Date: 2005-06-25
From: US 2 

To: Trident Col Tentsite
Miles today: 7.0

Today's hike:7/1884 US2 to Trident Col TentsiteMoney spent:$200.91-lodging 54.00, J's Corner dinner 35.02, Sportshoe Center (new boots) 44.98, Gorham Hardware (equipment) 38.87, Irving Gas (food) 24.53, laundry 3.50Today's Wx: Sunny with record heat. Right now at 1:45, it is 98 degrees at North Road as I sit here composing this journal-far and away the hottest day on my AT trip. Thankfully, there is a nice breeze.In the office at 2:30 and at the tentsite at 6:30.The main event for today was the street walk from the motel to Gorham Hardware. It was 12:30ish and 100 degrees on both my thermometers!!The 1800' climb out from North Road to Mt Hayes (2555'), then a 600' descent followed by the 700' scale of Cascade Mtn (2631'), all the while at temps from 98 on the road to 87 on top, was tough. The actual climb was a good trail and really easy, but with the heat, I really had to take care not to get heat exhaustion.The trail from the descent off Hayes to the tentsite really NEEDS a haircut-it looked like I was on a deer path the entire way-very overgrown!Gorham Items:Hikers Paradise-The Colonial Comfort Inn-Totally Unsatisfactory with a rude, arrogant, jerk who runs the place, but the actual hostel is an upstairs area that is pretty nice. I stayed in the motel, not the hostel, and happily paid $60 versus $17 for the night. I did not care for the owner at all.J's Corner-wonderful food, service, and hospitality.Gorham Hardware-GREAT folks who really help you!! Thanks to Joel. Please go there and invent something to buy to keep them in business.Sportshoe Center-Unbelievable good prices. My new boots were 39.95!!Moriah Sport-Hike Bike Ski-Not much there that the hardware doesn't have and the non-bargaining staff lost a $100 sale from me today!Post Office: Albert was very helpful when they could not find my package I'd mailed nine days prior from Glencliff! He set up a forward to Monson for me. Then, as I was leaving the motel and stopping at Irving Gas for food items (that were in my package!), a car pulls in, honks, and I get a wave over from the driver. It was Albert! Already out of his postal uniform to tell me that they'd found my package! It was forwarded to Monson that morning! I thanked him for his help.Boots: My Timberland boots have had the course! They carried me from Springer to Gorham, 1877 AT miles. My new boots feel good, but I'm glad I only hiked 7 miles today to ease the break-in. I'm here at Trident Col all by myself for my 5th tenting evening. It is still hot-77 in the tent now at 9:30, but the breeze and forecast say cooler tomorrow. I have a small anti-bug fire going that is working just fine.This is my last night in New Hampshire. Tomorrow, I enter Maine with something like 292 miles to go!Special honorable mention goes to Paul and Joanne D of Poland, Maine who eased past my backpack on North Road as I was taking a nice picture of the Wildberry Inn and the US flag they had flying today. Paul turned his car around and came over and talked with me for at least 20 minutes, so my 2PM departure got delayed (happily) until 2:30.This hike is dedicated to Arrow (AT'02) who chased me down into the Gorham Hardware store to take me to the trailhead and to his lovely lady who put up with this bizarre behavior-extreme thanks to you both!!The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANH 05