Date: 2015-07-09
From: Imp Shelter

To: Gorham
Miles today: 8.0

Day 128. Imp Shelter to Gorham.I'm back in Gorham for another night. I haven't gone backwards, the trail just connects with the town again. I'm staying at the White Mountain hostel which is quite nice, as everyone kept telling me. At the moment it's very quiet, as most of the guests are out hiking. I left the shelter today about 7.30. The weather was overcast, but the sun was shining bright behind the clouds. I could look right at it if I wanted to, the clouds were so thick. I set off into the woods, and I was unfortunately the first one going north, so I got all the spider webs. The hike wasn't too bad, though the blazes were quite sparse at times. The trail seemed to be split into sections of board walking across mossy bogs and then climbing up or down rocks of varying sizes. There were plenty of fir trees that had overgrown parts of the trail and were just whacking my arms and legs as I walked through. My legs are still covered in scratches from the past tree attacks. Once again, my ankles and knees were very painful. It was fine when I was walking along the flatter or gently sloped sections, but climbing up or down was quite hard. I slowed each time as I had to gently place one foot and then the other down onto the rocks. My left ankle felt like jelly again. Even the painkillers don't seem to help. I had a couple of miserable moments when I stepped into mud with my right shoe. The right shoe has the giant hole in it, and cold mud poured directly onto my sock. A similar thing happened later when I was crossing a stream. I really do not like this hole in my shoe. The last couple miles of the trail were really quite nice. It was very smooth, gently sloping down, no rocks or roots. Just an easy walk in the woods.Until a white dog with a bell around its neck sprinted up to me. It wouldn't go away, and came right up in front of my poles. It followed me as I moved. Then, my worst nightmare. Another unleashed dog came running up. I don't have enough arms or poles to protect myself from two dogs. I was still shouting no at the white dog when I spotted the owner, who had taken her sweet time walking up the trail. I asked her to call her dogs. Nothing. I asked her again, louder. She responded that the white dog was deaf, but don't worry "he's friendly". The white dog by this point had backed me against a tree, with its hackles raised and I was using my poles to keep its head away from my legs. Yeah, I'm sure it's real friendly. The owner called the other, non deaf dog and carried on walking. The white dog went crazy, sprinting in every direction (including mine). I was terrified the whole time that it was going to attack me, but it eventually ran after the owner. I continued down the trail. This kind of "friendly" dog encounter is happening far to often these days. There are certainly dogs that I meet that really are friendly, and who don't bother me at all. Like the golden retriever yesterday, who licked my legs. At the hostel, there is a pug and a spaniel. Neither of them seem the slightest bit threatening. But there are too many unleashed dogs on the trail that just don't like hikers. Maybe they're afraid or confused by the trekking poles and the packs, or maybe they just aren't friendly dogs in general. Either way, it makes me actually look forward to the wilderness of Maine, when I hope there will be fewer angry dogs about.After showering at the hostel and getting my loaner clothes (to wear whilst mine are washed), I went into town. I pretty much just wanted to go to the Chinese buffet. And I did, and it was good. Not as great as Mings, way back in Virginia. But still decent, for $6.99. My fortune cookie was very appropriate too. It read, "if at first you do succeed... Try something harder". When I came back from the buffet, I laid on my bunk. I have barely moved for a few hours whilst my body has digested. I'm still very aware of how painful my ankle is. Even just laying on my side hurts my ankle, and I walk like a 90 year old. I hope that taking a shorter day today will help and not hinder when I get back to the difficult trail that's coming up in the next few days.