Date: 2007-08-07
From: from Franconia Notch/North Woodstock, NH

To: toward Pinkham Notch in the 'Whites'
Miles today: 1801.0
Weather: fog

I have 374 miles to go! I took a zero day today and have been napping. Had b'fast at 5:30 a.m. with C-N-N (Charles and Nancy). Then they went back to the AT. I went back to the room for a nap at 7 a.m. Later, laundry was done, and I re-packed my backpack adding warm clothes for higher elevations. The weather was Super Hot and Humid as I hiked into New Hampshire. There are Lots of AT hikers here; I stayed at the Sunset Motor Lodge between a small highway and a lake, where I watched the sun color the sky, hills, and water for 2 nights. In Hanover, the AT passes through Dartmouth College, and past the Food Co-op, before turning along the edge of the soccer fields and then heading up into the woods to the Velvet Rocks Trail. It was so hot when I left, that other hikers were opting for a movie in the afternoon. I just hiked 7 1/2 miles. The next day I sweated up to Hexacuba Shelter, and chatted with Chopsticks and Alright as we went to sleep. Next day was good, good luck for me.... As Alright's folks were paying him and Chopsticks a trail visit - they gave me a ride to Glencliff Post Office, since it was Saturday and I was cutting it close to be able to hike there by 1pm while the P.O. was still open, AND then they invited me to join them for their trailside picnic with the guys! Delicious tomatoes! Afterwards, they deliverd our packs to the Hikers Welcome Hostel, and I hiked the 5 miles into Glencliff smiling and singing. Very nice - Thankyou 'Alright' and Joe and Kathy! Now Alright and Chopsticks are on up into the 'Whites' going ultra-light, and with a college bound date to finish their hike. Saturday afternoon, I met Daybreak, and we went to stay at Dancing Bones (from the trail it's one mile to the right on Cape Moonshine Rd. - if you're hiking by there - go there!). Jan welcomed to join them for a potluck dinner and sacred circle dancing! There are tent decks, and a community tent with cots, and they have a clean privy. Daybreak even ran into someone she knew there and we all danced together. On Sunday and Monday I hiked 10 miles over Mt. Moosilauke, and then 15 miles Up and Over the Kinsman mountaintops. Sunday was lovely weather, and I took many photos. Monday was rainy from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., and at times I wished I hadn't opted to hike that day. I stopped at a Shelter for lunch, since it was raining. I took my pack and jacket off; I was trying to keep my t.p. dry, and on the way out in the drizzling rain, I tripped on my rain-soaked pants, couldn't take steps to regain my balance, so my body was launched at a pretty high speed toward a rock! My hands reached out to stop my flying body, each hand landed on a small rock, and saved me - my body slumped into the soft mud instead of the huge rock. wow! that was a close call! The hiking over Kinsman was what I am calling 'spiderman climbing' - meaning I stretched all four limbs, including trekking poles, almost all day long in order to go up, up, up, and down, down, down hundreds of steep, huge rocks. Evidently, there is 'more of the same' ahead for the next 60 miles - that is why we'll do 10 mile days through the Whites. I am amazed at the mountains! Tomorrow I will head out (over the I 93 guardrail) toward Pinkham Notch, near Gorham. Muscles pumped - on I go... following C-N-N, and Rio and Hemlock, and Buttercup....