Date: 2014-08-09
From: Newton, MA via Pinkham Notch

To: Newton, MA via Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I got an email from AZ this morning, who'd signed my guest book wishing me well and providing an update on his progress. He's now in Caratunck, half-way through Maine and not far from the start of the 100-mile wilderness. It's hard for me not to feel a little jealous that he's close to wrapping up his thru-hike while I'm on the sidelines, falling behind, biding my time until my shin heals. It's a similar feeling to that which I had as a kid growing up when a partially torn knee ligament, which I still feel on the trail today, prevented me from getting on the football field with my teammates. Fortunately, in two days I'll resume my trek north. I'm chomping at the bit.With all my free time this week, I've been able to catch up on my reading, something I did almost none of while on the trail. Between hiking 8-12 hours a day, cooking meals, setting up and breaking down camp, socializing with other hikers, and writing this journal, there's no time left over to read. Plus, I can't justify carrying the extra weight of a book.I've also been taking my dog, Sammy, on two-mile walks each day, enough to get my blood flowing, but not sufficient to maintain my trail legs. I expect I'm going to suffer a bit when I hit the trail on Monday. So far, I've been a purist when it comes to hiking the AT, passing every white blaze on the trail. The one exception was last Sunday, when Wild Bill and I took the loop trails over the summits of Mts Eisenhower and Monroe rather than following the official AT, which skirts these two peaks. I'd justified the diversions in my mind weeks before, knowing that we would cover more distance and vertical in bagging these Southern Presidential peaks. I had the same plan for Mts Jefferson and Adams, but the late hour, deteriorating weather, and my shin injury caused us to stick to the AT through the Northern Presidentials.To date I've refused to be slack packed, being driven to a trailhead with a day pack and hiking back to the starting point, often in the opposite direction along to AT. On Monday I may carry a day pack for the first time, as the hike with Jeff and Jim will begin and end at Pinkham Notch. It seems foolish to carry a tent, sleeping bag, and five days of food on a day that includes two significant climbs when you know you won't need them. Plus, it will help ease me back after being off the trail for six days. Every thru-hiker must decide how pure he/she wants to be in hiking the AT. The mantra you hear frequently on the trail, which helps avoid judging others' thru hikes is, "hike your own hike."While at REI the other day, I bought a bright blue shirt to spruce my appearance a bit, replacing the drab gray one I'd been wearing for almost four months. Since the old shirt would certainly have held up to Katahdin, feel free to think of me as the Imelda Marcos of the AT. I did a minor resupply today, washed all my hiking clothes, replaced a bunch of worn out ziplock bags, and packed up my pack. Everything is ready to go for when Jeff picks me up at 6:00 am Monday morning. Just one more day to wait before I'm back on the trail.