Catch-up Time

September 7, 2011

Days 74-78.  Dave hiked his last 4 days through the second half of the 100 Mile Wilderness, then up and down Mt. Katahdin.  He had sunny weather but the trail was very wet, muddy and slippery.  When he got to the top of Mt. Katahdin, it was very cold and foggy and he could see just a few feet in front of himself.  Thank goodness he had someone take a picture.

Dave broke open a single-serving bottle of Old Granddad and shared it with his 5 buddies.  He had two bottles with him, but after they passed the first one around, it was still half full!  Fishes and loaves?



Total trail miles from June 12 to September 7 = 871.  That number does not include the miles back down Katahdin, trips into towns for resupplying, side trips for water, etc. etc.
Days on the trail = 78
WOW

In Salem, MA.  Dave had his beard shaved by
a barber but had not yet had a close shave.

Dave finished on Wednesday, 9/7/11, the first day of my drive.  I drove from GA to WV, having a great day of good weather and fairly light traffic until about 5:30 pm when traffic came to a screeching halt on I-81 due to a major accident.  Fortunately, I was right next to an exit with a Hampton Inn, so I squeezed my way off and checked into the hotel.  I had gone 650 miles in 11 hours. (I make multiple stops.) The next day as I was driving from WV to MA and having the worse driving day of my life, Dave took a bus from the hostel in Millinocket to Portland, ME.  One of his hiking buddies, Pilgrim, was meeting his wife in Portland and she offered to drop Dave off in Topsfield - my destination for the evening - at Kathie Tremblay's house.

I have to digress and tell you on my second day of driving I encountered highway and surface street closings due to flooding, constant rain, sometimes so hard I couldn't see the vehicle in front of me, two major accidents that caused me to sit in the car having to pee so badly I was wishing I had some Depends with me ... and finally got to Topsfield just minutes before Dave did.  It had taken me another 11 hours to go just over 500 miles.

So, I had ONE bad day of driving and Dave hiked on the Appalachian Trail 78 days.  No comparison!

Denise and Afton in Portsmouth, NH

We originally planned to spend several days in Maine, taking a little vacation, but when Dave knew he could catch a ride to Topsfield, he jumped at the opportunity.  I never made it to Maine!  We spent Thursday evening, Friday and Saturday with Kathie, leaving Sunday morning.  Friday we went to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem (what a museum it is!) and Saturday we went to Portsmouth, NH to have lunch with Deni and Aftin.  Deni had done some research to find the best restaurant with outdoor seating - and lobster - and we thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon.  We had planned to spend the night with them in Kingston, NH on our way back from Maine but everything changed when Dave hitched a ride to Massachusetts.

Dave, me, Kathie, Deni and Afton

Today, Sunday, we had a nice leisurely drive south to the Connecticut coast and spent all afternoon at Mystic Seaport.  We finally had a lobster roll at The Boathouse.

When we checked into our hotel tonight,  Dave poured the rest of the Old Granddad into two cups for a toast.  I asked if he was retiring the Old Granddad trail name. He said he was toasting the end of our long separation.  What a guy.

I think we'll be at Geoff & Betsy's tomorrow night.  I'd better call them and make sure that's okay!

DONE!!!

 Dave finished his hike today!  871 miles this summer from Port Clinton, PA to Mt. Katahdin.  Congratulations ... I'm so proud of you!

(more details as I get them)

Days 72-73 on the Trail - 800 Mile Mark

An incredible 800+ miles!!!

As of 09/02/11:
Miles in the last two days - approx. 25
Miles to date - 807.3


Dave is back in Monson for one night, and will take off for his last 55 miles Saturday morning.  He expects no cell service until he is at the top of Mt. Katahdin.  The area between Monson and Katahdin is 114.4 trail miles, known as the 100 Mile Wilderness (Dave has hiked 60 miles of it SoBo since staying at Shaw's).

Beginning of the 100 Mile Wilderness

The sign reads, "There are no places to obtain suppies or get help until Abol Bridge 100 miles north.  Do not attempt this section unless you have a minimum of 10 days supplies and are fully equipped.  This is the longest wilderness section of the entire AT and its difficulty should not be underestimated.  Good hiking."

Shaw's, the hostel where Dave camped out for 4 days pre- and post-Irene, was jam packed with other hikers stumbling in from their trials and tribulations with Irene and gearing up for their last leg in the 100 Mile Wilderness.  There are not enough bunks so many of them are sleeping in their tents in the yard.  When Dave and his gang of merry pranksters got back to Shaw's, the owners put them up in a rental house they own - very special treatment for whom I think are very special guys.  They greatly appreciated Shaw's saving rooms for them!

