Date: 2016-09-14
From: Shaw's hostel

To: Stealth campsite by stream
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

Day 1 of the 100 mile wilderness: I had a hard time sleeping last night. I think I was nervous going into the 100 mile wilderness with all the food. The weight was my biggest concern on my feet. There were options like a food drop for 80 dollars but I made it through the Smokies why not this. The other thing starting to get me is this is almost over. The hardest part is going to be the people aspect. Hikers I've hiked with many miles ago are either ahead or behind me. Dragon Head for instance will be summiting on Friday as he is about 5 days ahead. Other familiar faces who you may not have hiked with but have been at shelters or passed you back and forth since Virginia are now summiting. When a familiar passes you think is this the last time I'll see them. Cheeks and Old Timer just got into the shuttle to be dropped off and Hazel said that may be the last time we see those two. It's weird how these people out here become your family. On the AT if you have the guts and the determination to be out here there is a respect among hikers. We have lived it and know what you've just faced. It's gonna be hard to say goodbye. Cake and Haiku were at the hostel last night and are taking a zero today. Hazel and I are just about ready to head out so I just said goodbye to cake and haiku on the off chance we don't see them in the 100 mile. They should catch up but you just don't know at this point. Maybe it will be easier to say you'll catch up and not say goodbye. As for updates to names you all know, Luigi and her crew have come into New Hampshire and should just be about to come into the Whites. The royal couple are about 3 days behind me and should be neat Stratton, ME. Dragon head and ninja geisha will summit on Friday. I will start posting summit pictures of those you have heard about on this journey. For now back to the day. After not sleeping much I jumped into the shower and we headed down to breakfast. It was wonderful with eggs made the way you like them, bacon, OJ, hash browns, and all you can eat blueberry pancakes. Fantastic. After breakfast we packed our bags and the food didn't fit quite all in the food bag. My pack is so heavy the first two days in the hundred miles are gonna be awful on the weight. We got picked up by the family who came up to bring me new boots and some other items and to take home some other items. We slack packed 3.5 miles from the first Monson exit to the second. Then we loaded everything up and said goodbye and headed into the woods. Heave heavy heavy packs ugh. There was a sign warning do not enter u less you have enough supplies for ten days. We began walking and ten minutes in it began to rain. Yay welcome to the 100 mile wilderness lets start you off wet. We stopped at a pond to have a snack and rest. I think the first two days will be lots of little breaks. We chugged on and the trail had a lot of little ups and downs. Nothing too hard but heavy packs and wet roots and rocks made it a bit tough. We stopped at Leeman Brook lean-to for break #2 and rested for a bit. We pushed on and went another 5 miles and stopped at little Wilson stream for camp. Someone had made a sofa out of rocks and it was quite handy. We slept with our food as it all didn't fit in our food bags so why hang some while sleeping with the rest. I passed out about 8:30.