Legs and Borders

One of the days I couldn't plan for so I just rolled with the punches. Early start with the "hardest and most fun mile on Appalachian Trail" just behind the corner. Mahoosuc Notch is a one mile long boulder field that requires you to put away your trekking poles and use your hands and legs extensively to weave your way through it in a problem solving fashion. "The exact origins of the word Mahoosuc are unknown. One possibility is that it comes from the Abenaki phrase meaning “abode of hungry animals”. It is also plausible that the name corresponds to the Massachusett for “mountain peak”. It took me just over an hour to solve the puzzle and it was indeed fun despite the wet conditions. Shortly after it started to rain again. I've climbed over the Mahoosuc Arm and carried on along, weather was getting worse by the minute, temperature was low and it made my muscles stiff. Trail was exposed, rugged and steep...

Back on trail and out of New Hampshire to the last state on the AT, Maine. It was only me, Tum Tum and Iceman going back to trail today, everybody else in the hostel was taking the zero day. Paul packed us into his white Cadillac at 7:10 AM and off we went. Fifteen minutes later we were climbing our first hill, we got joined by Treadmill who came yesterday to the brewery but was staying at the different hostel. Me and Tum Tum were a bit faster than other two guys and so we left them behind, we talked about all the trail gossip and news until my Achilles tendon started to hurt and I had to slow down. Before that happened Tum Tum said that if it was up to him to give me a trail name, he would call me "Steinbeck" which I really liked (I was carrying Steinbeck's book in my backpack for a long time now and was mentioning him frequently on the trail), perhaps I could change it for the next thru hike! Terrain was still very demandi...

"I didn't have a shower since Pennsylvania" Snail A nero day followed by a zero! In the morning I've fairly quickly got through the remaining 7 miles of the trail to the road and got a hitchhike to Gorham where I was planning to stay for the next two days. White Mountain's really kicked my butt, tendons in my legs were hurting even while I was going through fairly easy terrain and I needed some time to rest. I've managed to get a quick hitchhike to town, I ate a footlong Subway and went to check in at the Barn Hostel even though it was just noon. I've got greeted by Biscuit and MacGyver an older section hiking couple I've met at the Madison Spring Hut, they've been taking some time off trail as Biscuit's knees were not doing good, she already had one of them replaced in the past because of hiking. I've advised them to hike Carter's Dome I've just finished (they got a shuttle to Gorham from an earlier mile) so...

Trail today was very demanding as if White Mountain's were making sure I'll remember them. Unfortunately as nice as staying in the hut was last night, I didn't get much sleep. People were walking to the toilet all night which was not far from where we slept and it kept on waking me up. I've packed up as soon as there was enough light and left the hut before 5 AM. First descent from Mt Madison to Osgood campsite wasn't as bad as people were trying to make it, very steep sure and for the first half above the treeline, the strong wind was setting me off balance, so I had to keep low profile. I've also seen my first (and hopefully not last) moose of the trail! Big, clumsy beast it wiggled it's enormous ears when it saw me and walked away to the forest.  After the descent there were two options, bridge on the AT has been condemned so there was a detour around it but it was skipping 8 miles of the trail. Other thru hikers inform...

Odd day in a good sense of the word. I've left my cozy camp spot at the top of Mt Madison at 5 AM and went over the peak of a very climb heavy Mt Jackson. I've arrived at Mizpah Spring Hut before the breakfast scraps time, I was the only thru hiker here - I've been offered two pancakes, one sausage patty and a mountain of oatmeal. After this nutritious calories hit I've carried on walking towards Mt Washington, the main highlight of the Presidential Range, the highest mountain range in New Hampshire. After climbing Mt Eisenhower the range has begun, ridge was running above the treeline for most of the day and the views were amazing. Weather had other plans though and after an hour it got cloudy, by the time I've reached Mt Washington there was very little visibility. Trail was really well maintained and quite easy on foot, there was plenty of day hikers going up and down the mountain. ...

Easiest day in White Mountain's so far, the streak of free breakfast scraps continues. By easiest I don't mean that it was an easy day overall, only compared to the other two I've hiked through these mountains. Goal number one was to make my way to Galehead Hut for those sweet breakfast leftovers, on the way there I met Iceman and I told him about my plan, he was unaware of that deal but decided to push on with me. We arrived with lots of time to spare, all the guests were still inside the hut, we also went in as it was raining. We met here three more thru hikers: Push from Pennsylvania who was working in trail maintenance and his two friends Mufasa and Magician, they were planning to finish AT within next 30 days. At 8 AM our food arrived, we got few sausage patties, scrambled eggs and plenty of oatmeal. It didn't take us long to completely empty all the bowls, we also bought few cakes and coffee, it was a great stop overall. From he...