Date: 2014-07-15
From: nh 25

To: kinsman notch
Miles today: 14.0

I was off before 7 confident that i would make the meeting point by three since it was only 14 miles. Ok, so off i went cruising along up mount mist, a good 700' warm up. Then i came to a nice view point so i checked it out and was trying to get a good photo when i heard someone come up behind me and say good morning. It was a sobo named smiles. We talked for a bit and i got some good scoop from her on the white mtns. After talking too long we said our good byes and i headed on my way. From oliverian brook it was a 3800' incline to the top of moosilaukee. I cant swear to it but i think this was the biggest ascent yet, i was ready to crush it. The beginning is a short road walk where i met an old fella out for a walk. He had gotten a pace maker put in 5 days earlier but set out for a walk up a steep rd anyway. I asked if he should be out doing this. He said nah, probly not and chuckled. 'Go get em big dog', i thought, live it your way. The climb started out not too bad, steep but nice trail. Then it got to be pretty rocky, then pretty steep, then real rocky, then real steep. The good part is i knew it was coming and i knew it would be difficult so i just pushed along up and up and up. I met topo coming down, he was a nobo but slack packing the wrong way today to go up the steep side and down this side. Then he lit a cigarette. I gotta say, it amazes me everytime i see this. How in the hell can you do this and smoke? Anyway on i went up to the sky. I knew there would be no view as she had her head in the clouds. When i got close to the top i met two more nobo slackers, outback and somebody who i dont remember. Around the summit it was socked in fog with a good wind. I loved it but the others were freezing. I was right in my glory except for no views. The summit was windy enough to push you around and make it tippy on the rocks. I took some oics and fled down to tree line. I skipped down to the shelter and still on schedule i figured i would stop in where i met nami, a 70yr old fella doing the AT in two sections. Whoa, hugely impressed by this. I wished him the best and started down the hill. This turned out to be the steepest section of trail to date. It was rediculous steep and i much would rather climb up it than go down it. The huge steps are knee wreckers no matter how you do it. Halfway down the trail meets up with a water cascade down the granite slope. Its gorges! Some places the trail is a rock face with wood fastened into it for steps. It sounds sketchy but these sections are actually easier than the rock stepping areas. It was beautiful following the falls down with pools at many places on the way to the bottom. The water was perfectly clear but i knew that swimming in a pool with a waterfall below it is a bad idea so i didnt. My ma sent a txt just before i reached the parking lot saying she was there. I replied i was close by as i could hear the road. When i got the the car park i saw her and she came right over to hug my sweaty self, then she cried. She told of getting to vermont and seeing the mtns and thinking 'my baby walked over those', then how she cried thinking about when i first walked at 10 months old, and cried about how far i was walking now. My ma is a good ma. She then looked up and said, 'did you just come down that?'. Yup. Holy cow!! She brought a cooler of food and a cooler of drinks so we talked as i drank a couple sodas. She loved the scenery on the way up. Thats why i do it ma. We went to lincoln to check a couple outfitters for a new water filter for me but struck out. Then we looked for a home for the night. The carriage motel was it, i had a new home. We hung out in the room, cleaned up and took a quick nap. I was tired, the miles are getting harder and are going to continue that way. Dinner at the woodstock inn was great, my first steak of the trail. Then back to the room for a sleep. I had all day tomorrow to get my stuff in order on my zero. My legs tired, knees stiff. And gear dirty, i needed a day off. All this considered i am in good spirits and when i think about all the things i have seen and the places i have been i still know that i am the luckiest guy around. Amazing journey in an amazing place.