Date: 2009-08-06
From: Fire Warden's Cabin

To: NH 25, Glencliff
Miles today: 19.9

I couldn¢t believe that I was the only one to get up in the morning to watch the sunrise in the fire tower! I didn¢t get up for first light, but I did see some amazing colors! The light was soft at first and billowy clouds nestled low into the soft green mountains with the yellowy moonlight above them, but soon the sky turned an array of fiery pinks and oranges to rival the sunset of the night before. I could have stayed here for hours, but knew I must get going if I was going to make it to Glencliff!   I returned to my hammock to cook some breakfast and pack up as quietly as I could, and then I crept off to the trail. I decided to bypass Hexacuba shelter since it was too far off the trail, and just continued on to the beautiful rocky landscape ahead, where I found Holmes and her dog Watson. There was a gathering of people on the summit of Mt. Cube, and they were surprised when Holmes continued right along, not stopping to take in the views on top. I wish I could have stayed longer, myself. The views were tremendous, and I could look back and see Smarts Mountain, from which I started in the morning. I was asked a few questions about my hike, including when I thought I would finish. I guessed somewhere between September 6-12. I headed down the mountain and wondered if I should stop at a lake that was supposedly 0.1 miles of the trail when we got to the road. It was another warm day, and I wanted to go for a little swim. However, I was running short on time. I decided to check out the lake anyway, but it was definitely further than 0.1 mile! It took a half an hour for me just to change, wade in for a bit, and then change back into my hiking shoes! I felt that I couldn¢t stop and enjoy it like I wanted to! Such is the nature of thru-hiking.   Then I was off for another climb. A man hiking south asked me if I was coming from Georgia. When I said yes, he clapped for me! I felt so special! He said that I was almost there, but I felt far from it! He also told me that I allowed him to win his bet with his son, as he thought he would see seven thru-hikers on his hike, and I was number seven!       I caught back up to Holmes and Watson at Ore Hill Shelter and hiked with them for a bit. As we hiked along, all of a sudden, I felt a painful sting on the back of my right leg, just above my sock. It hurt and startled me so much that I flung my poles ahead of me! I had no idea what it was, but I thought it might be a horsefly. For the rest of the hike, it stung, and became inflamed. I had to do my best to ignore it. I still had a good 5-6 miles to go. I would get more and more tired as each mile passed. I knew this would be my last 20 mile day until the very end of the hike.   Finally, I reached NH 25 sometime after 7, where the Hikers Welcome Hostel was located. It was a half mile down the road. I arrived to find a ramshackle house and property and wondered if this was such a good choice. But I had arranged for Andrew and Olivia to meet me here at 8 in the morning. I saw Holmes and Watson, but everyone else had gone into town for food. All of the bunks upstairs were taken, so Holmes and I picked spots in the outdoor tent. I was concerned about the bugs, but didn¢t see any apparent places for my hammock. After eating a frozen pizza and coke, sharing a load of laundry in the outdoor unit with Holmes, watching the ¢So, You Think You Can Dance¢ finale, and labeling my latest pictures, I finally went to bed at midnight. No Name (who had decided to end his section hike early and jump ahead to do work-for-stay at the hostel) and Skeeter joined us in the tent, due to the loud snoring inside.   Tomorrow, we would tackle the first official climb of the Whites!