Hiking Again with "Pilgrim" and Now "Deadman" Too

This is how I spent my day on Friday (8-5)--hiking over rock, after rock, after rock.  This is the trail, believe it or not, and it was like this for almost the entire seven miles.  It seemed like 21 miles though.  It was the most physically and mentally exhausting day since I started in Georgia back in March.

I was so glad to finally reach the hut and be done for the day.  I expected to do kitchen work at Madison Spring Hut for my work-for-stay obligation.  Instead, the hut manager asked me give a talk to guests/vacationers on thru-hiking the AT.  I spoke for about 10 minutes and then answered several questions.  People were very attentive and seemed to be quite interested.  Several people told me they thoroughly enjoyed it.  I slept on an air mattress on the floor again as did two other hikers who also did work-for-stay.  I started hiking on Saturday (8-6) at 6 AM and went from the hut (4,300 ft) and over and down Mount Madison (5,366 ft).  Here is a picture looking back after I had already climbed it.  You can see the narrow dirt path in the front of the picture.  That is the AT.

When I reached Pinkham Notch, I was picked up by a hostel shuttle.  When Pilgrim and Deadman finally arrived at the hostel, I was able to surprise them!  They have been hiking together since I got hurt on July 28 and they were really happy to see me.  Deadman is a great guy about my age who lives in Georgia.  They had planned a zero hiking day for Sunday and agreed to take another zero day on Monday so I could catch up with them since I was two hiking days behind.  The three of us hope to finish the AT together.  Pray that this happens!  In the evening we resupplied and enjoyed dinner while we rehashed what has happened since we had last seen each other.  I hiked 7.8 miles.  On Sunday (8-7) the hostel shuttle took me back to Pinkham Notch at 8 AM to resume my hike.  I hiked from Pinkham Notch (2,050 ft) on a rainy and dark day up Wildcat Mountain (4,422 ft).  I had to rock scramble (rock climb, use my hands) the entire way.  In one very precarious scramble position, in my head I could hear my deceased mother say, "Bobby, get down from there!"  I thought to myself, "I'd be glad to!"  I descended to Carter Notch Hut (3,350 ft) for lunch and then climbed Carter Dome (4,832 ft).  Again, I went 7.8 miles.  I started hiking at 6 AM on Monday (8-8).  Rain started mid-morning and continued intermittently for several hours.  I descended to 3,915 ft, climbed back up to 4,618 ft, descended again to 3,100 ft, and then climbed to 4,000 ft.  My final descent of the day was to 780 ft when I reached the hostel at 4:45 PM.  I hiked 13.3 miles.  After 20 weeks (140 days) I have hiked 1,880.4 miles for an average of 13.4 miles per day.  Once again my ankle is getting a little bit better with each passing day.  I hope it is 100% soon.  I plan to wear the ankle brace for extra support all the way to the end of the trail--300 more miles!  I'll be entering Maine, the last state on the AT, on Wednesday (8-10). 

Lots of Elevations and the Ankle is Improving!

The shuttle picked up several hikers at Chet's Hostel on Monday (8-1) and took us to Franconia Notch.  It was a long day of hiking that lasted from 7:10 AM-7:45 PM.  Franconia Notch has an elevation of 1,450 feet.  I climbed Little Haystack Mountain (4,800 ft) where I had lunch on a rock.  I then climbed over Mt. Lincoln (5,089 ft) and finally over Mt. Lafayette (5,260).  I stealth camped (made my own campsite) at Garfield Pond (3,860 ft).  I went 9.2 miles on a dry day although rain was in the forecast.  I started hiking on Tuesday (8-2) at 7 AM when I rock scrambled (had to use my hands to get up the mountain) Mt. Garfield (4,500 ft).  The descent down to the Galehouse Hut (3,800 ft) where I had lunch was super steep and rugged.  I continued to rock scramble all day.  Rain continued on and off until evening.  During the afternoon I climbed over the South Twin Mountain (4,902 ft) and descended to Mt. Guyot (4,580 ft) soon after.  I stealth camped just inches off the trail.  Unfortunately I had to put my tent up in the rain--not fun!  I went 8.6 miles.  I started hiking at 7:30 AM on Wednesday (8-3).  Packing wet clothes and my wet tent was difficult as I was trying to keep the rest of my gear dry.  Again, I had to do lots of rock scrambling and then it suddenly turned relatively flat and rock free-it was great!  I made it to Saco River (1,277 ft) and I began to partially climb the Webster Cliffs.  I stealth camped again just inches from the trail.  I went 11.0 miles.  On Thursday (8-4) I started at 6:30 AM and finished going over the Webster Cliffs (3,350 ft) and then I tackled Mt. Webster (3,910 ft) followed by Mt. Jackson (4,052 ft).  In the afternoon I climbed Mt. Pierce (4,312 ft) and then Mt. Franklin (5,004 ft).  I finally reached Lake of the Clouds Hut (shelter) at 4 PM and I was able to get a work-for-stay arrangement.  Normally, someone staying at the hut pays $90, which includes dinner and breakfast.  I'll sleep in the hut on the floor on my air mattress and have dinner and breakfast.  In return, I'll wipe up the tables after dinner--easy!  There are only four "jobs" available at this hut.  I hiked 10.0 miles.

