Date: 2006-06-18
From: Ore Hill Shelter

To: Beaver Brook Shelter 
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: scattered clouds

7:03 p.m. Today was pretty up and down, no pun intended. Overall, from an objective standpoint, I'd have to say it was a terrific day. I know Kaptain and Moses both had a great time, and it was the kind of day the A.T. is all about, as well as the kind of day that makes you love doing 15 miles instead of 25. On the negative side, it was very hot and humid. The climb up Mount Moosilauke this afternoon wouldn't have been that terrible in other conditions (it was steady and well-graded), but in the heat and mug and with my head in the place it was, it was quite challenging to keep on plodding for those 6 miles, up 3500 feet. The reason my brain wasn't on board was that I spoke to Lockjaw this morning after not hearing from him at all yesterday. He took another zero yesterday, and another today. He'll almost certainly stay in Hanover tomorrow too. His shin, despite rest and icing, hurts no less than it did, and he's starting to get worried about the possibility of a stress fracture. I think tomorrow he plans to finally have it looked at. He won't catch up. He might not even be able to finish this year. Talking to him just about broke my heart. He's in pain. Physical, from his injury, and mental from the thought of what it might mean. He's staying with the Flanagans (Maddie's family) still, which seems nice and they're really kind to let him stick around. But he says he's stir crazy and just wants to be out in the woods again. I don't know when I'll see him again, or if I will. He says I have to suck it up and keep going, which I know is right. I've had thoughts of quitting, but I've come way too far. He'll summit sometime, I hope he can do it this year. Other parts of the day were better. This morning we hiked an easy 7 to a hostel in Glencliff NH. The place was great, and we ate tons of snacks that they sold there as well as buying some to beef up our food supply for the rest of today and tomorrow. We got there a little before 9:30 and stayed at least 2 hours, talking with the guy running it and using the facilities and eating and enjoying being inside out of the heat. Finally we made ourselves face the inevitable climb up Mount Moosilauke, a real mountain that looked pretty damn scary on the elevation profile. Like I said before, I didn't have the easiest time ever, but it wasn't bad either. Probably the toughest aspect was the duration. Boy, we were rewarded at the top though. We finally went above treeline, and from the exposed summit we had a beautiful (albeit a bit hazy) panoramic view. The sun beat down, but because of the 4800 ft elevation and a bit of a breeze, it wasn't uncomfortably hot up there. We sat up there for maybe another 2 hours, until about 4, eating snacks, talking to day-hikers, and enjoying the wonderful weather and scenery. So far NH definitely is a beautiful state. From the summit it was only 2.2 to this shelter, mostly downhill. We have a view from the shelter, mountains in the distance, and if I wake up early enough, there should be a gorgeous sunrise, as the shelter faces east. Once more we have a fire going, mostly for bug prevention, ambience, and something to do. Tomorrow we'll be back in town already. These 4 days have flown. Several nasty jagged climbs tomorrow though. We'll see how those go. All I want is Lockjaw and Thai take-out.8:25 p.m. A little bored. Haven't heard from Lockjaw. The view's getting even better as the sun goes down. "The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish your feelings - words shrink things that seem timeless when they are in your head to no more than living size when they are brought out." - Stephen King