012
Start: US 20, Lee, MA - Berkshire Lakeside Lodge
The weather for today was calling for severe thunderstorms but we planned to hike out anyway. That quickly changed when No Whistle, Miles Supertramp, and Carver were hanging out for the day and when we found out the price for a second night for hikers was $30. A zero it was. This was definitely the best zero we've had on the trail. It all started the night before when Miles, Brian, and No Whistle wanted Chinese and Carver and I wanted McDonalds. I first called McDonalds and asked if they would deliver to hungry hikers for a good tip. The answer was no. Next idea... Order Chinese and ask them if they will make a stop at McDonalds. Success! Everyone in the room doubted my ability to get this done, but I proved them wrong. The next morning, the shenanigans continued. No Whistle and I wanted to go to town to do laundry and resupply. We were going to hitch the 5 miles into town, but Diana, the motel owner offered to give us a ride in. Thank you Diana! We did some much needed laundry and then went to Rite Aid to resupply some food. While we were waiting for laundry to be done, we decided to go to McDonalds. Our packs were full with heavy loads from Rite Aid so we put them in a shopping cart and wheeled them to McDonalds. We must have been quite the sight. The looks we received from the cars driving by were hysterical, but they were nothing compared to the look that the 5 year old girl inside Mickey D's gave us when we wheeled the cart inside. Lunch was delicious and then it was time to get our laundry. When we were done, I asked a guy who appeared to be nice if he would drive us to the motel. It turned out he is a hiker and was happy to help us out. Once back at the hotel, a nap was next on the "To Do" list. We relaxed for the rest of the day and for dinner we all enjoyed pizza together. Brian, Miles and I all took kayaks out on the lake. I had my feet hanging over the side contemplating a swim, but I must have contemplated too far and I capsized the kayak. Swimming it was! After the sun went down and the nearly full moon came out, we decided to do some night canoeing and swimming. We had an awesome time! The reflection of the mountains and the moon on the flat water was amazing. I'm glad we took this zero because we really had a great time with our trail family, shared many laughs, and created memories that will last forever. Tomorrow is a big 19 mile day, so bed time it is.
End: US 20, Lee, MA - Berkshire Lakeside Lodge
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
The weather for today was calling for severe thunderstorms but we planned to hike out anyway. That quickly changed when No Whistle, Miles Supertramp, and Carver were hanging out for the day and when we found out the price for a second night for hikers was $30. A zero it was. This was definitely the best zero we've had on the trail. It all started the night before when Miles, Brian, and No Whistle wanted Chinese and Carver and I wanted McDonalds. I first called McDonalds and asked if they would deliver to hungry hikers for a good tip. The answer was no. Next idea... Order Chinese and ask them if they will make a stop at McDonalds. Success! Everyone in the room doubted my ability to get this done, but I proved them wrong. The next morning, the shenanigans continued. No Whistle and I wanted to go to town to do laundry and resupply. We were going to hitch the 5 miles into town, but Diana, the motel owner offered to give us a ride in. Thank you Diana! We did some much needed laundry and then went to Rite Aid to resupply some food. While we were waiting for laundry to be done, we decided to go to McDonalds. Our packs were full with heavy loads from Rite Aid so we put them in a shopping cart and wheeled them to McDonalds. We must have been quite the sight. The looks we received from the cars driving by were hysterical, but they were nothing compared to the look that the 5 year old girl inside Mickey D's gave us when we wheeled the cart inside. Lunch was delicious and then it was time to get our laundry. When we were done, I asked a guy who appeared to be nice if he would drive us to the motel. It turned out he is a hiker and was happy to help us out. Once back at the hotel, a nap was next on the "To Do" list. We relaxed for the rest of the day and for dinner we all enjoyed pizza together. Brian, Miles and I all took kayaks out on the lake. I had my feet hanging over the side contemplating a swim, but I must have contemplated too far and I capsized the kayak. Swimming it was! After the sun went down and the nearly full moon came out, we decided to do some night canoeing and swimming. We had an awesome time! The reflection of the mountains and the moon on the flat water was amazing. I'm glad we took this zero because we really had a great time with our trail family, shared many laughs, and created memories that will last forever. Tomorrow is a big 19 mile day, so bed time it is.