While hiking SoBo from where they were dropped off, they ran into the father-daughter team (Dad: Long Time and Daughter: Click who is carrying a monster camera) and the single woman A-Game who is hurrying to meet her boyfriend and starts a new job 9/6.  They were doing okay though the merry pranksters saw evidence of some of their stream crossings - "bridges" of found logs/branches rolled over the swollen streams.  They all thought how dangerous it would be if you lost your footing.  Another couple they passed included a tiny woman.  Her boyfriend had made a harness out of her jacket, tied a rope onto it and pulled her across a stream that was over her head.  Are these people suffering from hypothermia to make such decisions?  Oh well, all's well that ends well.

100 Mile Wilderness

I asked about Chainsaw.  Dave said he was staying right on his (Dave's) heels like a puppy dog.  He didn't say what caused the change of attitude.

So, Gentle Readers, this may be my last blog for several days.  Dave now hopes, if the weather holds out, to summit Katahdin on Sept. 8th (Chad's birthday!).  I leave Savannah on the 7th, will be in Topsfield MA on the 8th and Dave and I will figure out a meeting point in Maine on the 9th.  HOW EXCITING!

Days 70 - 71 on the Trail

Dave called from the top of Whitecap Mountain on Wednesday.  I didn't realize until I was googling Whitecap Mountain that he is probably within shouting distance of Kat Tremblay's ski condo. (Postscript on Saturday:  I pulled out my AAA Maine map yesterday and discovered Dave's White Cap Mtn. is not close to Kat's.  In fact, by googling more, I found at least 4 Whitecap/White Cap Mtns in Maine. If you happen to look at a AAA map, the Appalachian Trail is printed in dashes, and he was about half way between Monson and Baxter State Park.  My friend Lynn has a camp on Long Pond -- without even trying I found 3 Long Ponds. Maine is a big state amongst the little New England states.)

As of 08/31/11:
Miles in the last two days - approx. 25
Miles to date - approx. 782

Since I don't know what campground Dave hiked to, I can't be exact about the mileage, but this is close.

Hurricane Irene over Maine

He said the trail is "crappy" after all the rain from Irene and the streams are swollen but he's making steady progress.  When he first called he was getting concerned about Chainsaw.  Even though they had decided to hike together, Chainsaw was nowhere to be seen Wednesday morning.  The other hikers, Dave, Buckeye Flash, Pilgrim and Deadman saw him Tuesday afternoon, but they did not know where he pitched his tent in the evening. He did not check in with them in the morning, so after waiting a while, the hikers decided to get going.  When Dave called me, he was at a spot near the top of Whitecap, resting, waiting for Chainsaw and getting chilled.  By this time, the hikers were wondering if indeed he had left before them, or if possibly something had happened to him the previous evening.

Dave waited about another 30 minutes, then called the group that went ahead, and they had found Chainsaw.  Dave was aggravated that after agreeing to hike together for safety reasons, Chainsaw had struck out on his own without letting anyone know where he was.  I'm wondering if Dave will still be hiking with him in the next few days.  I should hear from him again tonight.

Days 66 - 69 on the Trail

Oh dear.  Between infrequent phone calls and my travel (and not taking notes), I'm having a hard time piecing together the previous week of Dave's hike.  Here's what I know for sure.

Dave had allowed 4 days to hike from Caratunk to Monson, ME, but made it in 3 days.  He checked in on Friday, August 26th.

As of 08/26/11:
Miles in the last 3 days - 37

As of 08/27/11:
Miles today: 10 a "slack pack" day
Miles to date - 757.3

By the time Dave arrived in Monson, Hurricane Irene was projected to hit NYC and continue north all the way into Maine, though the eye was supposed to be west of where Dave was staying.  He made sure he had a bunk in the bunk room for several days, as other hikers were expected to converge on the hostel and fill it up.  And they did.  Several hikers made record times trying to get to the hostel before Irene hit NE.  The trail in New Hampshire had been closed. Dave met several of them weeks ago, and now they were all caught up again.

Dave had to stay at the hostel for 4 nights.  As you can imagine, he was getting extremely restless and anxious to get going.  An unexpected benefit was that since Saturday morning was still clear, a hostel worker took him to a spot where the road crossed the trail, and Dave hiked back to the hostel, getting that extra 10 mile section done without having to carry a full pack.  That's what the hikers call a "slack pack" day. Saturday evening and Sunday morning brought rain rain and more rain thanks to Irene.   The big question for the hikers was the condition of the trail from Monson to Katahdin.

The hostel - Shaw's

On Monday, a few of the hikers decided to do what Dave had done, complete a 10-mile section by riding north then hiking south back to the hostel.  When they got back, they reported the trail was wet and muddy but doable.  The concern is crossing the creeks and streams further up the trail that are surely full and swift after all the rain.  They have heard reports of impassable streams.

