Date: 2011-07-31
From: (115) Ski Lodge on Wild Cat Mountain

To: (116) Gorham, White Mountain Hostel
Miles today: 18.0

I woke up inside the lodge stiff and sore from having slept on the couch all night in the fetal position, but at least I had stayed toasty warm. After climbing out of the window and having Grandpa hand me my pack through, I was on my way. I made it to the last Hut in the Whites, Carter Notch Hut, where I was allowed to eat the breakfast leftovers along with Tridub and Gingersnap who had made it to the Hut the night before and done work for stay, and we were later joined by Grandpa, Grasshopper, Vegan, and Red Moose. Tridub, Red Moose, Vegan, and I all decided to head into Gorham today and stay at the White Mountain Hostel. We hiked much of the day together in a hiker line or ¢Train¢, stopping on the tops of Carter and Hight Mountain to relax and take pictures of the Presidentials, which were displayed magnificently behind us across the horizon, unreal on this crystal clear day. I arrived ahead of the others at a shelter where I found Zero taking a zero (oh sweet irony). The oddball had his food spread out all over the floor and was getting started on a case of beer. As I thought of stupid things to write in the shelter log book (Today I hiked faster than I can hike.¢), Zero decided to tell me that fencing could really help me with my meditation, and then showed me some exercises to help me be a better climber. Thanks Zero, how did you know?I reached the unofficial end of The Whites aka Route 2 leading into Gorham and after a short rest was joined by Red Moose. Together we walked to the hostel, which we found to be a very nice one, complete with bed sheets, spare clothes to wear while doing laundry (Yet again I had to wear girl clothes as nothing else fit me), and fancy showers with three different kinds of soap in dispensers (They were different colors and scented, it was all too much for me). There were already a handful of hikers at the hostel, both north and south bound, and we were later joined by Tridub and Vegan.After we had all settled in, the Hostel owner¢s daughter took us to Wal-Mart where I bought a very small amount of food. I had been well fed in the Huts of The Whites and was also given a ton of food by tourists, so I actually left The Whites today with more food then I had started with (I also made it through without ever paying for shelter ha-ha). After food I bought super glue for my torn up shoes, and Heet antifreeze for my alcohol stove. I was ready for Maine.With our resupply complete we returned to the Hostel, and then that evening went back into Gorham with the rest of the hikers to eat. I walked to the local Burger King with Vegan, Red Moose, and a guy hiking South Bound, who of course was crazy, as this is always the condition of those hiking south (He told me that he hated every day on the trail, and that he was doing it because all of his friends had become Navy Seals, making him want to do something hardcore himself.) Once in Burger King I annihilated the dollar menu. It was easy and I even ordered two more sandwiches after completing it. I have now completed the dollar menu challenge at McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy¢s, and Burger King. I have never been so happy, and I doubt that finishing the trail and returning home will even compare in terms of pride and ¢Gut-busting-joy.¢ But this wasn¢t the only memorable thing that happened at Burger King. While ordering I noticed that the menu was listed digitally on giant screens, with moving images and everything, and when I went to fill my cup of soda, I found that the soda machine was entirely electronic and that I could select what I wanted to drink by touch screen. HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THE WOODS FOR!?!?!?!?!?!? AHHHHHH!!!!!!Upon leaving Burger King I entered the nearby Dunkin Donuts for a Boston Cr me (My trail donut of choice), where I was surprised to run into Cayenne. She told me that she was some 20 miles behind me on the trail, but had hitched into town using another road that crossed the AT. This interested me. I had always viewed the trail as a timeline, with everything behind me being the past as I had already been there. If somebody is several miles in distance behind me at a given time, then it is not possible for me to see them as we are stuck on this straight line. Therefore, seeing Cayenne was like cheating time and distance, having found a trail phenomenon where two people who are 20 miles apart on a straight line can end their day side-by-side. It is clearly a paradox and I am waiting for the universe to implode. Back at the Hostel I met a guy named Hazard who claimed that he had met me in Maryland towards the end of my 50 mile 4-state challenge. I was happy to meet someone who had known me from back then, and remembered having talked to him while signing a shelter log book, before saying goodbye and taking off running down the trail towards Pennsylvania and The Mason Dixon Line with what little light remained (I later stopped running after falling down¢¦ in the dark¢¦ twice¢¦ like an idiot).After sunset I enjoyed a night around the hostel¢s fire ring listening to my fellow Nobos swapping stories while the greener South Bounders inquired as to what to expect down the trial. I smiled at them, ¢Mountains and trees my directionally confused friends, and lots of rain!¢