Date: 2007-05-31
From: Norwich, VT

To: Velvet Rock Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

5/31 morning actuallyNot sure what we're doin today. Rained heavy this am @ 0500. So glad we didn't have to join Anna for crew practice in the downpour @ 5am!!So glad we didn't have to join her at 5 period!!Great time last nite at the music extravaganza at her high school. Accapetos, choir and various style string & wind instruments were actually pretty cool. Thought it might really bite. But it was actually fun!Got up this morning and hiked (Walked) the 3 miles into NH on the road. Now we're officially here in Hanover NH. Ate great breakfast at Lou's Bakery & restaurant.Now updating journals & uploading a few pics-takes so long, so slow for each pic. Gotta find betta way.now the dilemna is whether to wait here for Guthook and the Goodfellas sometime late today and probably slackpack tomorrow or just head out 10 miles to the next shelter as we planned. Wanna keep movin but on the other hand...could be pretty cool to hook up with Fruitfly, The Goodfellas, Guthook, with me, Groove & Hugo. It's been ions since we've hiked with several other real hikers (thru hikers that is). And now this is the real deal. The big group at the front of the pack, enterin THE WHITES very soon.Gonna grab some lunch, resupply and see what happens.Look for the next house to freeload at!Who knows....later that day...Lunch however sucked at the EBA (Everything But Anchovies. AYCE salad/food bar sounded good, started eatin at 145pm but apparently it closed at 2 which is why it looked so empty. nice of them to tell us before we chose it. and the food sucked. killed our enthusiasm. We just vegged walking around town for a while. We were pretty bummed that none of the thru hikers near us were gonna make it to Hanover for the Renunion we'd all hoped. Guess there won't be the group of 6 or 7 hittin the whites together.Late afternoon we finally heard from Guthook, he'd just hit town. Guess he's been having shoe/foot issues. Bought new shoes but they're killin his feet.Fruitfly arrived too. But we couldn't seem to scam any lodging for tonite which would be our incentive to stay another day to hang with everybody, since the Goodfellas are due anytime.Walking thru town on the official trail was bizare. Another chapter in the real "wilderness experience."Hit the Dartmouth Coop - $$$$$ outragious overpriced for resupply.Finally hit the trail outta town @ 530pm! Wasn't lookin good for makin the second shelter 10miles out. But at least if we make the 2 mile out shelter we're on the trail again.Got in made dinna and got ready for bed. Several phone calls confirmed Guthook, Fruitfly and the Goodfellas are all taking a zero tomorrow then maybe slackpackin the next day.Too bad we never hooked up with everybody. And we were so close. After this once we hit the whites we'll likely never meet up again, although anything is possible.After numerous cell phone calls and lots of negotiations we finaly had a plan.At 9pm Groove, Hugo and I jumped up got dressed and HIKED BACK INTO HANOVER by headlamp to meet Fruitfly & the Fellas. You only live once.It was great to party with them after all this time following them in the shelter registers. Too bad Guthook couldn't make it.Finally when it was way late, well past hiker midnite (9pm-ish), it was really after midnite.Drove to the trailhead and hit the trail at 1230-pitch black. Got back to the shelter and in bed by about 1am. Ughh.What a bizarre day. Another "wilderness experience."FedEx