While spending those 3+ days in Monson, Dave got to know a hiker whose trail name is Chainsaw (yikes).  Dave had been running into him in the previous few days, but while at the hostel they shared several meals and got chummy.  They decided they would stick together for the remaining trip.  They both know that on a muddy, slippery trail with potentially dangerous creek crossings it would be good to have a hiking buddy.  They are both on the same time schedule, too.  A few of the other hikers have also rallied around, sharing schedules so other hikers are expecting them at certain campgrounds on certain days and everyone stays safe.  These hikers include Buckeye Flash, Pilgrim and Deadman.

Not everyone is so conservative.  A father-daughter team and a single woman left Monson yesterday in a big hurry to get to Katahdin.  They want to finish the trail by Labor Day so didn't feel they could wait longer for the trail to dry out.  Dave was especially concerned about the single woman trying to cross streams by herself.  He did attempt to talk her out of leaving on Monday, but she was not to be deterred.  Her boyfriend is already in Millinocket waiting for her and she starts a new job on the Tuesday after Labor Day.  If she makes it.

Monson, Maine

Dave and Chainsaw's plan for today is to get shuttled to a point 50 miles away to a spot where the trail crosses a road, then hike south back to the hostel.  That way they can carry half the amount of food they would otherwise need if they were doing the whole 100+ miles to the Northern Terminus.  They'll spend one more night at the hostel, getting their last shower and bunk, packing the last of their food, getting dropped off at the 50-mile mark again, and hiking north to Katahdin.

Dave thinks he'll be able to call on Wednesday when he is on top of a mountain, then I expect him to be back in the hostel on Friday 9/1/11.

Me (blue kayak) with Kathleen, Jane & Elizabeth

I had a FANTASTIC time in Denver with Candy, Elizabeth, Kathleen, Anne, Mary and Jane, celebrating Vicki's birthday.  We kayaked three mornings, had spa treatments, attended a FACES concert, had a pot-luck cookout/party, drank Starbucks until my pee smelled like coffee, ate Einstein bagels, lunched at great restaurants, several of us bought new spectacles and we all laughed until our sides hurt.  My weekend was a zillion times better than Dave's, IMHO.

Days 63 - 65 on the Trail - 700 Mile Mark!

Dave made it to Caratunk on Tuesday morning.

As of 08/23/11:
Miles in the last 3 days - 31.3
Miles to date - 710.3

Can you believe Dave has hiked/climbed over 700 miles??!! He has "only" 150 miles to go to the end of the Appalachian Trail on top of Mt. Katahdin.  (Side note:  I can't tell you how often I've typed 'trial' instead of 'trail' - I think either spelling is appropriate!)

Pierce Pond Lean-to

Dave spent the night at the Little Bigelow Lean-to Sunday night after hiking 10 miles.  He was at the Pierce Pond Lean-to Monday night after hiking 17 miles!  I think that may be his record day, I'll have to look. Tuesday he had only 3.8 miles to get to Caratunk, but was aware he had to take a ferry to cross the Kennebec River and wanted to get to the ferry early, not knowing the schedule or how long it would take to get across.  He covered the 3.5 miles to the river in the early morning and was one of the first two people there.  The ferry eventually showed up -- it was a 3-passenger canoe!  Or maybe I should say 2-passengers and the 'ferry operator.'

This is the warning found in guidebooks which included the red highlights:

     "The Kennebec River is the most formidable un-bridged crossing along the entire 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail. 
     "The Kennebec is approximately 70 yards wide with a swift, powerful current under the best of circumstances. However, as a result of releases of water from hydro facilities upstream, the depth and current of the river surge quickly and unpredictably. You cannot cross faster than the water level rises.
     "Hikers will be required to sign a release form, wear a life jacket, and follow the instructions of the ferry operator. If river conditions or weather make the crossing dangerous in the judgment of the ferry operator, the service will be discontinued until conditions improve."

Many people have lost their lives over the years attempting to ford the river, so the Appalachian Trail Conference hires a paddler to ferry them.  In season, he makes 30 crossings a day.

It was just 0.3 miles into the town of Caratunk, which Dave says is nothing more than a few buildings.  The Northern Outdoor Center is 2 miles away with a few bunkrooms and a lodge with rooms and a restaurant.  Dave did not have a reservation, but since he was one of the first people off the ferry, he was able to snag the last $12/night bunk.  He heard one of the hikers trying to check in later, moaning and groaning about having to pay $107 for a lodge room.  The room included 2 double beds, a twin and a kitchenette.  The hiker was able to find others to share the room - and cost.  For a vacation, the price is reasonable, especially after seeing what it looks like.  Through-hikers just want a mattress, shower, and a place to do their laundry.  Very few can afford $100/night.

