Date: 2015-08-08
From: High St.

To: NH112 1799.8 miles
Miles today: 7.5

Saturday, August 8th This journal was written after Sundays and is out of order. Saturday evening the Sherpa and Iceman's daughter came to join them in New Hapmshire so that she could hike on Sunday with her father, Iceman. The Sherpa spent Sunday with her grandsons and was having way too much fun to sit at the laptop and write Saturdays journal so here it is, a little late. 3D and the Iceman hiked together over Mt. Moosilauke, in NH and the Iceman expected to have a tough time of it. The hike up to the summit was a 3,500 foot vertical climb and it took less time, 3 hours, than was expected so the Iceman thought that the entire hike was going to be a breeze BUT the hike down was something else. High St. to the summit took 3 hours, when they reached the top it was treeless and covered with tundra and rocks and the view was unbelievable. The Iceman had a 360 degree view with the Presidential Range spread out before him. Some say, from here, one can see as far as the water off the coast of Maine. He would be hiking those mountains in the next 5 or so days and he wondered what it would be like. A half hour went by, taking in the beauty all around, and then it was time to descend.   The descent was the most difficult vertical since the Iceman started hiking in March. The entire descent was over huge jagged, slippery boulders. At times there were steps cut into the rock and sometimes there were steel rungs fixed to the rocks but every part of the descent was difficult. The descent took much longer than he thought. THIS, he thought, is what the rest of the AT will be like, and possibly worse. The Sherpa spent time doing laundry and shopping for fruit and the usual for the Iceman. There's a full kitchen in the room and now the Iceman can have an early breakfast and eat whatever he likes. Lincoln NH is a resort town with one main street and there's a traffic jam from morning til night. It's a ski resort in the winter. Everything a kid could want is here and it's a great family resort. Zip lining in the forest, rope climbing with cables across suspension bridges high up in the air, mini-golf, train rides, rides on the ski lift up to the top of the mountain, biking and hiking and so much more.   By mid afternoon it was time to pick up the Iceman and 3D, and knowing how hungry they'd be, the Sherpa stopped to pick up some cold beer, fried chicken and donuts for a snack. While waiting in the trailhead parking lot at a picnic table, along came Papa Al and Philco who had just come down from Moosilauke. They had a Snapple and a donut and waited for the Iceman and 3D to arrive. All four ate the chicken and 3D and the Iceman had a beer then everyone got into the car for the ride back to Lincoln. Philco wanted to get to an outfitter, because his trekking pole broke and 3D needed a ride to the Comfort Inn.   Dinner was with 3D, Iceman, Sherpa, Sandra, Walter and Sam at Gordi's which was just across the parking lot from the Lodge at Lincoln. 3D met Sandra and the boys and everyone had a good time and ate plenty, especially Iceman and 3D. The conversation was about tomorrow's hike of 16 miles a long one for Sandra and possibly more than she expected.