Date: 2004-08-10
From: Velvet Rocks Shelter

To: Lyme-Dorchester Rd (Merrimack, NH)
Miles today: 18.1

Flying BlindMileage Countdown: -422.3I was only expecting to make it to Hanover by tonight, and to be picked up by my son there. So I only brought maps and Trail data as far as the Connecticut River.But I am travelling faster than planned, so walked one day past Hanover. But I was flying blind today, through unfamiliar territory without a guide of any kind.And it turns out that my son can't pick me up, so I was getting shuttled back into Hanover, thence by bus to Manchester Airport where my son will pick me up. My shuttle pickup point was a small parking lot along a gravel road in the middle of the woods, 18.1 miles from where I started the day. I was to be picked up at 5. Not having any identifiable milestones, and having a fixed rendezvous time, made me very nervous.So I made a point of talking to every southbound person I ran into today, discussing the location of shelters, water sources, and of course crossroads. Some people were particularly helpful, like Rocks, who stopped, got out his data book and went over this section with me. I also met my first flip-floppers (GA->VA, then ME->VA), both repats. I met Fred (Phred?) in GA, and ReCon somewhere farther north.As usual, all my worry was for naught. My ride (Stray Cat, ME->GA,96), myself and the rendezvous point all got together within 5 minutes of the appointed time, and I found myself back in Hanover just at the start of the dinner hour.I must have looked a bit like a stray cat myself, as I headed for the Dartmouth Outing Club again to check my email. Waiting for a pedestrian light (I found that after coming out of the woods, trying to outsmart pedestrian lights is tantamount to attempted suicide), I heard "A thru-hiker, I'll bet, judging by your look of bewilderment." behind me. I turned to see someone who was herself obviously a thru-hiker, but someone I had never seen before. It turned out that she is a NoBo who has been about a week behind me, but yesterday jumped ahead to Hanover. Her name is Smack, and she is the one who showed up at the shelter late last night. After we talked a bit and checked our email, we both sort of melted back into the activity in this bustling college town.I was ready for dinner, so went around to a few promising places I had spotted yesterday. At each I asked if there were any thru-hikers eating there (we are easy to spot), but finding none I settled on Molly's. I ate too much and drank too much beer, but I had plenty of time so did it slowly. An hour and a half later I waddled out, but with thoughts of ice cream whirling in my head since the only Ben & Jerry's on the Trail was only a block away. After I had successfully negotiated another pedestrian light, I heard my name being called behind me.It was Doc, whom I hadn't seen since CT. He and Palm Tree and Tree Frog and Boonie had been eating dinner at the other end of Molly's and spotted me out the window. I joined them and we spent the next hour together, reminiscing about our times together on the Trail, and talking about the Trail ahead (while Doc and I ate our B&J's). It was definitely the finest social moment I have had on the Trail so far, and I wouldn't be surprised if I summit with some or all of this group.After they caught a cab back to their motel (A motel in a nearby town and cab fare are much less expensive than any accommodations in Hanover.), I waited for the bus to take me to Manchester Airport. I am on that bus now.I will be in Merrimack for the next 2 or 3 days, and won't be making any journal entries.Milestone: I am now more than 80% done. Put another way, I have less than 1/5 of the miles to go (but almost 1/2 the work :-).