Date: 2003-07-29
From: Grafton Notch

To: East B Hill Road
Miles today: 10.5

I had a nice meal last night from a place called the "Sunday River Brewery." The house beers left something to be desired but the food more than made up for it.I was beat from the last few days of hiking and I just could not get moving. I didn¢t hit the trail until 11:00. I figured I was slack packing so I could push it a little and kick out the 10.5 miles in five or so hours. Always the optimist.It was a steady climb for the first couple of miles and I felt like I was making pretty good time. It was then that I hit the peaks of Baldpate Mountain. It was a hard climb up to the West Peak of Baldpate. The wind had been blowing hard and steady all day but it was not until I reached the summit that I felt its full force. It was blowing so hard that when I would lift up my hiking pole it would push it hard to the right.As I walked to the far end of the west peak I followed the trail down and back up as it snaked over to the east peak. It hit me why they call the mountain Baldpate. The east peak was totally exposed rock and at a pretty steep incline. I figured, and hoped inside, that the trail would just go around to where there was a more suitable way up to the top. Once again, I should have known better. As I approached the huge rock face, what did I see? Those white AT blazes going straight up. I tried to pretend I was on "Fear Factor" and that the 40 mile an hour wind was added in just to make the challenge a little greater. There were times when I was down on all fours; times when I thought the wind was going to blow me off the little ledge I was clinging too and times when I was more than slightly nervous. Taking my time I finally made it to the top. There were 3 young guys up there who were southbound and they applauded when I walked over the final crest. They had watched me fight the wind and the rock and thought they might learn something before they ventured down. What they probably learned was just how pale and out of breath a normal human could become. To sum up the climb, it pretty much sucked!The trip down and to little Baldpate was not nearly as rough. It was still slick and steep but for the most part not life threatening. It just made for super slow going. I came to a sign at Fry Notch that told me I still had over 5.5 miles to go before I hit East B Hill road. It had taken me almost four hours to do 5 miles and I figured the next 5 miles would not be any different. At that rate I would not meet back up with Penny until around 7. There was another trail that said it went to East B Hill road via some falls and that it was only 2.9 miles away. 2.9 miles and hitting the road before 5 sounded more logical than 5.5 miles and not hitting the road till much later. The Falls Trail, after the first .5 miles became gentle. I knocked out the distance in just over an hour and a half but when I made it to the road there was nothing around. Just this very small two lane road. My hope had been that it would come out at a parking area, hopefully the same one the AT went into. No such luck so I started walking down the road. I was not even sure I was going the right way but after about a mile I ran into a road paving crew. They all looked at me like I was an alien but I went ahead and walked up to the flagman. I asked if he knew what direction it was to the Appalachian Trail trailhead. He was not from the area and had never even heard of the Appalachian Trail. I walked down till I came across a second guy and asked the same thing. He was not sure but he thought I was going in the right direction. I said "thanks" and kept walking. Two minutes later the guy pulls over in his truck. He tells me that he is going to the top of the mountain to see if he can get any cell phone reception. He will take me that far so I hop on. Three miles or so later we round the curve and there is the AT sign with Penny and two other hikers hanging out. Pen was a little surprised when she saw me hop out of the guy's big truck. I feel kind of bad for blue blazing that part of the trail but I think it was the right choice. We are in Andover this evening and for sure I will hit the AT much earlier from now on. Take care,Pasta & Crockett(Maine in 2003)