Date: 2007-08-09
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: NH Route 25C
Miles today: 10.0

 I woke up a little before 6 a.m. when people in the shelter started stirring. It was about 50 degrees - great sleeping weather - I had a wonderful night's sleep, fell asleep about 7 p.m. last night.My tent was still wet from the rain so I waited until the shelter cleared out and hung it up to dry. I was planning to start hiking by 10, but I didn't make it out until 11. It was a great morning of hiking - cool, sunny and a little breezy. The temperature makes all the difference for me. I enjoyed the climb up to Cuba Mountain. Twice I stopped for 15 minute breaks when I got to a view. When I reached the summit, the group of kids I passed yesterday was up there. One of them suggested that this would be a good place to dry out my gear and I agreed so I spread out the tent and some clothes to finish drying. I was up there for about half an hour, reading and turning the tent to dry. I called Steve before I left to confirm the pickup location. Then I met Warren Doyle. He asked if I knew what mountains I was looking at and I said, no, but I'd love to, so he pointed them out for me - Stratton, Killington, Pico, Moose Mountain, Dartmouth Skiway, Smart's Mountain and Mount Mansfield farther north.The hike down the mountain went well. Part way down I met the group of kids again. One of them asked me why I was doing this when I could just drive a car where I wanted to go. I told him I did it because I love it, and because I feel the most like myself in the woods.After I crossed the road that is about 3 miles north of the summit, the conditions changed. It was humid and very buggy. I did the first 1.8 miles in an hour - mostly going quickly to foil attempted mosquito attacks. Soon after I crossed the road I also noticed a funny smell that I hadn't smelled before. Then it got very steep up to Ore Hill Shelter - .6 miles. After that I had about 2.8 miles to go to meet Steve. I figured that the longest the 3.4 miles would take me was 3 hours and I started it at 6:15 p.m. After a while I came to a sign describing and old metal mining operation west of the trail that was being reclaimed. I realized that I could smell the metal that was leaching into the water. Steve had said that he would be at the road at 7:30, so at about 8 p.m. when it was getting dusky, I figured I was no more than a mile from the road and should meet him soon. I also started to hear the road then. I was surprised when I got to it 15 minutes later and he was nowhere to be found. There was no parking area right where the trail came out, so I stuck my pole upright by the side of the road so he would see it when he came by. Then I went back up the trail a little ways to wait. I only waited 6 minutes when I heard "shave and haircut" on the car horn. The parking area was down the road a little ways and Steve had just pulled up.We drove to North Woodstock to the only motel that we found that would let us stay with the dog (the Six B motel). As for the other motels, they would only take smaller dogs - their loss - they all had vacancy signs when we passed. Steve brought me a Mojo Pulled Pork Burrito Bowl from the burrito place at home. I had my shower - Yay! - and a good night's sleep.