The lodge looks fantastic.  I couldn't copy pictures off their website, here's the web address of their photo gallery.  I've tried to make it a link but haven't figured it out yet.  http://www.northernoutdoors.com/site/gallery.html

Dave was happy with his bunk room, especially after having taken a 20 minute hot shower and doing his laundry.  Not at the same time.  He ate dinner at the lodge and had a couple of beers.  He was in excellent spirits but still recovering physically from his 17 mile hike. He said he won't try to go that far again, even as the trail gets easier in Maine.

Dave likes to meet and talk to Nobo (northbound) hikers, getting to know people he may be running into in the future and always looking for a good hiking companion.  He had a short conversation with one hiker in the Outdoor Center store and was leaving when a guy (obviously not a hiker) caught up with him and said, Did I hear you are from Savannah? The guy kept thinking Dave looked familiar and wanted to find out if and how he knew Dave.  Turns out his name is Bruce Bateman, lives one street away from us and has worked with Dave maintaining the decoys on the lagoons in our community!

Bruce's family has owned land in Caratunk since the 1800's.  Bruce happened to be in the Outdoor Center sending a fax when Dave walked in.  There is no cell or internet service, just landlines and Dave was using the Center's phone.  What a coincidence!  I forgot to ask Dave if Bruce will still be there after Labor Day.  We have two sets of good friends who have camps near Stratton but both of them will be gone by the time I'm getting Dave. Maine must have quite the summer season!

Dave plans to be in Monson, ME by Saturday and will have no cell service until then.  I'll be in Denver with my 6 (out of 7) Lindley cousins, celebrating Vicki's birthday.  I get home Sunday evening, so you can expect the next blog posting on Monday 8/29 at the earliest.

Day 63 on the Trail

As of 08/21/11:  No word from Dave; I'm sure there was no cell service.  He is hiking the 31+ miles from Horns Pond to Caratunk, Maine.  He should be there by Thursday at the latest.

Day 62 on the Trail

Dave arrived in Stratton, Maine, and immediately got back on the trail.

As of 08/20/11:
Miles today - 5.2
Miles to date - 679

Horns Pond Lean-to

He's at the Horns Pond Lean-to this evening.  In Maine the shelters are called lean-to's.  Four hikers came in after him and he was pleased to see he had met them all before.  The first one that saw him, Shaky, said, Granddad! You must have really turned on the after burners!  He got a good laugh out of that.  Freight Train and Plan B were two of the hikers and Dave couldn't remember the name of the 4th when he was talking to me.

Horns Pond, ME

Dave said he'd like to keep hiking with them, but their plan sounds more ambitious than his.  He said he can already see that the trail is getting a little easier.  He still had some steep ascents and descents, but they were not as bad as what he's been through in the last couple weeks.  He can see the trail levels out for a while.  He had great weather today and was in very good spirits.

Zero Day #7

As a matter of logistics, Dave had to take another zero day.

As of 08/19/11:
Miles to date - 673.8

Dave was very antsy and bored today, doing his laundry and giving his knees a break.  After two rain days Monday and Tuesday, he was so happy to be back on the trail and hiking again Wednesday and Thursday.  Those downhills are doing a number on his knees, though.  Two months of hiking and a loss of 20-25 pounds is catching up with our 63-year old hiker.  Dave is happier hiking than sitting around, but he's getting to the point where he has to be concerned about serious knee issues. He decided to catch a ride to Stratton, Maine, and hike the last 188 miles from there to Mt. Katahdin.  He could not get a ride today, but will leave early tomorrow morning and that's why he's cooling his jets today.

Some hikers left the hostel this morning telling Dave, We wish you were going with us.  Dave wished he was going, too, but had to give his knees a rest.  He'll be back on the trail tomorrow afternoon.

He now hopes to finish by Sept. 8th under the best of conditions, Sept. 12th if he has weather and/or knee issues. I'll be leaving here just after Labor Day, driving to Maine to pick him up.  I expect to get there in 3 days.  It's a 24 hour drive according to the shortest mapquest route, but I'll be avoiding some areas such as NYC and add many miles to my trip.  Dave will have spent about 24 weeks hiking from GA to ME (in 3 section hikes).  What a guy.

Dave will be crossing the 2000 mile marker just 7 miles past Stratton!  He may get there tomorrow.

Days 60 & 61 on the Trail

Wildcat Mountains

I said in my last blog Dave would be climbing up and over Wildcat Mountain.  He informed me it's Wildcats Mountains - with a total of 10-11 peaks he climbed in the last two days.

As of 08/18/11:
Miles yesterday and today - 20.8
Miles to date - 673.8

Dave said it was a very hard, but not 'bad' two days.  Wednesday he spent 11 hours going 13 miles, climbing 5 named peaks, having to use his hands (rather than his poles) to help stabilize himself in order to not slip on roots and wet rocks.  Often, when he would get to the top of a mountain, he would look down and think, How in the hell am I going to get down that slope?

