Date: 2018-07-25
From: Franconia Notch

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I have avoided writing my thoughts on the last few days here in Lincoln NH waiting for the weather to clear because I am at a loss for words. The hike on Friday was so long ago that I¢ve almost forgotten what it¢s like to make progress and log more miles onto my total. A few people I know have hiked ahead during that time. They describe very difficult conditions and few opportunities to see anything but clouds and more rain with high winds. These hikers are the ones who were talking about hiking 20 to 25 miles a day with some regularity. I do not have that kind of range any more. If I got caught in the high elevation in a bad storm I would try to hike a long day/distance but I don¢t know how well I would do. Their daily totals have dropped sometimes below 10 miles. That reality made staying put seem the better choice. It is very hard to stop hiking when you are used to hiking every day and racking up some miles. But it is a choice many of us have gone with. Much of my information comes from SOBO hikers (hiking from Maine to Georgia) who were already in the White Mountains when this weather pattern began, hiking south. They describe pretty tough conditions. They are stopping here to recover while northbound hikers are collecting here to wait for a better weather window. It will be good to finally move forward. I wonder how well I will do after so much idle time. The next 3+ days north will take me over Franconia Ridge and a series of mountains to the next gap called Crawford Notch, where we will need to resupply. Then the next major obstacle is Mount Washington and it¢s neighbors.  It is the highest section in New England and the second highest peak on the whole trail behind Clingman¢s Dome in the Smoky¢s.  But Mount Washington and that section is the most difficult and dangerous part of the entire trail. Then comes a series of mountains called the Wildcats, which end near the Maine border and finish up the difficult White Mountains. Mountains do not stop and disappear in Maine, but the White Mountains are a specific obstacle for thru hikers and are a major goal for me to complete now. The last few days have been a series of downpours with a few minutes between when it stops. That has happened half a dozen times just while I have written this story.  Everything happening down here in town is exaggerated at the higher elevation.  I have been torn between holding steady and just taking off and dealing with whatever comes.  We have been watching a weather report from the Mount Washington Observatory which is specific to the higher peaks. Tomorrow (Thursday) it may begin to clear out the system that has been stalled in this part of the country. Our plan is to hike out tomorrow and climb up to just below Franconia Ridge top and camp. Then the next morning we will quickly finish the climb to the shoulder and go over 4 or 5 mountains along Franconia Ridge and down to a shelter back below tree line on the other side for the night. We are counting on the weather to trend toward clearing by Thursday night as forecast. I am very excited to get going in the morning. The next section is hard, but beautiful if you can see it.  Marlene sent me a copy of her ladies bible study notes where they talked about God being in control of the weather. I¢d rather have Him in control than anybody. It was good to renew my understanding of who controls my life.  Thanks to all of you who are following and are concerned for my safety and success.  Please continue to pray as I move forward tomorrow.  It may be hard to communicate the next few days until I reach Crawford Notch - 3 to 4 days. Thanks in advance for your concern.