End: US 20, Lee, MA - Berkshire Lakeside Lodge
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Saturday, August 4, 2012
August 4, 2012
Start: Shaker Campsite, MA
Another great day in the trail life of Flicka. We woke up at 7:10 and were out of camp at 8:20. The trail was flat initially, but quickly gave us a 500 foot climb and descent. Three miles into the day, a trail maintenance crew was out and one of the maintainers, Mother Nature, gave us delicious cookies from a bakery in Great Barrington! Yeah!! Thank you Mother Nature!! The trail magic has been amazing in New England! Those cookies gave us some energy for the almost 1000 foot climb that followed. Once we reached the peak of Baldy Mountain, the trail continued with some small ups and downs. After 10 miles we reached the .5 mile blue blazed trail to Upper Goose Pond. What a hiker haven! The cabin is awesome and the caretakers (Bonnie, Rob, and Max) were great. We enjoyed a couple of hours there and then we moved on. It was 1.6 miles to the road where there was a motel 0.1 miles from the trail and delivery pizza. Last night, I had trouble falling asleep because of thoughts of pizza so we were happy to be able to get some. No Whistle was at Upper Goose Pond Cabin, so she also hiked down for a shower and pizza. Miles Supertramp and Carver are also here tonight. I'm thinking it will be a great night with great company to follow a great day of hiking.
End: US 20, Lee, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Another great day in the trail life of Flicka. We woke up at 7:10 and were out of camp at 8:20. The trail was flat initially, but quickly gave us a 500 foot climb and descent. Three miles into the day, a trail maintenance crew was out and one of the maintainers, Mother Nature, gave us delicious cookies from a bakery in Great Barrington! Yeah!! Thank you Mother Nature!! The trail magic has been amazing in New England! Those cookies gave us some energy for the almost 1000 foot climb that followed. Once we reached the peak of Baldy Mountain, the trail continued with some small ups and downs. After 10 miles we reached the .5 mile blue blazed trail to Upper Goose Pond. What a hiker haven! The cabin is awesome and the caretakers (Bonnie, Rob, and Max) were great. We enjoyed a couple of hours there and then we moved on. It was 1.6 miles to the road where there was a motel 0.1 miles from the trail and delivery pizza. Last night, I had trouble falling asleep because of thoughts of pizza so we were happy to be able to get some. No Whistle was at Upper Goose Pond Cabin, so she also hiked down for a shower and pizza. Miles Supertramp and Carver are also here tonight. I'm thinking it will be a great night with great company to follow a great day of hiking.
End: US 20, Lee, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
August 3, 2012
Start: MA 23, Great Barrington, MA
We had a late start this morning (usual for leaving a town). Once we were packed up, we ate lunch at Subway with Miles Supertramp. After lunch, we ran some errands on our way out of town. As we walked up to where US 7 and MA 23 meet (we thought this would be the best place to hitch a ride back to the trail), everyone seemed to want to talk to us about the trail. Earlier in the morning, I had already spoken to a man at the hotel who was asking about the trail. He told me he could see my love for the trail all over my face. Another older man at the hotel asked, "Why would you want to walk that far?" Now as we walked through town, our waitress from last night, a lady walking to the bakery, a landscaper, and a delivery man for Rite Aid all asked us about the trail and wished us well. As we continued down the main street, a car swerved to the side, causing the car behind her to beep at her. She rolled down the window, asked where we were going, and told us to jump in. Unsolicited rides = trail magic! The lady who picked us up, known as Shamrock on the trail, hiked 175 miles of the trail in 2008 and now spends many of her mornings bringing ice cold water to Guilder Pond Picnic Area for hikers. Turns out, we drank her water just the other day! Thank you Shamrock for the water AND the ride! We started at 11:50 and climbed 500 feet. The trail continued with a gradual ascent and of course, some pointless ups and downs. After 3.3 miles, we reached Mt Wilcox South Shelters. We checked out the new shelter and took a short break. When we were leaving the shelter, another hiker was taking a break in the middle of the trail. Trying to step around him caused Brian to fall. When he got up, he had a large scrape on his forearm. While I was concerned and wondering if he was ok, he was more concerned with getting a picture of the new battle wound. Boys! 1.8 miles later we reached Mt Wilcox North Shelter. We took another short break. We planned to do 9.1 miles today, so we were in no rush. A mile after the shelter we reached East Brook and filled up on water. Massachusetts has been pretty dry and we wanted to make sure we had enough water for the remainder of the day and for the start of tomorrow. We had 2.8 miles left with our heavy, water filled packs. We had to descend about 900 feet in a little more than a mile. There was also a 200 foot climb and extra descent thrown in there... That's how the AT rolls. : ) On the way down to the campsite, the forest surrounded us with lush, green ferns and these beautiful tall grasses. The switchbacks traversed through the beautiful green and before we knew it, we had reached the campsite. We are staying at Shakers Campsite and it is a great spot. There are tent platforms, which means no sloped sleeping tonight. Today was a short day, but a great day. Tomorrow, we will hike 10 miles to Upper Goose Pond Cabin. I've read and heard so much about the cabin and how amazing it is so I am very excited!
