Date: 2018-08-08
From: Pinkam Notch

To: IMP shelter
Miles today: 13.1

We were up at 5:30, showered and in the dining room right after I checked my box at 6:30. I feasted in eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and oatmeal. I hydrated with water, juice and coffee. We were crossing street to the trail just after 7am and I was packing such a full stomach I was already having breakfast remorse. Feeling bloated I was more interested in crawling back into my bunk but that wasn't the plan today. The first mile or so was pleasant, along a pond and some large boulders. And then my world went straight up! The trail maintainers who gave me the ride to Joe Dodge yesterday told me the 1st half mile was straight up and the rest was not as bad. River went 1st and we climbed hand over, stowing or holding our poles as they were little use. I reminded myself to lean forward as I went. I don't know how far up I was when I heard the crashing of poles behind me, but I looked down and saw a man sitting with poles in both hands. "I'm okay" I heard, and I confirmed twice. I never saw him again all day so I assumed he aborted his mission. That climb was 3 miles and I can't convince myself that any of it was less technical or difficult. I convinced myself that when I got to the top where the Wildcat gondola is that there would be a snack bar. I'd have ice cream and take a break. Because after all, why would people ride a gondola if they couldn't eat at the top? When I arrived I was as deflated as yesterday when I couldn't have a beer. Nothing is at the top of the Wildcat gondola. Nothing. We forged on and I dreamed of how nice it would have been to coordinate with someone who could have brought food up to us. It wasn't long however before my thoughts returned to the hard work in front of me. We summited 7 peaks over 13 miles. I was soaked in sweat all day without any dry spot on my shirt even. Just drenched. I've never sweat so much in my life or thought I could. I continued to drink water and electrolytes and we stopped at the Carter hut about 6 miles in for a hot bowl of soup and break. We met another flip flop hiker who we'd originally met at the flip flop festival in Harper's Ferry and run into at Madison hut as well. She admitted to cheating and riding the gondola up, skipping 3 very hard miles. Disturbing to me. The privilege of being know as a thru hiker is on the honor system. I wondered how many other sections she skipped.I had a bowl of potato dill soup and some cold oatmeal left over from breakfast which I poured maple syrup and milk over. I questioned myself eating that because it's been sitting there all day but I was so hungry. Two other hikers came in, also flip floppers but they were no SOBO from Katahdin heading back to Harper's Ferry and they've already done the southern half. The female flip flopper left before us but we caught up to her on one of the summits and passed her while she was on the phone. At 5pm I was beginning to feel pretty spent. I'd hiked down Webster Cliffs yesterday to complete that section because I'd missed it when I went home to deal with my back and River had hiked it alone. So I'd had a long steep day yesterday and today was scheduled for 13 miles which included a stretch of 6 of the hardest miles on the trail. I felt like my legs were going to leave me. As if I'd been roughed up at the gym by Hulk Hogan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Seriously, I wondered how I'd even sit on a toilet without falling.  And then I saw the nicest little stealth camping spot but it was occupied by the female flip flopper who cheated by riding the gondola and who I'd passed on a summit a few miles back. And she was all set up and happy resting. Hmm. I asked River if perhaps she'd sped ahead of my while I was watering some moss. But it seems that with so many intersecting trails there's more than one way to cheat. I wonder if she'll summit Katahdin tomorrow. I'm not a cheater and this is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and I still wouldn't think of skipping a white blaze. River on the other hand is known as a brown blazer or privy blazer because she still carries a trowel she's never used! She makes it to every privy and there's no crime in that because she connects all the white blazes. Both of us are upset with the other hikers cheating but the words "hike your own hike" mean mind your own business. So I'll get off the soap box now. By 6pm it started raining. My favorite while scaling large slippery rock slabs. An hour later after several slip and falls by both of us I lost it. Hungry, thirsty and with my mind and body tapped out I'd had enough and I vented and cried. This terrain is downright ridiculous on a good day, never mind now. I'd let myself become depleted and I really should have told River a while ago that I didn't think I could go further. But I didn't want to disappoint her. I cried, cussed and we then had a discussion about it. I need to be sure in the future I speak for myself. I tend to see things sometimes as all or nothing when in reality it isn't that way. I could have camped and River could have camped too or continued to the shelter alone. But I didn't speak up. We botg fell a few times after that discussion. Eventually at 8pm, soaked and muddy and after nearly 13 hours of stenuous hiking we arrived at IMP shelter and checked in with Olivia the caretaker. There were 2 hikers in the shelter, a SOBO and a man just out for 2 days. We got set up and 4 more thru hikers NOBO from GA arrived exhausted and having done the same 13 miles fresh off a zero. We all agreed on the difficulty and none of us could understand how some people slack pack that as a 21 mile day in 12-14 hours. I made dinner and couldn't finish it. I'd have to pack out the rest. Exhausted I brushed my teeth and River stowed our food bags in the bear box. I layed down to sleep and tried to quiet my restless legs and feet. Tomorrow we have 8 miles and I heard the last 4 are easy. Then we'll get a ride to pick up our boxes at Pinkam Notch and to our hotel in Gorham. I need a hot shower, clean clothes and 2 beers! The man next to me is snoring. I hope tired enough to fall asleep.