Date: 2012-07-09
From: Hwy 16

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: scattered clouds

July, 6 miles to Carter Notch Hut.           7/9/12 "Today we hiked 6 miles. It was not easy going up Wild Cat Mt.  It was VERY pretty though.  We slept in, did laundry, ate at Mc D's, AND ate s'more pies from Mc D's!!!!!! It was AWESOME!!! Also our resupply is CANDY bars!!!  I love resupplying out of gas stations!  We hurried to Cartor Knob Hut. We will have PASTA!!!"                   ¢Sunshine:-)  Last night I was grappling with trying to decide if it were wise to go into town.  It would cost us fairly dear in depleting funds and escaping time.  I however promised Sunshine in the morning that we would go into town if we made it across all the presidential mountains.  She did her part and I lived up to my promise.  We arrived into town at almost 10:00pm, ate dinner, journaled, and sent out our past 4 entries to TrailJournals.com so you folks wouldn't worry about us.  It wasn't until waking at 9:00 am that I realized how badly we needed that small break.  It turned out to be necessary, not frivolous.  Upon rising, I was still exhausted, my feet throbbed, and every mussel in my body ached.  Sunshine seldom complains so it takes me a while to recognize these problems creeping up.  Remember my analogy earlier about hundreds of little butterflies kissing my feet (I think it was a hot tub reference).  Well now those cute little bugs have tiny little jackhammers working away at the soles of my feet.  We got some laundry done, our gear dried, a much needed mental and physical break, and are back on the trail with only 313 miles left.  There were two section hikers at the motel that volunteered to drive us back to the trail.  They are day hiking the whole AT (with the exception of the White's roadless section) over a few years by shuttling cars around.  Mother Teresa and Butterfly have been in PA with Uncle Bob and Aunt Karen since we began the White Mountains last Thursday.  We look forward to seeing them again this coming Thursday night.   We began our hiking day by ascending Wild Cat Mountain, peeks A,C,D,and E this afternoon.  It was mostly climbing over enormous rocks.  We literally pull/drag ourselves and each other over these boulders for hours using all fours.  Carter Notch is the last hut in the White's so we decided to stay here... Plus it was already pretty late.  I mentioned our experience at Mezpaw Hut earlier, but it is important to point out that it was our only such experience.  All the other huts and their staff have been very kind to us.  The AMC defiantly takes care of Thrus at the huts.  I just don't always agree with some of the politics surrounding special use permits to clubs and venders in National Forests and Parks.  That, however is the Forest Service, and Parks fault, not AMC's.  The AMC does many great things out here.  Sunshine is talking about working out here while in college.    TIP OF THE DAY:  have you heard the term "dirt bagging"?  It is turning every day cheep items into gear to save money.  I discovered a new one recently.  You can find already mixed Margaritas in 16 oz. small plastic collapsable bladders (like Platypus, but lighter duty) with screw on caps in the freezer section of most grocery stores.  These work great as ultra light water bottles.  Plus you get a margarita every 200 miles or whenever it wears out.  It's a win win!