End: Shakers Campsite, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
We had a late start this morning (usual for leaving a town). Once we were packed up, we ate lunch at Subway with Miles Supertramp. After lunch, we ran some errands on our way out of town. As we walked up to where US 7 and MA 23 meet (we thought this would be the best place to hitch a ride back to the trail), everyone seemed to want to talk to us about the trail. Earlier in the morning, I had already spoken to a man at the hotel who was asking about the trail. He told me he could see my love for the trail all over my face. Another older man at the hotel asked, "Why would you want to walk that far?" Now as we walked through town, our waitress from last night, a lady walking to the bakery, a landscaper, and a delivery man for Rite Aid all asked us about the trail and wished us well. As we continued down the main street, a car swerved to the side, causing the car behind her to beep at her. She rolled down the window, asked where we were going, and told us to jump in. Unsolicited rides = trail magic! The lady who picked us up, known as Shamrock on the trail, hiked 175 miles of the trail in 2008 and now spends many of her mornings bringing ice cold water to Guilder Pond Picnic Area for hikers. Turns out, we drank her water just the other day! Thank you Shamrock for the water AND the ride! We started at 11:50 and climbed 500 feet. The trail continued with a gradual ascent and of course, some pointless ups and downs. After 3.3 miles, we reached Mt Wilcox South Shelters. We checked out the new shelter and took a short break. When we were leaving the shelter, another hiker was taking a break in the middle of the trail. Trying to step around him caused Brian to fall. When he got up, he had a large scrape on his forearm. While I was concerned and wondering if he was ok, he was more concerned with getting a picture of the new battle wound. Boys! 1.8 miles later we reached Mt Wilcox North Shelter. We took another short break. We planned to do 9.1 miles today, so we were in no rush. A mile after the shelter we reached East Brook and filled up on water. Massachusetts has been pretty dry and we wanted to make sure we had enough water for the remainder of the day and for the start of tomorrow. We had 2.8 miles left with our heavy, water filled packs. We had to descend about 900 feet in a little more than a mile. There was also a 200 foot climb and extra descent thrown in there... That's how the AT rolls. : ) On the way down to the campsite, the forest surrounded us with lush, green ferns and these beautiful tall grasses. The switchbacks traversed through the beautiful green and before we knew it, we had reached the campsite. We are staying at Shakers Campsite and it is a great spot. There are tent platforms, which means no sloped sleeping tonight. Today was a short day, but a great day. Tomorrow, we will hike 10 miles to Upper Goose Pond Cabin. I've read and heard so much about the cabin and how amazing it is so I am very excited!