My injured ankle has slowly been improving each day, which has been a huge blessing.  The pain has subsided but it is still quite weak.  I pray it continues to heal and that I don't fall and hurt it again.

Slowly Moving Ahead

After a rainy night on Friday, Saturday morning (7-30) was damp, windy, and cold.  Two southbound hikers brought my Aircast brace to me.  They were at the same hostel in Lincoln, NH  where I called for help and where I had stayed  last week.  The Aircast gives my ankle extra support and restricts side-to-side movement.  I spent at least an hour walking with the cast on at the campsite.  It definitely helps but the ankle is still tender and weak.  I walked about 1/4 the speed of a normal person.  Later in the afternoon my food request of a bag of bagels was met as yet another hiker arrived with them.  The hiking community is like a second family to me and we try to help each other as much as possible.  After 2 1/2 days of no hiking, I began hiking on Sunday (7-31) at 6:15 AM.  Much of the trail was steep with rugged descents and unfortunately, it is going to be this way for the rest of the journey.  The time when I need to be 100% is now so I am trying to keep moving but very slowly and carefully.  I reached Franconia Notch at 1 PM and Chet's Hostel at 1:30 PM.  I hiked 4.8 miles.

Injury

On Tuesday (7-26) I took my first zero day of hiking since my family visited 50 days ago in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.  We had breakfast at at local pancake restaurant.  Pilgrim made an afternoon medical appointment for his pulled muscle. We resupplied and did laundry and then parents of a hiker drove two hours to the hostel and brought everyone deli meats and cheese, rolls, pop, fruit, and chocolate bars.  It was an unexpected lunch (trail magic) for all eight hikers who were there.  On Wednesday (7-27) the shuttle picked us up on a cloudy and cool day.  We resumed our hike at 7AM at Kinsman Notch in the White Mountains of NH.  We had a 1,600 foot rocky and steep climb over Mount Wolf.  Pilgrim is better but his leg is still bothering him.  He didn't want to continue climbing since we were about to face a 2,100 foot ascent over the very difficult Kinsman Mountain.   We stopped hiking at 2 PM and took a two hour nap.  We hiked 7.5 miles for the day.  Our day on Thursday (7-28) began on a cool morning.  We had heard how difficult it was to get over the Kinsman Mountain due to the extreme terrain.  We had to use our hands many times but we finally reached the summit by 10:30 AM.  Here is one view.

Unfortunately when I was coming down,  I fell on the steep rock descent and twisted my ankle.  I hobbled down a little ways to Kinsman Pond Shelter and Campsite.  Another thru-hiker (Dead Man) helped me by carrying my backpack.  The caretaker at the campsite gave me cold water for the swollen ankle and she wrapped it in a bandage.  I was able to set up my tent and elevate the ankle for a few hours.  I can walk on it but hiking in rough terrain will be a problem in the near future.  I'm taking Ibuprofen to treat the inflammation.  My ankle was moderately swollen in the morning on Friday (7-29).  I decided to call a retired orthopedic doctor, Dr. Kim Brown, for advice on my ankle.  I met him 10 days ago when Pilgrim and I were in Lake George, New York.  I described the condition of my ankle and Dr. Brown thought I had a moderate to severe strain.  He suggested I walk on a flat surface for several minutes and then gradually increase the duration of the walk as my ankle improves.  He also suggested the Aircast ankle brace to stabilize the side-to-side movement.  I ordered the brace by phone from a pharmacy in Lincoln, New Hampshire.  I’m hoping a thru-hiker who is in Lincoln can bring it to me on Saturday.  I urged Pilgrim to continue his hike this morning since I may not start to hike again for a few days or possibly longer.  He reluctantly agreed.  I am hoping to catch up with him in either northern New Hampshire or southern Maine.  Pray my ankle will heal and I'll be able to continue soon.

