**Facebook Post 090717 at 4:22PM**
It’s a beautiful day in Gorham, NH. (Thank you Aaron Scheile for that spelling correction.) Last night I got the most needed sleep I’ve had since being on the trail. I feel awesome today. Thank you so much for all the love White Mountains, Rattle River Lodge & Hostel staff!!!!!
Just a recap, I turned around after reaching Rattle River Shelter and went back to the hostel last night, tail between my legs and slept off the nonsense. I am NO GOOD sleepy. This morning I got up, ate an enormous and delicious waffle breakfast, waited for a bit of my laundry, then packed it up.
Now, you’d think I’d be on trail right now, but I’m not, and that makes two zero days in a row, which means more than likely I’m screwed on time now. To tell you the truth though, I was sucking it up terribly anyway. I never got into the 30’s, let alone the 40’s I was going to have to average. Maine just busted me down like nobody’s business. It’s the first state I have ever hiked in which every other day I would say to myself, “I can’t do this anymore”. Between the cold and the scrambling, “My God Maine!” It makes me want to write a letter to New Hampshire thanking it for not being Maine. (Although, I’m not in the Whites yet. So, I may be speaking on this a little early.)
Reason I’m not on trail? Part of my issue yesterday was not having had gone into town and properly resupplying. I just took off all tired and ridiculous like, after raiding the White Mountain Hostel hiker box, I spazzed out, froze, cut myself, doused myself in a river and turned tail. Yeah, not necessarily in that order, but you get my drift.
Today I found I had holes in my jacket and shirt. Apparently, I had been slicing open my clothes for a bit with that knife that was sticking out of my bag last night, prior cutting my finger and taking a river bath. Ugh.
I digress, today I walked to Walmart from White Mountain Hostel. I think they told me it was 7 miles one way. Checking that… Yup. 6.8, but who’s counting? On my way back from Walmart I forwarded some of my resupply to Glencliff, at Hikers Welcome Hostel as per the suggestion of Erik at my current Hostel (Thanks Erik!)
Once I left the post office, I walked across the street and ordered a giant plate of spaghetti and meatballs. It was beyond my control, I have the hiker hunger. It’s a thing, look it up. It was also delicious, btw. So, now to head back to the hostel, finalizing this 14 mile day in which none of the miles count. Well, at least I will be well fed for the next couple stops.
Not sure if by the time I get into the hostel I will be leaving and hitting the trail. In fact, I already threatened to stay another night if my trek into town took more than half the day, which it did. All good. If I choose to stay one more night, I will wake up hella early tomorrow and hit it hard, harder than ever. See where it gets me.
It’s time to find out what all the hype is about. From what I hear the Whites are as brutal to hike as they are beautiful. Depends on who you talk with, but many hikers seem to show a great appreciation for the experience, but they say it’s low miles most of the way. Lots of climbing and scrambling, and cold, cold to the bone. I prepared though and bought a second layer jacket to wear. I would have bought a sleeping bag liner too, but Walmart didn’t have anything that would have helped much, so I passed.
Well, happy hiking everybody! I’m getting back on the road to finish out my miles back to the hostel. (Miles, again, which don’t count toward my hike, yay. Nice Sadego!) I do have to say once more though, that it was pretty nice to get out and walk into town today. I think I really am starting to appreciate walking on smooth asphalt. Good times.
Wish me luck that I don’t freeze too badly once back out there on trail, and good luck to all my folks who chose not to evacuate the storm back home in Florida. I will be thinking about you with every step.
Also… Side note. My sister just texted me and let me know that my Grandma Marge just died. She had a very full life, and lived a long, long time, had lots of family around her, and kept her spunk even into her old age. I hope I made her proud, whether or not I get any accolades or acknowledgements.
If you know me personally, you know that I had two goals coming out here. One was to potentially beat the FKT on the AT, which it doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to pull off again this year. Not happy about that. The second was if I didn’t get close, which that was a huge possibility because this is my first time doing the northern half of the trail, so I’m at a loss for experience and experiencing surprise after surprise this year. I wanted to at least beat my number from last year, which was approx. 1,120 miles in around the 54 days by 700 more miles. We will see.
It seems like God, the universe, Karma, whatever had other plans for me. With each day new roadblocks appear. My family will be holding services for my grandmother sometime around the 20th. I should be there if possible. Life wants something from me, maybe it’s not an FKT, maybe it’s something else. Either way, I’m experiencing so much, meeting so many amazing people who have touched my heart, seen things that remind me how fragile life is, and it’s only been a few weeks. I love hiking!
11:25AM Start Day 22 (090717)
•11:25AM Walking into Gorham
•7:00PM Walk back to White Mountains Hostel, sleep (7 miles from Walmart to Hostel)
•9:00AM (Estimating) Leave White Mountains Hostel (Call family and friends)
•9:45AM US 2, Get on trail (Mile 298.3)
•10:20AM Rattle River Shelter (Mile 300.2)
•11:25AM Stream (Mile 302.5)
11:25AM End Of Day 22
APPROX 4.2 Miles
(Add 7 miles for walking back from resupply in Gorham)
