Date: 2016-08-18
From: Crawford Notch Highland Center

To: Mizpah Hut
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: broken clouds

I spent some time this morning at the Highland center doing what I'm calling deliberate walking. This is walking down the hallway while while doing my best to spend an equal amount of time on each leg and avoid the limp and swing of my body back-and-forth which is the way that I've walked for the past three years or so.I went out front to hitch a ride down to the trail and saw the shuttle bus waiting there. I walked up and asked him if he might be able to give me a ride to the trail hoping that perhaps he might do it without charging me. I ended up paying the $19 fee which to me was worth it to not have to embarrass myself by standing out there hoping that someone would stop and pick up a 56-year-old man with a backpack on.I expected some mental resistance getting back on the trail today. I tried my best to walk along without limping which is what I've been practicing lately. This was easier on the flat portion the trail but once the uphill rocks started I quickly forgot about this.So I went through a series of mental gyrations as my leg and foot began bothering me. I wondered what the heck I was doing out here attempting to climb the White Mountains when I could be at home doing my deliberate walking back-and-forth in the living room. "Maybe I should just stay home and try and heal myself there" I suggested to myself.I ended up, of course, heading up the mountain continuing my quest to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. At one point it got steep enough that I took my poles off and put them on my pack before clamboring up a steep rocky section. I saw another steep section shortly thereafter so I kept my poles on my pack for the next 45 minutes as I made my way up the mountain using my feet and hands - at times pulling myself up and at other times walking along like a monkey on all fours.I finally made the 6.4 miles to Mizpah Hut and after almost eight hours of hiking. I think today I was going slow because of the steepness and because it's my first day back on the trail. I'm glad I didn't have too far to go. I enjoyed a nice dinner and got to talk to a group of four girls who were out in the bad weather up on the mountaintop yesterday. They hiked from Madison spring hut up over Mount Washington and down to Lake of the clouds hut in 40 to 50 mile an hour winds and rain with gusts as high as 98 mph. Part of me was impressed by the fact that they were willing to take on this challenge and another part of me was amazed that they went out in such bad weather. They made it OK but if one of them had gotten injured or for some reason had gotten off the trail they could've been in serious trouble as a day like that can cause a hiker to get hyperthermic very quickly.It's great to be here at the hut. I have enjoyed a delicious dinner and I'm settling down into my bunk for the night.Tomorrow I hike up over Mt Pierce for a short day of less than 5 miles to Lake of the clouds hut. This will put me partway into the area that's above tree line and leave me with about 10 miles to go the following day to get beyond tree line where I can camp for the night.It's awesome to be up here in the White Mountains and the views are incredible. I feel so lucky to be able to do this.