Date: 2014-08-10
From: Gorham, NH

To: Gentian Pond Shelter/Campsite
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Additional comment: Thanks David, you captured the day well!Note: Today's post was written by my son, David (trail name: Steam Engine), detailing his first day on the Trail with Mike and me.We woke up early in our motel room and immediately started getting ready. The night before, Wingnut and Cookie Monster (Mike's new trail name) had gone through my equipment, tossed aside any thing I wouldn't need, and showed me how to pack everything including three and a half days worth of food. In the morning all I had to do was throw everything I didn't need in the car and I was ready to go. While the two hikers got caught up on updating their blogs, I walked through the sleepy town of Gorham to find three bottles of Smart Water, the best shaped and sturdiest water bottle on the market. Before leaving town, we made a quick stopover at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. With a bagel, a couple donuts, and coffee in our stomachs, we were finally ready to go. We dropped the car off at the White Mountains Lodge and walked across the street to rejoin the Trail. Shortly after starting, we ran into three South-Bounders (SoBos, thru-hiking from Maine to Georgia). I talked to one of them, named Forester Gump, a former Marine who recognized the type of backpack I was carrying (military ALICE ruck). I learned that he had been a Chinook pilot and that the larger version of my ruck sack could carry half an elk. Finally we were off on the Trail and it felt wonderful. Hiking on the Trail was what I had been dreaming about since March so it really was a dream come true being out there. The terrain was difficult to traverse, particularly the steep uphills followed by even steeper downhills. We climbed over rocks and roots, through brush and trees, and summited multiple hilltops throughout the day. There is nothing better than the moment just before you break out onto an open hilltop - an alpine breeze comes blowing in letting you know you're almost there. Throughout the day, I was shown how to use the various equipment I had been told to buy. I learned the process for filtering water (fill an empty 1-ltr. Platypus bag with water from a flowing stream, then filter into a Smart Water bottle) and how to make a calorie-stuffing lunch (take two tortillas, fill one with salami and cheesesticks and the other with Nutella, then eat lots of Fritos). Mike taught me the theme of their hike - "constant forward motion" - which actually did help me make it up a few hills. It rained in the afternoon, but it was warm out so it felt refreshing. We were joined by three other thru-hikers for our remaining 2.2 miles to the Gentian Pond Campground, where we planned to stay for the night. I discovered that distance on the Trail does not feel like the same distance anywhere else, and that the last 2.2 miles of the day always feel the longest. It was a slight downhill most of the way, and when we finally reached the campsite we still had enough daylight to work with to set up our areas. Dad and Mike made a fantastic dinner of tuna and shrimp ramen noodles. We finished our day with a cup of tea, using a single tea bag that we passed around, true trail fellowship.