Date: 2010-08-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'm in Lincoln NH. We have completed most of the White Mountains with only two major climbs ahead of us. One today and one tomorrow. After that, life gets much easier. We smile with delight when we look at the topagraphy ahead of us on the map. It is not easy by any stretch, but compared to what we are used to it is. Northbound hikers have told us something cool about tomorrows mountains. They said when you get to the top of Mt. Mousilake, you look North and see huge mountains, but when you look South you see smooth hills and bumps. Sweet!! I climbed Mt Madison and all the presidentials a few days ago. Unfortunately we did not have the best weather. From the top of Mt. Washington (the highest mountain in the North East) we saw nothing. We were in the clouds. It was winter up there. Literally temps into the low teens with wind chills. I hate winter. There were some nice stretches with amazing views however, and I capitlized with my cameral. Black and white photos are my new thing!In the white mountains there are these huts. These huts are used by vacationers out to do a little hiking. They pay about a hundred bucks a night for two meals and a bunk. Now I think it is great for people to get out and do things like this with their family. However, because of the nature of these mountains, thru hikers must use the huts as well. Thru hikers on tight budgets cannot pay 100 dollars a night. We are offered "work for stay". We do some of the chores around the hut in exchange for left over food and a place to sleep on the dining room floor. Not bad. Except that some of (not all) the vacationers are obviously very wealthy snoody types. Designer hiking clothes, and certainly a BMW waiting in the parking lot below the mountain. We felt like steerage. We wait outside while they eat, trying to take in the aroma of the food without going crazy. In two of the three huts I have stayed at there wasnt all that much left over food. The huts are manned by "croos". Energenic, fun college students who work there for the summer. They are all outdoor type of people, and spend their days hiking when their work is done. The "croos" were really cool for the most part and tried to help us out. There is a rail road that goes up the top of Mt. Washington. It's called the COG railroad, and for 45 bucks you can skip the 13 mile 5000 foot hike and take the train up. It's old fashioned and really cool. There is a tradition that ties thru hikers and this train together. It is widely known that thru hikers try to locate themselves in postion as the train passes to moon the passengers. I've read about it in books and saw it in a movie. I wimped out....It was there for the taking, my turn at tradition. I was there alone hiking up the mountain. 50 yards ahead of me there was a family sitting on a rock, and to the right, the old train moving slowly. I just couldn't do it, to shy....stage fright. Than it occurred to me...the people in the huts probally take this train up. The snoody ones probally don't climb too many mountains with their legs. So I yelled to the family....."HEY WATCH THIS" I dropped my pack, turned around and.....well I mooned the hell out of them. The family was hysterical. I win. I'll be breaking the 400 mile mark in a day or two. Than, the afterburners get put on over the easier terrain.Oh yeah...trail legs? Yep, I got em'Churchill