Date: 2006-08-26
From: Imp Campsite

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: mist

Happy fifth month on the trail, Bama !!Bama left the Imp Campsite (shelter) early and was bundled up against the chill of the morning. She climbed up to the top of Middle Moriah Mountain and the trail dropped sharply from 3,620 ft to the Rattle River Shelter at 1,260 ft. Bama said that the trail was a series of steep slides that were impossible to hike down. Much of it had been washed out by rains and there were even signs saying, "Be careful.¢ Well, Duh! Instead, she grabbed trees on the way down and swung from tree to tree, descending the trail, trying not to fall on her face. Bama said she couldn¢t imagine what this would have been like if it had been raining and wet. She¢s spent so much time butt-sliding down rocks and boulders in the Whites and Carters that she¢s afraid the seat of her hiking shorts are going to be worn thru.After that, she continued the drop down to Highway (US 2) into Gorham at 760 ft. Only during the last couple of miles did the trail level out and once again, she was hiking in the warm sun and along a old road bed. She said it really lifted her ¢trail spirits¢ to be able to walk again without worrying if the next mile was going to injure her. The weather was beautiful and all in all had been a pretty day.THEN! Without any warning, just outside Gorham, NH, she and Snickers literally walked up on a bear standing on the trail! Bama¢s first bear on the entire trip. Bama was saying, ¢Hurry, Snickers, get your camera out ¢ take some pictures!¢ Snickers was taking some pictures and the bear started to walk directly toward them. They froze to see what the bear was going to do, and after a moment, it sauntered off into the underbrush. 1,875 miles and this was the first black bear she had seen. Wow!She and Snickers got a hitch into town with a guy that recognized Snickers from an Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA) meeting they attended together last year! Weird, huh!? He dropped them off in front of the Colonial Fort Inn.They entered Gorham, NH and she checked into the inn (also called the ¢Hikers Paradise¢) and got a private room, rather than the hostel. The lady at the front desk was very nice. Bama felt like she had earned a special treat ¢ she had survived the Whites - and just wanted some solitude, a TV, phone, private bath and quiet. She said the room had a small kitchenette, nice accommodations and even a small porch and bench outside. Tomorrow rain is forecasted all day, so she will take a Zero and chill out. Gorham is one of the many skiing/backpacking trail towns - about the same size as Damascus. There are a few facilities and places to shop, eat and re-supply and several hiker-friendly inns and hostels in town.There are many folks that Bama knows in town and at the Colonial Fort Inn ¢ there¢s not room here to list them, but Bama really enjoyed catching up with many of her old NOBO friends and sharing their experiences thru the Whites.Great news! She recovered her camera that she lost and everything works. Hearty thanks to the great folks at the Appalachian Mountain Club network for going the extra mile (literally) to get it back to her. Trail Angels indeed!Today will be a day of laundry, relaxing, lots of eating and maybe some shopping. She was completely out of food ¢ and I mean completely. She had an afternoon feast at the local Chinese buffet with Snickers and managed to take on some calories. Tonight would be more relaxing and grabbing some serious ZZZs.Bill