Date: 2003-07-16
From: Hanover, NH

To: Moose Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: moderate rain

This day started slowly. I got up early and stumbled to the first floor of Panarchy, a fraternity that allows hikers to stay in their basement. As Hanover is a pretty expensive city, this is the primary lodging for us. I met Chameleon upstairs, who I hadn't seen in ages, and with him was Cliffdweller, who I'd not met yet. And get this: the day before, Cliffdweller finished off an entire Vermonster alone. This was the first time in three and a half years that this had happened. The last time, it had taken the hiker six hours. Cliffdweller did it in three. So I accompanied this super-human to breakfast, alone with Cosmo and Chameleon. Lou's served a fantastic breakfast, and I waddled back to the house. Sat around a lot. Pocketmailed a great deal, and called some gear companies, to see about warranties, etc. And I must say, I love Merrell. I like the shoes that I am wearing, despite the fact that the sole is delaminating. When I called them about it, they immediately put in an order to have a new pair shipped to Gorham, and I don't even have to send these ones back. The rep told me that they make special allowances for hikers who are currently on the trail, and I feel like I just got a free pair of shoes. Should last me through Maine, and then through Vermont. I didn't hike out until the afternoon, after I had resupplied, etc. A few miles out, I ran into Bearly Bald, who is slack-packing his whole home state. He told me that every time I see a sign that says "Tang" on a tree, I should walk fifty feet to the left, and I'll find magic. I think he's appreciative of the magic that Dad and I did for he and Hotfoot back in Shenandoah, and wants to repay. So the trail will be paved with soda, all through New Hampshire. Not a mile after seeing Bearly, my phone beeped. I'd left it on, and when I looked, I had six new messages. I guess my phone has been slow to receive. I listened through: Dad, Ben, Dad... and then I got the fifth one, from Lady Walksalot. She's off the trail. What she thought was a pulled muscle ended up being the beginnings of a hernia, and in order for her to be fully recovered from surgery by the time she goes to grad school, she had cut her hike short. Needless to say, I was pretty broken up. Lady is the best friend I have out here. We don't always hike close together, but every time we see each other, it's a reunion. And she's the only person who is brave enough and interested enough to ask me the tough questions, specifically about my mom. Out here, everyone is so respectful of each others' boundaries that sometimes I feel like we really don't know each others' stories, since we don't ask the questions. Lady wasn't like that, and I began to miss her immediately.She says she'll still be out for magic, though, and wants me to tell her where I'll be later on in the trip.Just as I was tearing up, Nathan walked up, and I blinked them back. The next eight miles I dragged. I don't think I was moving slow, but I was a little dazed. I got to the shelter, and it was overflowing. Ten kids from an outdoor program were there, alond with Firefly, Chameleon, Bean, Cosmo, and Mike. I didn't cook, and I wanted to go to bed. I told them about Lady, played a round of Uno, and then fell asleep fast.