Still in NH

Spending a couple days here in Gorham, NH. (Mile 1881)  I'm 297 miles from Katahdin. I developed a staph infection in my toe and went to have it treated at an ER today. They drained it and gave me some antibiotics, but suggested I stay off it for a few days until the lab report comes back.  So I'm at the Mt. Madison Inn for a few days, eating lots of food and getting rested up. The people here have been very nice, but I need to get moving and get finished! I also had some intestinal problems this past week which I think might have been caused by taking too many ibuprofen.  Or maybe it was the chili dogs at the Mt. Washington snack bar.

Yesterday morning I was hiking and came upon some young hikers. They asked if I had seen the flags and I didn't know what they were talking about.  They told me that every Sept. 11th. since 2001 volunteers go to all the peaks of the White Mountains in NH that are over 4000 feet and hold flags from 12-2 P.M.  There are 48 peaks over 4000 feet in the state.  It is an honor to be one of the flag holders.  Unfortunately, I didn't see any, but can you imagine being there and seeing that?

On Saturday I hiked to Carter Notch Hut.  The huts are places with small snack bars that cater mostly to day and section hikers.  I had a cup of soup and talked with some very nice people.  It was a very nice day, cold and windy but I found a spot behind a huge rock to camp at night which protected me from the wind.  Once I got in my tent and in my sleeping bag it was warm and toasty.

I didn't make very good mileage last week.  Only 5.6 one day, 4.5 another.  On Thursday I was hiking Mt. Madison (Elevation 5,366 ft.).  It was very steep and rocky with big boulders.  I was trying to reach Pinkham Notch, but couldn't make it there before dark.  Going down it was worse than PA.  I was sliding down on my behind!  It was very slippery too!

Last Tuesday we started off at Crawford Notch (a notch is like a gap in the South) and hiked Mt. Webster, Mt. Jackson and Mt. Pierce.  We stopped at Mizpah Spring Hut for lunch.  It was foggy, but not raining.  There was a beautiful sunset at Lakes of the Clouds Hut.  Between Crawford Notch and Pinkham Notch is 25 miles of ridge-walking mostly above treeline (4,400 feet).  This is the area called the Presidential Range, the highest part of the AT in New Hampshire. We "worked for pay" and got bunkrooms ready for mostly day hikers.  For that we got to sleep on the floor in the dining hall!

Wednesday we hiked to Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast and 2nd highest on the AT. It was windy and rainy.  I missed the side trail and had to hike back a few miles.  So I only hiked 5.6 miles that day. There was a snack bar and gift shop so I had lunch there.

All in all, the past week to 10 days have been a "wash-out."  Between the hurricanes and my other dilemmas I've only made a little over 100 miles.  Gotta get moving to finish!

“Is it time to go home yet? I keep clicking these damn shoes, but nothing happens."
-Robin Hecht