End: Shakers Campsite, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Thursday, August 2, 2012
August 2, 2012
Start: US 7, Great Barrington, MA
Another awesome day! We had decided last night that we would do the 8.4 miles between US 7 and MA 23 and spend the night in Great Barrington again. Since we would be staying at the same place, we just hiked with water and some snacks in our packs... They were super light and I feel spoiled now. We walked out to the road at 9:50 and we were able to get a hitch back to the trail within 5 minutes. As if that wasn't fantastic enough, there was a cooler with ice cold sodas in it at the trail head!! We each took one to drink at the top of East Mountain. The first 1.4 miles were mostly flat and went in between corn fields and tree cover. The next 2.9 miles went UP though... Over 1000 feet! As we were climbing, I just about put my foot down on a baby garden snake. As soon as it slithered out of the way, I made a high pitched, girly, horse neighing type of sound. I'm not sure what the sound was, but we both got a good laugh from it. We reached the peak of East Mountain at 1800 feet and had an awesome view. It was so clear that we could even see Mount Greylock (the highest point in MA about 50 miles away) where we will be in a few days. As we sat admiring the view, enjoying the shade, cool breeze, and pepsis, a golden eagle flew right over us making loud shrieking sounds. So beautiful! After about 40 minutes we decided to get going again. There were some ups and downs along the ridge, but none were over 100 feet high. We came to the Tom Leonard Shelter where we met Castaway and Kleenex. We talked for a few minutes and then continued on. The last two miles were a nice gradual downhill on soft pine needles. My favorite! I was so happy that I couldn't help but sing again (sorry, Wenk!). I started with the usual, "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid," but then I wrote my own lyrics and it went something like this... "There was a hiker and he was fast, Brian was his name-o, B-R-I-A-N, B-R-I-A-N, B-R-I-A-N, and Brian was his name-o. As I continued to sing, I replaced the letters with a clank of my trekking poles rather than with a clap. Brian said that I must have reached a new level of boredom, but I think I was just enjoying the day so much I felt like singing. We reached MA 23 and within 5 cars we got a hitch back to Great Barrington. There is a car show going on in town today with a lot of traffic, so we had the trail angel drop us off at the start of town and we walked to our hotel. The word to describe today would be PERFECT! Two easy hitches, trail magic soda, an amazing view, slack packing (not carrying all your gear with you when you will end up at the same place you started), and some great laughs.
End: MA 23, Great Barrington, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Another awesome day! We had decided last night that we would do the 8.4 miles between US 7 and MA 23 and spend the night in Great Barrington again. Since we would be staying at the same place, we just hiked with water and some snacks in our packs... They were super light and I feel spoiled now. We walked out to the road at 9:50 and we were able to get a hitch back to the trail within 5 minutes. As if that wasn't fantastic enough, there was a cooler with ice cold sodas in it at the trail head!! We each took one to drink at the top of East Mountain. The first 1.4 miles were mostly flat and went in between corn fields and tree cover. The next 2.9 miles went UP though... Over 1000 feet! As we were climbing, I just about put my foot down on a baby garden snake. As soon as it slithered out of the way, I made a high pitched, girly, horse neighing type of sound. I'm not sure what the sound was, but we both got a good laugh from it. We reached the peak of East Mountain at 1800 feet and had an awesome view. It was so clear that we could even see Mount Greylock (the highest point in MA about 50 miles away) where we will be in a few days. As we sat admiring the view, enjoying the shade, cool breeze, and pepsis, a golden eagle flew right over us making loud shrieking sounds. So beautiful! After about 40 minutes we decided to get going again. There were some ups and downs along the ridge, but none were over 100 feet high. We came to the Tom Leonard Shelter where we met Castaway and Kleenex. We talked for a few minutes and then continued on. The last two miles were a nice gradual downhill on soft pine needles. My favorite! I was so happy that I couldn't help but sing again (sorry, Wenk!). I started with the usual, "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid," but then I wrote my own lyrics and it went something like this... "There was a hiker and he was fast, Brian was his name-o, B-R-I-A-N, B-R-I-A-N, B-R-I-A-N, and Brian was his name-o. As I continued to sing, I replaced the letters with a clank of my trekking poles rather than with a clap. Brian said that I must have reached a new level of boredom, but I think I was just enjoying the day so much I felt like singing. We reached MA 23 and within 5 cars we got a hitch back to Great Barrington. There is a car show going on in town today with a lot of traffic, so we had the trail angel drop us off at the start of town and we walked to our hotel. The word to describe today would be PERFECT! Two easy hitches, trail magic soda, an amazing view, slack packing (not carrying all your gear with you when you will end up at the same place you started), and some great laughs.