Thursday he hiked almost 8 miles in 5 1/2 hours.  The first 5 miles were a continuous very steep up and down, but the last 3 miles were a very nice walk.  He had hiked from 7 AM to 12:30 PM and was famished.  For lunch he ate 3 chicken and rice burritos and a couple of Cliff Bars.  His hunger didn't go away, so he went to the nearby Walmart and bought groceries he can't carry in his pack.  For dinner he ate a footlong Subway turkey and vegetable sandwich, a bag of chips, more Cliff bars and two doughnuts, washed down by 2 beers.  Oh, he had a pint of blueberry cheesecake ice cream for dessert.  When he called at 8 PM tonight, he said he was still hungry.  He's hoping that once he gets off the trail, he won't be compelled to eat until he can't eat any more!

He said his knees were killing him on the downhill hikes and is looking forward to resting them for another day. He said he doesn't want to ruin them for life, and I'm glad he's thinking long term.

Zero Day #6

As of 08/15/11:
Miles today - 0
Miles to date - 653

Gorham at red dot

Another rainy day, another zero day, unfortunately.  Dave is still in Gorham, NH, and was bored and getting anxious. He did not want to stay off the trail this long, and he sees his schedule slipping. He's chiefly concerned about making it to Katahdin before bad weather sets in, and every day he loses now pushes his schedule later into September.

Mt. Katahdin is circled in red

He split his food supplies and mailed himself a box he'll pick up in Caratunck, ME.  He watched a Matt Damon movie and CNN to catch up on the news.  He had a small dinner - a dehydrated and rehydrated lasagna and he bought himself a cold beer.  He said the sun came out in the late afternoon, and now he's excited about getting back on the trail.

Today (08/16/11) I have not heard from him, so I'm guessing the weather improved and he was able to start hiking again.  We knew he may not be able to call as he is hiking over Wildcat Mountain.

Zero Day #5

More rain in New Hampshire, a Zero Day for Dave.

As of 8/15/11:
Miles today - 0
Miles to date - 653

Rich, Stitch and Yak decided to get more miles under their belts and left under threatening skies, but Dave thought he'd wait it out another day.  About an hour after the guys left, the rain started and Dave was glad to not be walking over the rocks in the rain.  If he has good weather in the next few days he hopes he can catch up with them again.  The section they are hiking is from Pinkham Notch to Gorham, backtracking in a sense.  They had taken the shuttle from Pinkham Notch to get to the hostel, and are now shuttling back to PN to walk the 18 miles. Under great conditions, it's a 2 day walk.  Dave is planning on 3 days.  The youngsters, Boulder and Frosty, did it in one day (before the rain started).  It's not the miles, it's the rocky road.

Dave picked up his packages from the PO which included a couple from here and one he had mailed himself from Hanover to lighten his pack. He wants to keep a light pack on this particular 18-mile section so will be leaving much of his food and some of his clothes at the hostel until he gets back.

Here's a picture of a typical box he packed, ready for me to send him.  In the first picture you can see the dried tortellini, a package of tortillas, a package of instant dry milk, and the guide book he needs for Maine.  The second picture shows, from the right, oatmeal and raisins, orzo, stuffed and dried tortellini, and I don't know what the other things are. The brown thing in the middle is probably one of his dinners.  The big white package on the left may be instant mashed potatoes? Dave made and dehydrated many dinners, then vacuum-packed as much as he could.  There are some Cliff Bars in the bottom left of the picture.  One time I made the mistake of taking things out of the box to see what was there, and also to discard some of the trail bars he didn't like.  I couldn't get everything back in one box, even though there was less to pack!  This time I took off only the top layer to take a picture, and even then had a problems getting the box to close.

Dave was having zipper problems with his gaiters.  Gorham has a good outfitters store so Dave bought a new pair.  The old ones lasted about 20 years.  He has one month to go before he may retire these new ones.  He said as the hikers get closer to the end of the trail, some are getting excited about hiking the Pacific Coast Trail.  He said it does not sound remotely interesting to him at this point.  He's looking forward to doing much shorter hikes in the future.  Sounds good to me!

Dave also shopped at a grocery store to round out his food supply.  He was happy to find Little Debbie Brownies.  570 calories in each pack.  Keep those things far away from me not that they even sound good but I can pack on the pounds just by looking at them.  Dave weighed himself and thinks he may have lost up to 25 pounds by now.  And here's what he had for dinner - cheese filled tortellini, white chicken chili, almonds, dried fruit, and a can of Pringles.  3,000 calories since noon, he estimates.  That's the kind of energy he expends on the trail!

Here was Dave with Pyro on June 13th, just starting out.  Sure wish I could see a picture of him now!

