Date: 2003-08-04
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: NH25/Glencliff
Miles today: 14.7

It rained last night. I feel like I'm back in May, when it rained or was foggy every day. It wasn't a heavy rain. I was hoping for that overnight, so my clothes would get rinsed out as they hung (or did they cling, in their stickiness?) on a clothesline. It wasn't raining when we left the shelter this morning around 8. Everything is damp: clothes, sleeping bag, backpack. It's all just yick. But it was another humid day, so the yick would, at best, remain, and most likely worsen.Summitting Mt. Cube was uneventful, as I had no view at all due to the clouds and fog. The only thing it meant to me was that my hardest climb of the day was over. It seemed like it took forever to get to Ore Hill Shelter, 7.3mi north, where we stopped for lunch. Actually, it had taken just over 4 hours. And it started raining about an hour and a half before we got there. I didn't bother with a rain jacket, as my clothes were wet with sweat anyway. I figured, if I got cold, I'd put it on for warmth. That wasn't necessary.The recent rains made the trail muddy, or muddy-er, and once it started raining today, it made walking easier. I didn't have to worry about how to avoid the mud. So I splished and splashed, and slipped and slid my way north...slowly.The second half of the day was much better, and we made it to Glencliff before the Post Office closed. I was treated to Christmas again! More cards, letters, anc care packages. What a great feeling to know that so many people are behind me, encouraging me! It makes me feel good, and reaffirms my desire to continue on. The miles haven't been passing so easily lately, and while I have no intention of quitting, I have had to walk for the sake of getting closer to the goal more often lately. Some section hikers told us the 5-day forecast is the same as it's been: humid, with chance of afternoon storms. Not exactly the weather I'd hoped for heading into the Whites. I hope I get some kind of view. I also hope I don't get hurt. There's going to be a lot of slick rocks to walk across!I passed the 400-miles-to-go point today, just barely! Yippee! Katahdin still seems a loooong way off. It should seem that way, as there's a lot of trail left still. I met 4 ladies section-hiking today. Sometimes, it's just nice to see other females, even though there were 2 others at Hexacuba last night. I also like to see other hikers, especially thos intending on section-hiking the entire AT. They are doing it the hard way, and my hat is off to them!The Happy Hiker Hostel, where I'm staying tonight, is a cool place, run by two previous thruhikers: Packrat and Big John. They have shower, laundry, mattresses, cold sodas, snacks and some resupply, plus will run hikers to nearby Warren, a bigger town. I'd love to run a hostel someday. It wouldn't take much, as hikers only need the basics, but it means so much to us! Sometimes when I walk by a house for sale, and it's near the trail, I say "That'd be a great place for a hostel."Hotdog still has a cold, and has been having some rough mornings. Maybe our toughest climbs have been in the morning, or maybe he's just not a morning person. I feel bad for him, but what can I do? I am in 'Go' mode for myself. I want to keep going. The more zero days I take, the harder it gets to get back on the trail, especially in wet weather. We have our first really tough climb tomorrow morning. If he says he doesn't feel up to hiking, what should I do? Now that he told me he'd take time off when I do for the wedding, I don't want to leave him. But I will be taking time off for that, so even if we separated now, we'd meet up again before Katahdin, and probably well before that. I am not going to zoom to Maine; I just want to keep making steady progress.It's raining tonight. (sigh) Oh well. There is nothing to do, but deal with it.I think Hotdog will hike tomorrow. I hope he feels better soon. And I hope he hikes because he wants to. Hike your own hike.