Date: 2005-06-22
From: New England

To: Nauman Tentsite
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: clear sky

Weather: 80's in the day, 40's at nightLocation: Nauman TentsiteMileage: 16.1People: Mississippi Alan, Diesel, Dewd, Webb, Ballpark, Ryan, Mike, Mark Animals: 0 Food: Pop-Tarts, Turkey and ham wrap chips and large cookie, tomato, fresh mozzerella pita and apples and orangesOk, I haven't updated in awhile and you're probably wondering how I've jumped from Damascus to New Hampshire. After I got to Damascus, I got picked up and stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's for a few days. My plan is to hike from Hanover to Katahdin and then Hanover back to Damascus. I rode up with them from NC to Hanover, NH. That's where we met back up with Webb and Dewd who were hiking with Diesel and Mississippi Alan. They had been in Vermont for about 9 days and were wet and miserable and hated everything about Vermont. We ended up having a zero the first day I planned to be back. I was ready to hike but everyone else wanted to hang out and I wasn't going to argue. I had been off the trail for about 8 days and the first day back I was a little rusty. We slack packed 19.4 and I was a little sore but feeling good. Between then and now I have put in a little over 100 miles, lost my poles, and purchased a new pair of boots. Today is my 2nd day in the Whites and I must say that they are everything they say they are and more... They are beating me up and then kicking me while I'm down. We climbed over Franconia Ridge two days ago and it was literally a 2,000 foot climb up the side of a rock face. I had to put my poles on my pack so I could grab rock holds that were above my head. The view from the top was well worth it though. It gave us a clear view of the Haystack, Lincoln and Lafayette mountains, which we would be climbing the next day(yesterday). Those three were pretty tough climbs but the views from above were spectacular. On the way down Lafayette I slipped on a rock and fell on my back. I didn't realize until about 3 miles later that my tent had slid out of my pack when I fell. Frustrated, I threw my pack down and started hiking south to retrieve it. I ran into Vince Canuck after about a mile and a half and he saw it and was kind enough to pick it up and carry it to me. That was a relief, but meant that I would really have to book it to make it to camp before nightfall. It was tough, but I got into camp right at sunset. It was about 40 degrees and I was so tired I didn't bother setting my tent up and just slept under the stars. Today we woke up early and hiked an easy 10 miles to meet Dennis and Nancy at Crawford Notch. We went out and ate lunch at a lodge run by the AMC down the road. We had planned to hike to Lake of the Clouds Hut today but after lunch we voted and decided to stay at Mizpah Hut because it was about 6 miles closer. I'm glad we did, my left knee was absolutely killing me after lunch, especially on the downhills. After we got in, I ate and rehydrated and it felt better but I'm still worried about how it will feel tomorrow. The other 4 guys are doing work for stay in the hut but they couldn't use a 5th so I'm staying on a tent platform near the hut. I don't mind though, I decided not to mess with a tent and just camp under the stars. As I type I see a few shooting stars overhead. Tomorrow we plan to hike the presidentials and meet Dennis and Nancy on the top of Washington and then at a campsite at the end of the day. Sorry for writing a small novel here but I hope I've explained myself. Time to star-gaze and fall asleep, hopefully it won't rain.