Date: 2021-06-18
From: Dartmouth Skiway

To: Hanover Co-op
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

My hosts took me to the trailhead this morning, arriving there at 5:45 for the hike back into Hanover. So it's a slack pack day with my normal pack, a little food, odds and ends and a liter of water and a 28 oz Gatorade, totaling about 9 pounds. I even removed my hip belt pouches as they won¢t be needed for a few days. It was in the mid 40¢s when I began with a decent climb right out of the box and a climb up Moose mountain in the mid morning. Felt really good again today and fell into a good rhythm while listening to an audiobook.  It¢s nice knowing I can recharge at the end if the day and I needn¢t worry about killing my phone or my charging brick. Had some really nice views of the New Hampshire hills and the pine forests are always cool to walk through. Started running into NOBO¢s after 9 am as they were heading out from the shelter¢s and out of town. Captain America and Rapture passed me first and Rapture warned me about a balky boardwalk just ahead - and he wasn¢t kidding: it was in bad news of replace my. Sat for a while by a stream with Whispers and talked about the trail ahead and his recent retirement from the Air Force. Also saw Yak and Pneumonia as I was leaving and took some of their trash with me as I was heading back into town anyway. Ran across Theory and Guacamole next, Theory has been dealing with a knee problem and may have to take a few days off to rest it. Got some more trash from Girl Scout and then saw Wrongway, Yap and Oogie Boogie. Last was Quiksilver who was dropped back at the trail around 9:30 in Hanover. Iceberg was slacking 20 miles today back into Hanover. If things work out we'll probably be around Mt Washington in a week at about the same time. I completed today¢s miles at 1:45 and decided to walk back into town, returning to Lou¢s for a smash burger and a Coffee milkshake. Both were divine. My crazy sister had driven through the night from Michigan, arriving at Patricia and Michael¢s about 9:30. So I called and they came back into town to collect me a little after 3.Then began Hiker Christmas!I had ordered some new gear and some replacement gear and had it shipped yo my sister who brought it with her: new hiking shorts, new hiking shirt, new shoes (Hoka Speedgoats), replacement water filter and replacement socks. Then a package arrived from my wife¢s Aunt Andrea (Tia from the guestbook).  She sent me some Arnold Palmer ice tea and great trail snacks (and it¢s HER birthday, no less!).  Then while we were eating dinner UPS dropped off another package from my friend Mary Jo with more trail food, a gift card and a t-shirt that reads: ¢It¢s fine. I¢m fine. Everything is fine¢ and also a nice card (pic above) with notes from Mary Jo and Stephanie from where I work.What more could a possibly ask for? Great hike. Great lunch. Sister in town. Great Trail Angel hosts. Great Friends. Great Family.My cup doth runneth over.To top it all off, I think I¢ve got a good hiking plan together for the next week to cover the miles up to Mt Washington, removing some of the stress from this next stretch of trail. Tomorrow I¢ll do another SOBO slack of 18 miles or so back towards the Dartmouth Skiway.Until then, adios!