Date: 2005-08-29
From: Hanover

To: Hanover
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

A soft and wet day finds me back in Hanover, after a long break from the trail, fulfilling my responsibilities to our annual family vacation, and the twice-yearly ritual of bringing the children to/from college.   Despite my earnest commitments this time to maintain my end of hike level of fitness, and not gain any weight while off the trail, I am afraid that vacations and long distance driving were not conductive to either end. I spent a lot of time deciding on whether to return to the trail, or not at all, this year, because with 450 miles to go and my slow rate of hiking. I know that I will not complete the AT this year, starting the final stretch so late in the season. Also the rugged nature of New Hampshire with its White Mountains and Presidential Range, gave me considerable pause. Just looking at the profiles of the mountains on the maps is enough to give the most seasoned, fit and experienced hiker second thoughts. Glowing descriptions of the fall beauty of the area, and the knowledge that the AMC hut system with its AYCE breakfasts and dinners, and the contained promise of a lighter food load, finally persuaded me to at least start. So here I am back in Hanover.   I have mapped out a tentative plan to take about three weeks to cover the 150 miles to Gorham ¢ knowing that all such planning is likely to change with the first step of the hike. The landfall of hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast this morning and predictions of its stormy aftermath all the way north to NH, is the first of what I know will be many events that will cause me to second guess all of my decisions. I am trying however to live by the first of my lessons from the trail ¢Be Here Now¢, to live in the present moment and to worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. That doesn¢t mean that you should not plan for it however!   Knowing that I do not intend to finish this year has given me the luxury of not worrying about ¢The Miles¢ I intend to do very short miles each day ¢ short even by my own 10 miles a day standard. In truth I don¢t think that I would have had any option other than the short miles ¢ even if I had wished otherwise. The nature and severity of the terrain here in NH has given it a 10 out of 10 on the severity rating by hikers on the AT.   I saw a few hikers this afternoon in Hanover but had no chance to talk to them. I don¢t know what I would have said anyway. It would be hard to claim brotherhood in the ranks while I am clean, dry, and [reasonably] sweet smelling. It is nice to know that there are still hikers ¢ and they looked like thru-hikers ¢ still coming through.   I have reverted to my ¢cold weather¢ gear ¢ including my silk underwear ¢ which will do much to cancel the weight loss from my pack because of the reduced weight in the food bag. Otherwise I am as ready as I can be at the moment to start out tomorrow. I have explored the trail through Hanover, so I am at least sure of finding my way through town along the familiar white blazes.   Forecast is for rain ¢ of course ¢ for the next 3-4 days! Still tomorrow I will shoulder my pack and start by just putting one foot in front of the other and we will see where we will go!Thought for today ¢ If not now, when?