Date: 2009-08-25
From: Lyme Dorchester Rd. - Hanover, NH

To: Mt. Cube, NH
Miles today: 12.5

Folks it just doesn't get any better than this! We are sitting on top of Mt. Cube- we just ate and then I held Berry's hand while we watched the sun go down behind the mountains. It was glorious!Quite an eventful day, let me tell you... We started out by saying goodbye to our wonderful friends. Michelle cooked us a nice breakfast, we all took photo's, then we hopped in the jeep with Steve and drove to the trailhead. We were almost at the trailhead when Berry gave me a look of terror and whispered that we had left our trekking poles back in Hanover (a little over 30 minutes away). Steve was insistent that we drive back and get them, so that's what we did. We felt so terrible, but made up for it by treating Steve to an early lunch on our way back to the trailhead for the second time.Now Steve and I have been known to get a little crazy- I believe the word Berry used today was "adrenaline junkies." Anyway, Steve made the comment that we should go off-roading in the jeep before we started our hike. Berry has never had the privileged of doing some 4X4. Of course, I was all in 110%!Off we went up a crazy jeep trail, the terrain was absolutely nuts- especially with all the rain and storms lately. During the first part of our trip we had to stop so I could jump out and then proceed to spend about 30 minutes with a small hand saw, sawing a very large tree that was blocking our passage. We finally cleared the tree and tore off down the trail- it was so much fun, and slightly insane. Well, our luck ran out and we got the jeep really stuck and wedged between a massive rock and sink hole. It took Steve and I nearly an hour to get the jeep out. We succeeded with a come-along and some elbow grease. Berry sat in the jeep and gave us the "I told you so, boy's" look. Steve said he's always wanted to get that jeep stuck... glad we could make it happen for ya buddy.After our little escapade we bid farewell to Steve. I was more muddy than I ever have been on the trail and I hadn't even started the day. It was about 1pm by the time we started. Like usual the trail went up up up, atop Smarts mountain. At the top we saw Stickcakes and met a new northbounder, Duckman. There was an awesome view on the firetower. We talked with Stickcakes for a while and then headed for the next shelter 5.3 miles away. On our way down Smarts we became inordinately tired and took a long break...it seemed hard to be back on the trail. Later in the day, however, we got our second wind. At the bottom of Smarts we crossed a road and then began climbing Mt. Cube. We stopped for a long time at the trail to the shelter to wait for Stickcakes. We had discussed with them earlier in the day about stopping here for the night or moving on to climb the rest of Mt. Cube. They never showed up and it was still pretty early in the evening so we decided to go for it and see if we could camp at the summit. That was a great decision.Every once in a while you will be in forest, on granite ridges and see views like this on the trail. It makes you feel alive. Even better when you can catch a spectacular sunset. Best of all, it's romantic. Berry and I felt so small, surrounded by the vast expanse of the heavens and the endless mountain floor. It felt as if we were the only people on earth and God was giving us a light show with the colors of the sunset.It's cold up here! Finally! No bugs and lots of wind. We here that tomorrow and the days following are bringing some very chilly weather.