Date: 2018-07-30
From: Stealth camp site mile 1836.9

To: Crawford Notch AMC Highland Center
Miles today: 7.5

I slept better than I thought I would and did my morning yoga before attempting anything else. It was very difficult to exit my tent but once I did I wandered to the back of the campsite to pee out of site. Krista and Ryan were almost all packed up and ready to go. We said goodbye to them and Iggy who was forced to pose for some pictures. After they left I took my seat on the tree roots from last night and made breakfast. River saw my difficulty in getting up and I expressed that I'm in a lot of pain. I know I need to decide what to do today because I can't hike another day like this. Today's 7.5 miles to Crawford Notch is an easy hike. We have reservations at the AMC Highland Center where I can rest, shower and sit on something other than tree roots that are 6" off the ground. We headed out and hiked together all day, most of it River stayed right behind me. We enjoyed a few minutes at Thoreau Falls off a short sour trail. Later we stopped at the Ethan Pond shelter for a snack and hydrated. I had just a half liter of water with me for the remaining 2.9 miles and opted not to bend over to pump water. River gave me a few sips of hers shortly before we reached the road, I was out. I've decided to call Brian and have him pick me up in the morning so I can see my chiropractor. It's going to be rainy with thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday this week and River and I are at the presidential range which we agreed will not happen under those forecasted conditions. We'll need 2 days to hike that section. The weather will hold us off until the weekend. So the timing is actually good. River's friend Sara from Maine is going to come get her tomorrow afternoon when she finishes the Websterw Cliffs to Mt Pierce section, putting her 7 miles ahead of me. I'll have to make it up before we hike the rest of the range, which we're doing in the south bound direction or sometime after. It will depend on my back and the weather. We arrived at route 302 at 12:40 and crossed the road to the trail head for Webster Cliffs and the AMC shuttle stop. The shuttle is $20 for members and $24 for non members. It departs here at 1:05. We agreed we'd try hitching a ride and if we weren't successful we'd pay for the shuttle. 2 cars passed and a motorcycle who gave us a thumbs up. Then I saw it....the license plate bkpackr ( or close to that) and I knew he'd stop. Rudi was going to the Highland Center anyway and he'd been out bushwacking today to summit some of the peaks without trails. He's a redliner and obviously a cereal hiker if he's out bushwacking! That's nasty work and he has the battle wounds to prove it! By the way a redliner is someone who completes all the trails AMC White Mountain Guide. Seriously devoted, redliners generally take on this task after hiking all the 4,000 footers. Rudi brought us right to the front door and even gave us each a Body Armor hydration drink. An extremely nice man and fun to talk to. Our private double bunk room was ready when we arrived at 1pm. We checked in and showered before heading down to the cafeteria to cash in the $6 bowl of soup, bread and beer our thru hiker passport entitles us to. We met Stripper there and the 3 of us visited while I booked with my chiropractor and confirmed tomorrow morning pickup with Brian. I'm relaxed now, I know I need to get fixed before I can get to the rest of the journey. I'm not off trail yet but I already can't wait to get back!!! River will spend tomorrow night at White Birches campground in a cabin with Stripper and a few days with her friend Sara in Maine. We enjoyed the buffet which was really great and then crawled into bed. With the fan in the window I thought I'd drift right off. Pain is exhausting. But the camp kids were running up and down the hall in and out of each other's rooms after the 10pm quiet time. Clearly the chaperones are oblivious. I hate being broken. But I know this happens to a lot of hikers and recovery is necessary before proceeding. I'm not Wonder Woman. My mind is willing but my body is a day behind. After all I'm officially a part of the decrepit group now. 4 female hikers over 50 with bad knees or some other failing body part. But we still love what we're doing and wouldn't change it.