Date: 2008-07-21
From: Moose Mtn. Shelter, NH

To: Firewarden's Cabin, NH
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: light rain

Great nite's sleep, although when I woke a few times, it was raining all nite long. I woke to rain too, so decided to wait a little bit and see if it would subside at all. It let up a little, so I decided to get up. It's not even the thought of hiking in the rain that makes me want to stay in bed...it's the thought of putting on totally soaked and cold hiking clothes. It's the worst part of getting ready in the morning.So I got my food and opened my poptarts for breakfast and wow was I surprised. First, I'd forgotten I had purchased Barbie poptarts, and second..."Teresa" (the name of the character on this particular poptart) looked like a leper. The colors of the icing and the way poptarts have holes on the top..well let's just say it was so hideous, and funny @ the same time (wait till you see the pic!).I got packed up and after getting water, was off around 9 a.m. Today was actually quite exhausting. The first half of the day wasn't so bad. I decided to listen to my iPod, but it's totally wigging out...and even the reboot thing isn't working. I think it got a little wet yesterday before I could get it in a ziplock, so tonight I'm going to put it in my sleeping bag and try to dry it out I hope.So first was a slight up to the north summit of Moose Mtn., and then a 1.5 mile descent down to Goose Pod Rd. The trail, with all the rain, is just a mess..muddy, streams running down the trail, places where you step and sink 6" into the mud, and very slick rocks and roots. On the way down, I was on a flatter area, had just rock hopped across a stream and my foot slipped and down I went....again. My whole right leg (all the way up my thigh) was submerged in soppy deep leafy water, I caught myself partially on a rock where my right elbow hit, my left hand and left foot hit the ground and I looked sort of like I was doing a pushup with 1 hand and 1 elbow. It's amazing how there's not more damage from these falls. Yes, my elbow hurt, but it's fine now.I got down Moose Mtn. and it was flatttish for a bit, where I hiked thru swampy wetlands where the weeds were as tall as me. This is hard stuff to hike thru because you can't see the ground, and the weeds are so thick, they get wrapped aroud your legs and hiking poles. The trail has not been trimmed back here, so it's sort of a pain.There were 2 sections like this and finally, I started a 1.5 mile climb towards Holts Ledges. The climb wasn't easy, and it felt longer that it was. I got to the view and could see the ominous hanging grey clouds all over. Today, the sun peeked out a feew times, but it really felt like it was going to storm or rain all day.Luckily, it just sprinkled or misted though.I headed on and was going to go to Trapper John Shelter for lunch, but came upon a great stream before, so I stopped @ the stream around 12:30 p.m.My feet are totally water logged, and that is no fun to hike in all day. I took off my shoes\socks to let them air out a bit, ad ate lunch. While there, a family passed me and said they have icecream and water for hikers..just to look for the "free water" sign. I finished my lunch and headed on.I came upon a huge blowdown on the trail, and met a guy named Adam, who was out with a hand saw, cuttig thru this enormous tree. I thanked him for his work and moved along.I got to the bottom of this mtn., and figured I had passed the sign for water, but after crossing Dorchester Rd., I saw it and followed it.These people were great. Bill lives there, and keeps a logbook of everyone he meets. Bill's son (John), his wife, and grandson (Sammy) were there too visiting from MA. They brought me an icecream bar! Yummy... I talked to them and showed them my steri-pen, which they'd never seen before. I thanked them and started back again with 2 miles before being @ the base of Smarts Mtn.These 2 miles were nice, a few raging streams, but @ 2:53 p.m. I started the climb up Smart Mtn. It's a 3.7 mile climb to the top, where the Firewarden's cabin is.Traildog (met him in Norwich, thru'd 3 times) told me he the climbing really begins with Smarts Mtn., and whereas I'm sure the Whites are even harder, this was the hardest climb yet, for sure.I took about 4 short breaks to catch my breath and eat a snack. It was very steep, rocky, rooty, and then it turned into the same slick steep wet rock face that I encountered in southern NY. This rock stuff is so hard to hike on because there's othing for traction, so I had to be very careful about foot placement, shifting my weight, and I tried to use the tiny crevaces or uneven areas for digging in my foot. Hiking poles are useless and just slide around.One spot was so bad, I literally stood there and had to bend over and climb up on all fours to prevent from slipping. I looked like I was playing Twister or something. Sometimes there was a tree to pull myself up with, or some moss ot small patch of grass to grip onto.There was 1 view before Lambert's Ridge, and it looked like it was going to open up @ any moment, but all it did was mist heavily as I got higher in elevation.Of course I thought I was a bit further along than I was, and @ 4:30 p.m., I knew I was either near the summit, or I had about 2 more straight up miles to go. It was the latter....shit.Back into the alpiney region, high enough for there to be no people or civilization noises. I finally saw a sign for the Smarts Loop Trail and knew I was almost there, but the trail started going almost verticle. Whew was I tired. I kept going and going and pulling myself up rocks that had water running down them.Switchbacks started, and I knew I was really close. Each time you make a turn, you hope to see the top ahead. Well..after about 4 of these, I just stood there and yelled, "C'MON! wHERE THE HELL IS THIS PLACE!!" Changes nothing, but it feels good to vent.Finally @ 5:45 p.m., I arrived @ the Firewarden's Cabin. I was hoping it would be large and nice, because I was going to try to hang inside if there weren't many people, but it was just a small structure with a wooden floor, and there are 6 people here too, Milkshake (NH) and her dog, Salvage and Lizard, and 3 sobo's Natural and his brother Pilgrim (MA), and 1 other guy from VA.I got water, and found a place to hang. It was nice talking to everyone though, while I made dinner. I found out from the guy from VA that about 12 miles from where I live is a wilderness school for troubled kids, and he used to work there. He said they just opened a girl's schoolso guess who's checking it out when I get home!It's called The Discovery School or something like that. I'm excited about it.So it's pretty windy and foggy up here. I've got my tarp staked really low to the ground, and I have multiple layers on. It says it's 61 degrees, but it feels colder than that. I'm warm though, with my socks and hat and for now..gloves. My ands get cold when I journal, but eventually, I'll warm up.So it was a physically demanding day, especially having that climb @ the end of the day. I will say I felt a sense of accomplishment like I used to way back in GA, NC, TN, when I'd finally make it up a tough climb.Tomorrow should be a bit easier, about 13 miles planned, and then only 8 miles into Glencliff where I'll meet up with Auntie Mame and V8. Wow I'm just days away from the Whites. Can't believe it.I talked to Karen tonight too, which was great. I always get a report on our boys, and it seems Henry had a whine-fest today, which resulted in him being threatened with the water bottle. He's terrified of it, and we don't even have to spray him..we just shake it and he's running. Pretty hilarious actually.I'm pooped, but will admit, despite how exhausting the climbs were, I am feeling stronger than I have in a long time. I've got 7 more days of the Doxycycline, ad I wonder if it's partially responsible for a better energy level, along with my vitamins...probably so. Well, gonna pass out now.~Certain