On Saturday (7-23) our taxi arrived at the motel at 6:30 PM to take us 2 ½ miles back to the AT in Hanover.  We had climbs of 400, 600, 900 and 1,000 feet.  Our major concern was availability of water as several water sources were dry.  The weather was hot, in the 90’s.  We had lunch at the Moose Mountain Shelter and napped for 50 minutes.  We completed our 16.6 mile hike at 6:15.  We started our day on Sunday (7-24) at 6:40 AM on a great day weather wise – cooler and less humid.  Our main concern again was water shortage.  At the start of the day I carried 3 liters (6 pounds) rather than the 2 liters (4 pounds).  We had climbs of 900, 1,500 and 2,300 feet.  We finished our 19.1 mile hike at 6:30 PM.  Once again we hiked for nearly 12 hours.  We camped at the Ore Hill Shelter.  On Monday (7-25) we began hiking at 6:45 AM.  We went to the Beaver Brook Shelter and refilled our water containers.  I treat non-spring water (creeks, streams, brooks, rivers, ponds etc.) with Aquamira.  It kills bacteria and is widely used by hikers.  After lunch we began a 3,800 foot climb at Mount Moosilauke.  Going up and over the 4,800 foot mountain is a real challenge due to continuous climbing of nearly 3 hours over a steep and rocky terrain.  We made it with just two five minute breaks for water.  As we approached the top, the weather got colder and windier.  At the summit the wind was about 50 MPH. We began our descent on the northern side at 3:00 PM and finally reached the bottom at 6:30 PM.  It was a difficult descent on wet rocks and required the use of hand bars.  An additional problem was that Pilgrim was hurting from a thigh muscle pull that occurred going up the mountain.  He fell twice coming down the mountain and had swelling on his arm and leg.  At the bottom of the mountain we reached Kinsman Notch.  We called for a shuttle and were driven about five miles to One Step at a Time Hostel in Lincoln, New Hampshire.  There were about 20 hikers there.  Most of us slept on the floor of the garage as there were only six bunk beds.  I was thankful for my Therm-A-Rest air mattress.  We hiked 17.0 miles for the day.  After 18 weeks (126 days) I have hiked 1,789.3 miles for an average of 14.2 miles a day.  There is now less than 400 miles to reach Mount Katadhin in Maine!

Hanover, New Hampshire

After a relaxing and fun day on Tuesday (7-19) on Lake George, we were driven an hour back to the AT.  We began our hike at 7:50 AM.  It was a difficult day of hiking with a 2,500 foot climb over endless rocks and tree roots.  In the morning we reached a sign which indicated we were 500 miles from Mount Katahdin, the northern terminus of the AT!  Below the sign was trail magic – lots of ice cold drinks.  At the end of our hiking day, the AT split from the Long Trail.  We tented at Tucker-Johnson Shelter Campsite. We hiked 18.4 miles for the day.  On Wednesday (7-20) we began our hike at 6:15 AM.  We reached Gifford Woods State Park in Vermont by mid-morning.  I heard someone say “Buckeye” and I turned to see two hikers who I had talked with back in Virginia and then in Pennsylvania.  A little while later we reached Thundering Falls.  As you can see, it was beautiful!

