Date: 2012-08-29
From: The south end of the Mahoosuc Notch

To: Grafton Notch at Hwy 26
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

ON TO MAINE AND OUR LAST STATE...NUMBER 14 OUT OF 14!!!! Moving day again...and Margo was leaving today so a double whammy! Margo and I went to a delightful coffee shop/cafe/bookstore called the White Mountain Cafe. It has a great selection of food, drinks and books. Back at the hotel to check out and get Margo on her way to Albany to return her rental van and then her flight back to Fort Wayne. I started out the other direction on my way to Grafton Notch. Since I had many hours left, I stopped in Bethel,Maine where we had been yesterday. Vivian from the knit shop told me to stop in at Ruthies' Dress shop and say Hello from her so I did and we talked a little. I found out where the library was so decided to find a shady spot to park the car and then go exploring on foot. The library didn't open until 1:00 so I went to Erin's Cafe for a bowl of fish chowder which was delicious. I went to the historical museum and read all about the development of the town. There was a nice display of signature quilts. By now the library was open so that was the next stop. It is a very small library with limited hours so I will not rate it. Off to Grafton Notch...and on the way...in the middle of nowhere...here was an unattended pie shop on the roadside. You choose your pie and put your money in a box chained to a nearby tree. I purchased an apple pie.I knitted while waiting. Out of the woods came Sleeping Beauty and Tickle Monster. I offered them some pie which they excitedly agree to. While talking to SB I learned that he and SOS have something in common...nothing anyone else wants...they both had broken necks. SOS' break was at C7 and SB's was at C5. Neither of them was expected to live and here they both are almost finished with a 2184 mile hikRe!!!! God is good...all the time! Next out of the woods came Gingersnap, Mission, and Lt. Dan. They all were excited by pie also so there went 3 more pieces...by now, I was concerned about SOS getting any! He and HeadnOut were next out of the woods so they shared the rest of the pie and it was gone less than an hour after purchase! Lt. Dan mentioned that it was his birthday so we sang to him. The 5 hikers were heading to Andover with a shuttle driver and HeadnOut was camping in the woods. SOS and I were also headed to Androver but there was no room at the Pine Ellis Hostel where the 5 were going...so we ended up at The Cabin. We got there just in time for dinner of chicken, potatoes, salad and squash with ice cream for dessert. SOS and I settled into our room for the evening.SOS here:Getting out of the Whites has not been the end of tough. Yesterday hike of 10.5 took 11 hours to hike. It was exhausting, but the high point came at 9:55 am when I reached the New Hampshire - Maine border. HeadnOut and I hiked difficult terrain all day long and averaged a mile an hour. It was too late to hike the Mahoosuc Notch - the hardest 1.3 miles on the trail and also the funnest. We snuggled up to the Notch by camping less then a .1 of a mile from its southern point so we could get an early start. There was a breeze during the night and it would dry our tents.Headnout and I did hike the Mahoosuc Notch Trail today. It took us 3 hours. I refer to it as cerebral hiking. Not only as usual do you have to watch where you step but you have to think how you are going to make your next step. Mahoosuc Notch was like a big game with humongous rocks lying in every direction on the trail before you. It would require incredible efforts to get even a single step down the trail. When finished it left us with thankfulness that we safely finished.We did hike faster than yesterday even though it took us three hours to hike the Notch.The apple pie waiting for us at the end of the day was the best trail magic I've received on the trail. Thanks Trail Mama for thinking of us.