End: MA 23, Great Barrington, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
August 1, 2012
Start: Sages Ravine Campsite, MA
Today was a hard, long, great day! We did 14.6 miles but it felt much longer with the two big climbs and long, rocky descents we had. We started the day at 8:40 am from the campsite. Walking along the stream in the ravine was beautiful. We were surrounded by rich green, lush flora and the sound of the moving water was calming and captivating. Great way to start the day. We then started the climb up Mount Race and reached the summit and beautiful views at 2365 feet. The walk along the ridge was our first exposed ridge of the trip and the views were worth the climb. In true AT fashion, we descended 400 feet just to climb 700 feet up Mount Everett. It was a steep climb up ledges with the peak reaching 2602 feet. Just before the peak a bird pooped on the back of my neck. Brian was already at the top so I had to wait until I got there for him to wipe it off me. They say it's good luck... Maybe I should go play the lotto?!?! We had a quick snack at the top and then continued on. At the Guilder Pond Picnic Area at the bottom of the mountain, an awesome trail angel left ICE COLD water for thru hikers!! It is incredible how being out here on the trail really makes you appreciate the simple things in life like ice cold water. We hiked on through the afternoon and met up with Miles Supertramp, one of our favorite trail friends. We hiked the remainder of the day with him, enjoying views from Jug End and eventually the relatively flat trail into Great Barrington. Once we reached the road, it took less than 5 minutes of holding out my thumb for a pick up truck to pull over. The three of us loaded into the back for the 3 miles into town. My favorite part of today (aside from the bird poop, of course) was seeing such diverse, beautiful landscapes in 14.6 miles. We started the day in a lush ravine, then climbed into an alpine zone with awesome views and an exposed ridge, then back down into the woods, up into an alpine zone again, down into a cornfield, into a dense red pine forest, through a swamp (the mosquitoes were vicious!), through some more fields, and finally into town. How many people get to experience such varied flora and fauna in one day?!? We decided to spend the night in Great Barrington since we earned it with hiking this time. Miles is staying in town too so the three of us indulged in some delicious town food. We are ready for a good night sleep now!
End: US 7, Great Barrington, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Today was a hard, long, great day! We did 14.6 miles but it felt much longer with the two big climbs and long, rocky descents we had. We started the day at 8:40 am from the campsite. Walking along the stream in the ravine was beautiful. We were surrounded by rich green, lush flora and the sound of the moving water was calming and captivating. Great way to start the day. We then started the climb up Mount Race and reached the summit and beautiful views at 2365 feet. The walk along the ridge was our first exposed ridge of the trip and the views were worth the climb. In true AT fashion, we descended 400 feet just to climb 700 feet up Mount Everett. It was a steep climb up ledges with the peak reaching 2602 feet. Just before the peak a bird pooped on the back of my neck. Brian was already at the top so I had to wait until I got there for him to wipe it off me. They say it's good luck... Maybe I should go play the lotto?!?! We had a quick snack at the top and then continued on. At the Guilder Pond Picnic Area at the bottom of the mountain, an awesome trail angel left ICE COLD water for thru hikers!! It is incredible how being out here on the trail really makes you appreciate the simple things in life like ice cold water. We hiked on through the afternoon and met up with Miles Supertramp, one of our favorite trail friends. We hiked the remainder of the day with him, enjoying views from Jug End and eventually the relatively flat trail into Great Barrington. Once we reached the road, it took less than 5 minutes of holding out my thumb for a pick up truck to pull over. The three of us loaded into the back for the 3 miles into town. My favorite part of today (aside from the bird poop, of course) was seeing such diverse, beautiful landscapes in 14.6 miles. We started the day in a lush ravine, then climbed into an alpine zone with awesome views and an exposed ridge, then back down into the woods, up into an alpine zone again, down into a cornfield, into a dense red pine forest, through a swamp (the mosquitoes were vicious!), through some more fields, and finally into town. How many people get to experience such varied flora and fauna in one day?!? We decided to spend the night in Great Barrington since we earned it with hiking this time. Miles is staying in town too so the three of us indulged in some delicious town food. We are ready for a good night sleep now!
End: US 7, Great Barrington, MA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
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