Date: 2012-07-23
From: stealth camp before Mooseilauke

To: stealth camp
Miles today: 10.3

Magnificent. That is the word that best describes today. I was very fortunate to be able to slack with Dos over the mountain today. Thanks so much to her friend Maggie for making it possible and being so generous and kind to me. What a climb! Welcome to the whites. I could tell that if I had my full pack today would certainly be a short 7 mile day. Instead the straightup rocky climb was very doable. Goodbye to switchbacks though. Ha how exhausting and funny to look up and see pretty much the rest of the climb above you. They hide nothing. Well we climbed and climbed to higher atitudes running into lots of southbound thruhikers. I've noticed that they all still have fire in their eyes, something that has diminished in a lot of the northb ounders who are sworn down and becoming mentaly and physically tired. Always fun to chat with the southbounders though. The climb took us to the top of a ridge that we walked on for a bit. This path had sections of rock and dirt framed by small spruce gving me the feeling of shopping for a christmas tree. As we movedthrough his the summit appeared, a reddish grassy alpine hill that looked so cool as the clouds rolled up the mountain and over it. While the clouds meant limited views they also made for an exciting atmosphere that was etherial and wonderous. Rock carins marked the way from here on as we made our way over rocks and delicate golden alpine flowers. Sigh. I can't describe it properly all I know is I felt whole, full, content, joyous. Suddenly everything was right in the world. You can talk about this some with other hikers. They know what you mean but even sitting rigt next to each other expierencing the same thing, we still have no words. Every now and then the sun would shine some through the clouds and the mists would clear givining fleeting views of the mountains and valley below bathed in sunlight. What little we could see was breathtaking. T came up the other side as we headed out and on tis side of the mountain it was much more clear with sunshine. What a step descent! There were wooden triangle steps drilled into great rock sheets and most of the trail followed close to a waterfall that grew and became more spectacular as we went. Parts of the trail made me laugh out lou. Ha what a thrill, okay also very dangerous seeminging. A fell fals but close saves and technical climbing down was just plain fun. At the bottom maggie met us with real food! Then she made sure I had water made a run to mcdonalds fr tastebud pleasing, stomach upseting "food" and I said goodbye to them after a lengty break. Great day. Still somewhat fresh I headed up the next hill with my full pack. It was most all ridgeline so I was on alert for a sheltered spo to set up as I went. Looking at the sky thbat promised storms soon, I actually turned back and rewalkd some of the trail to a better so once I realized the ridgeline was only going higher with fewer protected spots. On purpose I chose an area with no blow downs that looked protected. In for the night listening to distant thunder move across the ridgeline somewhere out there.I had signal for the first time in a long time so made calls to friends. I am determined to finish and loving the trail, especially now but when I called some of my riends who were having bad days, I had to admit that on the whole thruhiking is a very selfish endeavor. It puts you in a position ofnot being able to be there for the ones you love. And it is their strength, geneorisity and support that allows me to keep going. Thank you thank you for the love you have given and fredm to acomplis this journey.