Date: 2015-08-05
From: Etna-Hanover, NH 1752.9

To: Lyme/Dorchester Rd. 1764.6 miles
Miles today: 12.2

Wednesday August 5th This was a rather exciting day for both the Iceman and the Sherpa. We found ourselves without communication of any kind during different periods of the day. The Iceman always goes over where he's to be picked up at the end of the day, when the Sherpa drops him off early in the morning. Today there was a miscommunication. There were two places on Dorchester Rd that the Iceman had to cross and the Sherpa had the wrong place in mind. To begin with, the Iceman started the day at Etna Rd. in Etna NH and began climbing the first of two mountains, Moose Mt. It wasn't a difficult climb but it became a frightening one when the Iceman was descending Moose Mt. There were no visible white blazes for what seemed two miles. He was convinced that he was off the AT and somewhere in the middle of a VERY large forest. He carries two gadgets and both are supposed to communicate with a satellite. He has a new Garmin Oregon 600 series and a DeLorme Explorer. He checked each one to see where he was and neither showed him on the AT. In fact, he couldn't even see the AT on either GPS. Panic set in and he called the Sherpa when he got a cell signal and said that he believed he was lost. At that time the Sherpa was trying to find him on her iPad on a program that shows a dotted line and an arrow which is the Iceman. According to the DeLorme map he hadn't moved in one hour, that meant it wasn't working, so this did him no good. The satellite wasn't sending a signal to the DeLorme map so the Sherpa couldn't help him. He was under a heavy tree canopy and the satellite couldn't see the gadgets. He knew that if he continued hiking down he'd eventually come to a road so that's what he did and he eventually saw a white blaze. Pheh! He lost about an hour walking back and forth to find a blaze so he was late getting to the pick up point. There weren't many people on the trail but he did met Chocolate and her family having lunch and a few young NOBO thru hikers who passed him. The Sherpa packed up this morning and left the Shire Riverview at noon. A quick stop in Woodstock and then the drive to Lyme, NH where along the way, the Sherpa made a stop at the Quechee Gorge (see photo section) just to take a few pictures of what nature has made. Arriving at the Lyme Inn, she noticed that it was almost time to pick up the Iceman. The room checked out and then a short chat with Patty at the reception desk, and it was time to locate the Iceman. Oh no!! There's no cell coverage of any kind in or near Lyme, NH. What to do?? The iPhone is the "go to" map that indicates where the AT crosses every road including gravel ones but it couldn't pick up a signal. There aren't any cell towers. Apparently no one in Lyme needs a cell phone. A drive all over town and still nothing; even out of town and NOTHING! Back to the hotel for help. Bill the manager couldn't help but both of them ran out into the street and met 2 youngish women who were strolling by. One knew approximately where the AT crossed and she gave the Shherpa good directions. Lyme is a village of 54 sq. miles and the population is 1,716. It's unbelievably beautiful. A place to raise a family where one can walk around anytime of the day or night and feel safe. It's what everyone thinks of when they think of what small town USA was like 200 years ago. It's just perfect. It has a town green and set around it are a church, Congregational, a country store with two gas pumps, and several homes with white picket fences. In the middle of the green sits a Civil War monument and a cannon. It's a picture book village. Well, off to get the Iceman and although the Sherpa had an idea where he was it wasn't exact. Dorchester Rd is paved and then becomes gravel so the Sherpa drove up the gravel road and found an AT crossing but no Iceman. Back down the road to where the paved section begins, no Iceman. Just as she was about to head back to the Inn a glance in the rearview mirror showed a man running and waving his arms. YUP! the Iceman. All ended well and the drive to the Lyme Inn was a short happy one. Dinner was in the restaurant of the Inn and it was excellent, a salad made of all fresh veggies raised on a local farm, Cioppino with fresh shellfish and fish in a delicious broth and then out onto the patio for after dinner drinks and a HUGE ice cream sundae topped with whipped cream a cherry and chopped nuts. The Inn is at one end of the Green and while sitting on the patio one can watch joggers and skateboarders and those taking a leisurely stroll after dinner. In the middle of the Green there are children playing around the Civil War monument. The Inn has landlines in each room and guests may call anywhere in the USA for free. They also have reliable Wifi. The building was renovated recently and the bedrooms and bathrooms are modern and very pretty. Our youngest daughter remembers eating lunch at the Lyme Inn 20years ago with the grandmother of her husband who was her fianc©e at the time. That's how memorable it is!