Day 59 on the Trail

Dave is in Gorham, NH.

As of 08/14/11:
Miles today - 7.8
Miles to date - 653

Dave and Rich had to do their work before leaving the Madison Springs Hut, and since they wanted to get an early start they were fortunate the overnight guests had gotten out of their beds for breakfast.  Their job was to shake out the blankets and sweep the floors of three bunkrooms.  There were 4 sets of bunks stacked 4 high in each room.  They quickly shook 48 blankets, cleaned the floors and were on their way by 8:30 AM.

Mt. Madison

7 hours later they had hiked a total of 7.8 miles.

They had to go up and over Mt. Madison, which Dave said was straight up for half a mile, climbing 800' in elevation.  He said it was like climbing over a rock dunce cap with boulders strewn around.  There was no 'path', you just picked you way up and over a jumble of rocks, then down the other side.

The rocky road

The next section was a descending ridge that reminded him of a dragon tail with smaller spikes to climb over.  This was all above the tree line.

Once they got to the trees the trail was not quite as steep but Dave had the sensation of descending a staircase of rocks.  And yes, his knees were hurting by the time he got to the bottom - Pinkham Notch.

The rock staircase in the trees

He said the only interesting thing he saw, since he was concentrating on finding footholds in the rocks, was a big pile of bear poop.

Dave and Rich caught a shuttle that took them from Pinkham Notch to the White Mountain Hostel in Gorham.  When Dave called, he was sitting in loaner clothes - black cotton shorts and a grey long sleeved shirt, while the hostel crew was doing the laundry of all the hikers that came in that day.  He ate dinner out of his backpack.  He had carried enough food to get him through the Whites but since he was able to work-for-stay four nights, which included dinners, he had plenty of food left over.  There is another box waiting for him at the Post Office.

My dinner was delicious chicken parmesan at Molly and Chad's.  They had just gotten home from a ten-day vacation.  It was fun to have dinner with them and the boys, hearing about their adventures and seeing pictures on Chad's iPhone. They had spent a few days at Wild Dunes, then flew to NYC and stayed at the Ritz. (This was a combination anniversary trip for Molly and Chad and early birthday trip for the boys.)  They went to FAO Schwartz, Dylan's Candy Bar, Central Park, a Yankees game, the Empire State Building (the Vampire state building, as Coleman calls it) and saw Mary Poppins on Broadway.  Whew!  Then it was back to Wild Dunes and the beach for a few more days.  Now they are home. Coleman starts back to school on Monday (3-4 year old class) and Chase on Tuesday (1st grade).  We've all had great vacations this summer, some with more comfortable beds than others.

Day 58 on the Trail

Dave is at the Madison Spring Hut Saturday evening. He summited
Mount Washington!

As of 08/13/11:
Miles today - 7.4
Miles to date - 638.9 or, 645.2

Another mileage issue -- Here's what happens -- Dave left me his schedule with planned overnights, their mile markers, and the date he expects to be there. When he stops at places not on his schedule (a hut instead of a campground, stops sooner or goes farther than planned) I go to various sources online to figure out what the mileage is.  Different sources have different mile markers, usually caused by changes in the trail over time.  Yesterday, for example, the Lakes of the Clouds Hut was not on Dave's schedule, so I found a guide that gave me its marker.  Today I found a guide that said there were 7.4 miles between Lakes of the Clouds and the Madison Spring Hut.  However, that doesn't add up to the mileage Dave has on his schedule for Madison Spring.  Finally, thebackpacker.com which has trail mile markers, is a whopping 14.5 miles different than what Dave has on his schedule!  Argh.  I end up using what Dave has on his schedule, just to be consistent.  Total mileage, at the end of the hike, will be the same, it's a matter of where these stopping points happen to be noted on the various guides.

Now on to more important news, Dave summited the highest peak north of the Smokies and east of the Rockies at 6288 feet, the fearsome Mount Washington. He and Rich left Lakes of the Clouds Hut before breakfast, to get an early start, and made it to the top by 8 AM.  They knew what to expect, and here I have to quote Bill Bryson from A Walk in the Woods:
     "There may be more demanding and exciting summits to reach along the Appalachian Trail than Mt. Washington but none can be more startling.  You labor up the last steep stretch of rock slope to what is after all a considerable eminence and pop your head over the edge, and there you are greeted by, of all things, a vast, terraced parking lot, full of automobiles ...  Beyond stands a scattered complex of buildings among which move crowds of people in shorts and baseball caps.  It has the air of a world's fair bizarrely transferred to a mountaintop."

My intention was to read chapters of A Walk in the Woods as Dave was walking the same areas, but I had slipped the book back into Dave's bookcase and as the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.  I thought of it again this morning, and thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 18 which was about Mount Washington.  If you have the book, read it!  You'll understand why I called it the fearsome Mount Washington.

