Date: 2014-07-21
From: carter dome

To: US2 gorham, vt
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

I slept great on the mountain last night but now it was time to be gettin to town and gettin some 'town food'. I had 14 miles to go and hoped i would be there by 2 to get settled into a room and do the usual cleaning and resupply stuff early enough that i could get some rest, i need some rest. I was off early enough to be the witness of a great sunrise, i mean truly breath taking from over on my hight. Again the fog was in the valley making it look like an ocean but the color of the sunrise made it spectacular. I really wanted to get to town but i had to hang out here for a while to watch. One more reason this is more than just a trail and more than just a hike but a compilation of experiences you wouldnt have in 'normal' life. I dropped down into zeta pass to start the climb of the carters. The climb wasnt bad but the ridge connecting middle carter and north carter seemed to take me forever, like i was stuck in slow gear. The views were nice though, more looks at the impressive white mt skyline. From the carters i had a descent and then up mt moriah. The descent was a bit sketchy. Steep with slick rocks that also made for slow steady traveling. This did not seem like one of the good places to break something. The climb up mt moriah was about a thousand feet, not bad and the last hill between me and the drop into gorham. While making my way up it something happened, something that has not happened in a long time, since virginia. I got passed while hiking!! I will be the first to admit that im not the fastest hiker but im steady and dont take a lot of breaks so i dont get caught up unless im taking a sit. Smudge is a young hiker with legs up to his ears and he was out of sight right quick. I made no attemp at keeping up, i knew my limits. After the summit i thought to myself, ok self, lets tear up this downhill and get to town! Not so fast said mother nature, the first while of this downhill was again slow going. Large steps down, the kind that hurt your knees and long slabs of rock, the kind that you could slide a long way down without hitting anything. I met a cool chick heading up the hill as i was coming down, violet. She thru hiked last year and has a great attitude. If people in the real world were more like the people on the trail, what a happier place it would be. Its kinda true too, people on the trail trust people, i leave my pack unattended without worry and thats my whole life sitting there, i need that stuff! Finally, about 4 miles to go the trail became kind. She turned to dirt and became less steep with few roots. I hit top gear for the first time in over a week, i could feel the wind in my beard and it felt good. The world was flying past at three miles per hour, sometimes maybe more! Yeah, thats right, im a thru hiker crushing this trail! It was so good to be able to walk without caution on every step, it was like, well, how it should be. I made it to rt 2 just before one o clock. The town was 3.5 miles away, too far to walk so i was determined to thumb a lift, not my strong suit but it had to be done. I started walking and thumbing thinking if i was walking people would be more likely to help me, just a theory. I passed the white house hostle that i would later regret not staying at. I walked and walked and walked and thumbed. Nothing. I was getting frustrated and was going to give up and just walk without begging for a ride when a nice young canadian lady pulled over to give a lift. Loren and her young son dauzene (spelling ? ) were on their way to see family in toronto but stopping in vermont for a ben + jerrys tour. She was real nice and i told her this was the first time i solo hitched and got a ride. She brought me to town and dropped me off. I thanked her and wished her fun on her road trip. Now to find food, drinks and a place to stay. I came to the top notch inn, looked like the place for me. I inquired about a room but could not check in till 2. That irritated me, it was just a bit after 1:30 i have no car and a packback. I cant throw my stuff in the room early? No. Crap. I got the room and carried all my pack to a gas station for drinks and snacks. Then i sat under a shade tree and talked to a friend on my phone, he is going to meet up with me in stratton for a day which is always nice. Then i wandered back to check in. First thing was a shower, it had been five days, things needed to be washed. Then i did laundry in the tub, it just easier that way and i only have a tiny bit to do so going to a laundry mat seems impractical. Next thing was a lay down, im tired. Then i went to seek resupply food. The bad thing about gorham is its a very long town and all on one road. Very spread out if youre on foot. I would have to hitch 2.5 miles to the grocery or see what i could do at a gas station. I checked out the station and got all i needed. Its a good thing im not too fussy about what i eat on the trail. When i got back to the room i looked into getting a pizza delivered and did just that. I ate all but one sluce of a large pizza and an order of boneless chicken wings. Mmmm. I washed that down with a half gallon of chocolate milk, that hit the spot. Then it was time for bed. It never fails that when you get in town, time speeds up. Without taking a nero (under ten miles) or a zero (0 miles), you dont get much rest time. The whites were tough, real tough and they left me physically sore and tired but it was well worth it. I will be taking a day off once i get to maine. My heart wants to see that last border crossing. Kinds freaks me out to even think about it so im not gonna think about it, im gonna go to sleep. Just seems right.