Date: 2017-08-18
From: Stealth site by stream

To: Mizpah Spring Hut / Nauman campsite
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: moderate rain

4:00 pmI'm sitting in the warm hut, humid from all the wet hikers and gear, warming up and drying out. It started raining this morning, just as I was packing up (luckily!), and it rained all day. I didn't mind much ¢ the rain jacket and skirt kept me dry. I knew it was only a matter of time before my feet got soaked ¢ especially since there's a hole above my toes on my left shoe! But my feet stayed dry longer than I would've guessed.I was alone nearly all day, since I had to go back for my mug at the campsite and Mother Nature was ahead. But I didn't mind. I put on more Israel Story episodes and set in for a long, slow, wet climb. Someone had written in Guthook, "prepare to break your poles today," so I knew it was going to be challenging.But WOW. At one point, I was staring up this sheer rock face. . . I hadn't seen any blazes, and I thought, "This *can't* be it." But I didn't see any alternatives and Guthook showed the trail going up. I really wondered if I was doing the rocky summit version of bushwhacking. It was scary, looking for handholds while pulling myself up wet, sheer rock. So I put on my AT playlist. . .and the Prodigy song came on (thanks again, Mike & Briita's wedding!). Turns out, it's perfect to climb to! Maybe the fact that the views were whited-out was a blessing ¢ I couldn't see how high I was, how far I'd fall if I slipped! It felt like such a huge accomplishment when I reached the top. I had to pull my rain skirt way up in order to raise my leg high enough to pull up my body. Sometimes I had to use my knees and basically crawl until I found the next handhold. It also felt great to throw my weight forward onto the rock ¢ pack and all ¢ and feel anchored there.I didn't fall today! Victory!I've been noticing almost constant hunger though. I don't feel tired the way I did back in the days of climbing in the humidity in Connecticut, etc. So I don't feel like I'm exerting myself as much, because I'm not dying sweating. But I must be burning crazy calories climbing. And I'm ravenous.Looking at the map, I'm halfway through the Whites already!When we arrived at the hut, we were finally able to get soup! And some cornbread and a cup of coffee. There are tons of folks here hoping for Work for Stay (WFS). I just went straight to the tent sites ¢ they're right here and I wanted to make sure I got a spot and got set up before the rain again. I had better luck with this tent pad compared to the one I split with Mother Nature. I could put my stakes between the gaps in the boards. I put my tent way off to the side, so there's room for one more person.Soon I'll head back down to the tent and make dinner. But I'm hoping my skin will dry out and un-shrivel first, and I can hit the nice bathroom one more time.6:45 pmSnug in my tent, reading about Black Minx preparing for the Kentucky Derby. Happy to be in and dry, although I will have to pack up a wet tent in the morning. Mount Washington tomorrow!! Won't have views, but that's OK. I'll always have Franconia Ridge. Too bad I can't download more podcasts for the monster climb! Guess it will be albums.*So* glad I bought the external battery. I'm recharging the phone now.They made the poor thru-hikers wait for hours before they chose the WFS people. (and by the time they turned them away, there weren't many options left). Wanderer got it. Good for her!nota bene: only later did I realize I broke 800 miles this trip! New record for me - the longest stretch over a summer yet. :-)