Date: 2016-06-19
From: Stowe, VT via Lyme-Dorchester Rd.

To: Ore Hill Campsite
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: broken clouds

After breakfast this morning, we piled back into the car to make our way back to Hanover. We didn't need to get back particularly early, as we know we were going to stop in Hanover at Zimmerman's to see if Dill's package had arrived yet, and the store did not open until 10. But when we arrived at Zimmerman's, we were once again disappointed to find that they did not have Dill's package. It's kind of a crappy store. It seems to specialize in selling Dartmouth kids North Face gear rather than actually having any services or items that thru hikers want. Dill had been thinking that she would forego her package, but she opted to stay in Hanover. And so we parted ways, she to a trail angel's home for the day, and I back in the car heading up to Lyme. Watching dad pull away from the trailhead was among my most emotional moments of the whole trip. It was so nice to see him, to be in civilization. And here I was setting out for the final leg of this journey, the last leg without contact from my family. It's hard to get up and go each day. And now I was alone again, alone facing the challenge. I wiped the wetness from my eyes and headed into the fields and up towards the foothills of New Hampshire.Immediately, I passed a vibrant little sign marking the way to the home of Bill Ackerly, perhaps the most famous trail angle of the whole AT, who offered ice cream, croquet games and love to every thru hiker who passed. Bill passed away only weeks ago, and a sheet of paper with his obituary had been hung up next to the sign. I moved on (only later to find out that his family is currently inhabiting the house and giving away ice cream!).The first few miles were easy, like the beginning of yesterday, and I quickly came to the crossing of Lyme-Dorchester Rd, where the trailhead for the climb up Smarts Mountain begins. An older hiker who identified himself as Slipknot was there, and we chatted a little as I filled up water. He seemed like a bit of an oddball - he pushed off full steam ahead up the wrong trail until I yelled for him to come back, that he wasn't on the AT. I passed him just a little ways up, as the climb up Smarts Mountain really began. Smarts mountain was the toughest climb I've had in quite a while. The trail took me over boulders with rebar inserted and large open faces of rock. It climbs up an arm of Smarts called Lambert Ridge with wonderful views up to the summit and to the southeast, a lot of open rocks. Unfortunately, at the top of the mountain, the fire tower was under construction by a trail crew, and I could not go up to get any views. I stopped in at the Fire Waden's Cabin, then continued on my way. The descent to Jacobs Brook was very easy, and by the time I got down to the water, it was time for lunch. I was met there by Atlas, whom I had heard about only in that he had been hiking with White Rabbit and Large for quite a while along with Cosmo. WE ate lunch together by the water. I have gotten in the habit of taking my shoes and socks off at lunch, and today as I was packing up to go, a deerfly bit me right on my pinky toe. And something about the placement of the bite made it the single itchiest experience of my life. I have never before had an itch so powerful that I truly could not concentrate on anything else, but today was that day. I took off my boot twice while climbing Mount Cube in order to scratch it. The hike up Mount Cube was exhausting, and it was blisteringly hot under the sun on the exposed ledges of the mountain's ridge. I passed up on the side trail to the north peak and began descending again off the mountain. I tanked up water at a small stream, as I knew that there would be none at the campsite where I wss staying. Past Cape Moonshine rd., i came upon a number of bear buckets hanging from a tree, labelled "Trail Magic for NOWA!" I knew NOWA, and also knew that it was far too much for one person to carry, but the contraption hanging the buckets was too complex for me to want to figure out. (Cosmo and Atlas later informed me that there was water in one of the buckets, so my carrying three liters was pointless. I arrived at the Ore Hill Campsite after a surprisingly grueling short climb up from the road. There used to be a shelter here, which makes sense, because the tenting spots are very minimal. I set myself up in a little clearing a few feet from the firepit. Funnily enough, there is still a privy from when this was a shelter, and what a privy it is. Huge and well ventilated and with an actual carved throne on the seat. I sat around for a couple hours, Atlas and Cosmo rolled up eventually, and we chatted over dinner. They're both good guys. And amazingly, despite having very little service all day long, I was able to get enough data to stream game of thrones! Lucky me. Gnight!