Dave and Rich must have beat the crowds, as the Summit Information Center and Snack Bar weren't yet open.  At 8:30 AM they were able to go in and get coffee and breakfast.  Dave's biggest disappointment was the fact that it was so foggy he couldn't see his hands stretched out in front of his face.  But, the fog eventually dissipated and by 9:30 or 10 it was clear.  He took several pictures and is hoping they turn out well.  He made calls to Dale, Molly and me, though being in my cardio-dance class, I missed it.


Having lived in New England, I well remember all the cars that wore the bumper sticker This Car Climbed Mt. Washington.  I could never imagine walking up a mountain that is a challenge to cars! Just look what it did to this car.

Dave and Rich left the summit and got to the Madison Spring Hut fairly early in the day.  Once again they were accepted for the work-for-stay program.  When we spoke about 8:30 PM he thought his work was going to be cleaning and rearranging the dining room, then he would sleep on the floor.

Madison Spring Hut

Dave was excited to see his first moose today -- though he soon realized this was a rather unusual moose.  She had been hanging around the lodge, having learned she could find food and water left by careless visitors and tourists.  Dave saw two young women trying to approach the moose.  He cautioned them to be careful and stay away as the moose could charge them (they were all only about 30' away).  The two were from France and one did not speak English.  The other told Dave, "She wants to pet the moose."  Dave told them it was too dangerous and to stay away. I am amazed that many people think the outdoors is more like DisneyWorld than a wilderness.

Rich will be getting off the trail soon, in Gorham I believe, and Dave is thinking about his next hiking group.  He's met up with two guys from Tennessee, Stitch and Yak, who seem to be on the same schedule, so he may walk with them in Maine. When hikers walk "with" someone, they don't necessarily even see each other during the day, but they discuss where they'll stop in the evening, and keep an eye out for each other.  If someone doesn't show up where they said they would be, and there are no messages about the change in the shelter log, a search is started.  I like to know Dave keeps in touch with other people on the trail.

Day 57 On the Trail

I have corrections to make.  First, I'm going to post them to today's blog entry. I'm going to edit Dave's 8/11/11 info, so if you reread it, it will be different.

I was correct in saying he was at the Mizpah Springs Hut on 8/11, but he was at Crawford Notch the previous night.  He is at Lakes of the Clouds tonight, 8/12.  I also will be correcting the miles to date on yesterday's post.  The following should be correct.

As of 08/12/11:
Miles today - 4.8
Miles to date - 631.5

I asked about Boulder and Bahama Dave.  Boulder, who is in his late twenties or early thirties (a little older than Dave thought), decided to speed up his hiking again and catch up with another young twenty-ish hiker, Frosty.  Frosty wants to get to Katahdin before he goes back to college and spend time with his family before that, so he is high-tailing it through the White Mountains.  Frosty and Boulder plan to hike 20-25 miles a day, and they've left the older (and wiser?) group behind.

Bahama Dave left the trail to go home to Decatur, GA.  He wasn't injured, it was his plan to leave at this time.  Dave will be sure to be in contact with him in the future.

Lakes of the Clouds AMC Hut

Dave and Rich approached the Lakes of the Clouds Hut manager about work-for-stay, and after some hesitation, she said okay, but they would have to wash dishes!  They were at the hut early since they hiked less than 5 miles, and they washed leftover breakfast dishes, for hours.  The hut holds 90 visitors and 8 residents which makes for a lot of dishes.  I find it kind of funny that a guy like Dave is willing to wash dishes in return for being able to sleep on the floor.

Fortunately, the manager also accepted 4-5 other hikers who also were willing to work-for-stay and they will be doing the dinner dishes.  Dave thinks his work is done for the day.  He thinks he'll be sleeping on the dining room floor tonight.

The hut was full and that's the only way Dave and Rich could find a 'room.'  The Lakes of the Clouds Hut is the most popular hut in the AMC system and is so booked up the hikers call it the Lakes of the Crowds.  It is often full in summer, especially on weekends.  I guess Dave and Rich are lucky to have claimed a spot.

For you Georgia hikers, Dave said the hut is similar in concept to the Len Foote Hike Inn, but nicer and bigger.

Dave said they were socked in on their hike from Mizpah Springs, being able to see 100 yards at the very most at one point, but more often it was about 25 feet. It was cold and raining, on the verge of turning to sleet.  So much for the sunny weather report, but this is Mt. Washington with very unpredictable weather.  He said it was good they had a short hike as he had pulled a muscle in his leg a few days ago, and didn't want to hike much longer.  He said he wore his winter hiking pants and kept his leg warm, so it was feeling better.