We had a 1,200 foot climb over Quimby Mountain before lunch at the Stony Brook Shelter.  In the afternoon we crossed a road and I saw a house nearby.  I went to the house and found no one home.  I was nearly out of water so I filled my CamelBak with water out of their hose!  About 6 PM we reached Winturri Shelter and tented.  We hiked 18.9 miles for the day.  Thursday (7-21) was a 98 degree day with high humidity.  We began our hike at 6:40 AM.  The climbs for the day were moderate with 600, 700, and 1000 foot elevations. We had lunch  just off the AT at a place that sold ice cream and drinks.  We each bought a pint of vanilla ice cream and a bottle of root beer to make root beer floats.  We ate at a picnic table in the shade with a great breeze.  It was the only cool part of the day!  After lunch I called Joe Stagliano, brother of Dick Stagliano.  Dick is a friend who started teaching with me at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in 1970.  Joe and his wife Mary picked us up at VT 14 in West Hartford, Vermont.  Before I got in their car, I rang out my towel which I used to wipe my face and created a puddle on the ground.  They drove us to their beautiful home about 20 miles south in New Hampshire on a lovely lake.  We were able to shower, do laundry and enjoy dinner with them.  We hiked 16.6 miles for the day.  After a restful night at the Stagliano’s, Mary drove us back to the AT at 6:30 AM on Friday (7-22). We reached the Connecticut River (VT/NH border) at 11am and continued our hike of 9.6 miles into Hanover, the home of Dartmouth College.  Hanover is an upscale town with nice shops.  We visited two outfitters, had lunch, went to the library, and then went to the PO to pick up our warm clothes that were sent to us for hiking in the White Mountains.  At 4pm Amy Vander Kooi, daughter of Verna Vander Kooi, (retired Tri-C faculty), picked us up at the library and drove us to the Hanover Food Co-op (a supermarket) to resupply.  Then she drove us to the Sunset Motor Inn to spend the night in an air-conditioned motel room.

Green Mountain House Hostel

On Friday (7-15) I had heard of a great hostel in Manchester Center, VT called the Green Mountain House Hostel.  We had to hike only 2.8 miles up the trail to get to the road leading into town.  By chance, Jeff Taussig, the owner, had just dropped hikers off who had stayed at his hostel the night before.  He drove us to downtown Manchester Center and we had a great breakfast.  After stopping at an outfitter and the grocery store, we called Jeff and he picked us up and took us back to his hostel.  The hostel is a very nice two-story house with three bedrooms.  Jeff lives next door in a smaller house from early summer through mid September.  Then he returns to his hometown of Richfield, OH.  He has hiked the AT as well as other trails.  He is retired from the paper and printing business.  I asked if he was related to the Taussig family whose name adorns the Taussig Cancer Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.  He said he dad died from cancer and his family donated money to the clinic, thus the Taussig Cancer Institute began!  This hostel is one of the best hostels on the AT and a sure one not to miss if you are hiking along the trail in VT.  Here is our picture from our stay.  Pilgrim is next to me in the tan shirt and shorts.

Jeff's family likes to ski so during the winter they come from OH for excellent VT skiing.  After breakfast on Saturday (7-16) Jeff took us back to the AT.  We started our day at 7:20 AM on a gorgeous day.  We had climbs of 1,400 feet and 1,000 feet.  We went up a fire tower at Bromley Mountain for a beautiful view in all directions.  After lunch at Peru Peak Shelter, we crossed wetlands on boardwalks for quite awhile.  In a few places the boardwalk was under several inches of water.  We very carefully maneuvered over the wet areas and I managed to keep the inside of my Gortex boots dry--no easy task!  In the late afternoon, Pilgrim fell on a descent when he stepped on a tree root.  He tumbled and then fell on a rock.  It stunned him and he was most afraid of a serious injury.  He did have a cut on his forehead but otherwise, he was OK.  We reached Lost Pond Shelter Campsite at 3:45 PM.  We set up our tents and got water out of a stream.  After treating the water, we both napped for an hour.  We hiked 14.8 miles.  Our day on Sunday (7-17) began at 6:40 AM on another very nice day.  Pilgrim stumbled again on a rocky descent but his backpack took the brunt of the fall.  We ate lunch at the Greenwall Shelter and then had a 1,000 foot climb.  We finished early again so we treated ourselves to a nap.  We hiked 14.9 miles for the day.  It began to rain overnight and continued until 6 AM on Monday (7-18).  We packed our backpacks inside our tents and then took our tents down.  We left camp at 7:20 AM and hiked 2.7 miles to VT 103 where Sue Brown, a friend of Pilgram's, picked us up.  She and her husband, Kim, live most of the year in Greenville, SC where Pilgrim lives.  They spend their summers at a lovely home they own on Lake George in the Adirondacks.  After taking us to a supermarket, we arrived at the Brown home at 11 AM.  We dried out our gear, enjoyed lunch and dinner at the Brown's and took a scenic boat ride on Lake George.  It made for a refreshing and relaxing day.  After 17 weeks (119 days) I've hiked 1,673 miles for an average of 14.1 miles.