He is 5,050 ft up on the shoulder of Mt. Washington and says he has about a mile and a half to the summit.  He's hoping the weather will be better tomorrow so he can hike easily and get some great pictures when he's on top of the world!

Day 56 on the Trail

Kathy Johnson and me

I had to do some catching up after my two blog vacations.  By the way, I had a great time, thank you very much.

As of 8/11/11:
Miles today - 8.1
Miles to date - 626.7

Dave's miles/day is dropping because each step tends to be up a steep hill, or down a steep hill.  It does tend to slow one down.  Also, campsites and shelters are not as available in the White Mountains so he has to stop where he can find an overnight spot even if he is willing to hike farther.  The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) owns and operates a series of huts that, according to previous hikers, are the best places to stay at night.  However, there is a big catch.  These huts are generally close to a road and parking lot, and have become extremely popular with day hikers who drive up the mountain then hike to the hut/lodge for the evening.  The AMC started charging $30/person/night and now the rate is $100/person/night, and you can rarely stay without a reservation.  This system makes a lot of money for the AMC but it also makes it hard for a through-hiker to stop when he's tired.

Wednesday evening, 8/10/11, Dave and Rich came to the Crawford Notch Hut and felt they were too tired to go another 5 miles to the next available shelter. There was a room available with two bunks.  The cost?  $100 each for the tiny room they shared.  In their tired state, they decided to stay.




Rich happened to be out in the hallway when a woman first opened the door to her room and screamed out, "You've got to be kidding me!"  Dave wrote a note to the AMC saying they are providing extremely little value for the high cost of the rooms, and catering to the day hikers instead of supporting the through-hikers who need places to stay night after night.  Hikers find it difficult to make reservations, as their schedules depend upon weather and trail conditions.  NH has very strict rules about where you can and cannot camp.  Dave knows it's a case of supply and demand, but the AMC is not supporting the through-hikers.  He said the AMC is known among the hikers as the All your Money Club.  To be fair, the price does include a supper and breakfast.  Gourmet dinners? Not.

Dave is in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, and so far has climbed Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Garfield, Mt. Webster and Mt. Jefferson.  (According to Wikipedia, the Presidential Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Containing the highest peaks of the Whites, its most notable summits are named for American Presidents, followed by prominent public figures of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Mt. Washington, home of the highest winds recorded on the surface of the Earth at 231 mph, is the tallest at 6,288 ft.)

Mizpah Springs Hut

Dave called after 9 pm Thursday night 8/11/11, very late for his evening call.  He's usually in his sleeping bag by then.  He is in the Mizpah Springs Hut, and as it turns out, he had just finished giving a lecture on long distance hiking to the guests!  A few hikers are given the opportunity to work-for-stay.  Usually that means washing dishes, cleaning rooms, etc. but Dave and Rich proposed they entertain the guests.  Rich knew the possibilities, and had brought along his trumpet!  What a sight that must be, a hiker with a trumpet on his backpack.  Fortunately, the manager accepted their proposal, so Dave 'lectured' while Rich played music. Dave said he had so many questions from the guests the talk went on and on, and finally he said it's time for Rich to play taps.  Their reward was not a bunk room; they got to sleep on the floor of the library, but they did get dinner and breakfast.

They had made the same proposal at the Crawford Notch Hut, but were turned down.  The hut may have already 'booked' their entertainment for the evening.

The Crawford Notch Hut is between Zealand Falls and Mizpah Spring

The Mizpah Hut is approx. 3800' up one side of Mt. Washington.  Dave said they've had beautiful weather.  The next two days are supposed to be sunny and dry, and he's looking forward to getting over Mt. Washington.  He was sitting on the outside porch when he called, in his clothes and long johns, enjoying the cool air.  I told him I saw 99º on our thermometer this afternoon and 102º on the car screen.  He said he could use a shot of heat, but just a shot.  He prefers hiking in the cooler weather.  He plans to be at Lakes of the Clouds Hut tomorrow, Friday 8/12/11.

As I'm writing this I realize Dave didn't mention anything about Boulder and Bahama Dave.  I'll have to remember to ask what's become of them.  Bahama Dave is a retired Georgia Tech professor, lives in Decatur, GA, and planned to get off the trail at some point to help a friend navigate a boat from FL to SC (I think).  Boulder is a young kid, in his 20s.  Rich lives in CT and plays in a band (hence the trumpet) that travels up and down the East Coast.  His girlfriend is an opera singer who lives in Richmond Hill, just outside Savannah.  Dave is excited about the possibility of being able to see and do more hiking with Bahama Dave and Rich since they both live in or get to Georgia often.

Last night when Dave told me he gave a lecture to the guests, I jokingly asked him if he took a shower first.  He said he took one yesterday at the hut where he paid $100.  Hmm, I hope he doesn't start thinking one shower a week is okay!