US 2 to Gentian Pond Campsite

Friday, 9/4

AT Miles = 11.8 / 1892.2
Other Miles = 0.2 / 59.1
Total Miles = 12.0 / 1951.3

Miles to Katahdin = 286.1

First, a word about the mileages given above. You all know that I skipped about 15 miles of trail between Carter Notch Hut, where I got off the trail a couple of weekends ago, and US 2 where I started this morning. You know I missed that section, and I know I missed that section, so I am not pulling the wool over anybody's eyes. But those miles are included in the mileage totals I keep, as that is the only way to keep the mileage synced to the guidebook. To do otherwise would leave me in a constant state of confusion.

Jodi and I were on the road a few minutes after 5:00 this morning, and I was on the trail at 9:15. Skipping the section over Carter Dome was definitely the right decision. Today's hike was, for New Hampshire, an easy section. There was plenty of ascending and descending, but it was hiking on a trail, not climbing up and down rocks. Even so, it was a tough workout for my knees. The braces help A LOT, but I still move rather slowly, and even more so on the dowwnhills. I think I am moving at a normal pace on the rare flats and when ascending, but on the downhills I guesstimate I am making slightly more than 1 mile per hour. It took me 7 1/4 hours to reach this campsite today. With a 45 minute break for lunch, that makes it 6 1/2 hours hiking for 12 miles. I can live with that.

I spent the day telling myself that as long as I can cover 10 or 12 miles per day, I am fine. At ten miles per day I will cover the 300 miles in 30 days. That's doable.

But I am not out of the woods (metaphorically) yet. The terrain is going to get a lot tougher in the next couple of days, and it is going to stay that way for quite a while. I am still estimating that I have a 50/50 chance that my knees are going to stand up to the abuse.

I felt like I was moving oh-so-slowly today, but there are lots of weekenders out for the long holiday weekend, and I passed several of them. That just serves to remind me that I am not moving as pitifully slowly as I imagine I am. I hike slowly, but I still have great stamina and instead of taking all those frequent breaks that weekend warriors have to take, I move along steadily for 3 or 4 hours at a time.

I have my hammock hung over a tent platform here tonight. Just across the way is a large group of college kids from Colby College, on a freshman orientation trip. I am getting a big kick from listening to them play silly games while seated in a circle.

There is no cell reception here, so you won't see this for a while. Hopefully I will have reception somewhere tomorrow and I will get to send this. But I will say "Goodnight from Gentian Pond" anyway.

--
"Home is where I hang my food bag"

Monkeywrench
Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Ready To Go (fingers crossed)

Well, everything* is packed and ready to go. I made a trip to the grocery store this morning and spent $70+ on food for 8 days. That's 4 days in my pack, and another 4 days of food in a box I mailed to Pine Ellis Lodging in Andover, ME.

When I think about it I think I have about a 50/50 chance that my knees are up to the hike. Until today I haven't felt a lot of confidence or anticipation about getting back on the trail, but now that my backpack is packed and I've been finalizing the logistics for the rest of the trip, I've started feeling and talking about it all much more positively. Instead of saying "If I get to Monson," I've been saying "When I get to Monson."

The weather for southern Maine looks great for the next week (see below). I think if I get through the next week or so I should be all set. That will get me through the toughest terrain, then things will start to ease up.

My plan is to get up at 0400 tomorrow, and be on the road by 0500. With a stop somewhere for breakfast that should get me on the trail by 1000 at the latest. Ideally I would like to make 12 miles tomorrow, but there is a shorter option. I've given up trying to estimate how many miles I can hike in a day anymore.

I will not be picking up exactly where I left off. I am going to start at US 2 near Gorham. This works out better logistically as far as getting to the trailhead, and it also allows me to avoid hiking up and over Carter Dome on my first day back, which is ridiculously steep and difficult. I do have a pretty good sized chunk of guilt in my stomach over missing the few miles from Carter Notch to US 2, but it might be the difference between completing my hike and not, so I think it's a fair trade-off.
--
Monkeywrench


* I just realized I am short one pair of socks. Looks like I need to do some laundry this afternoon.

Forecast for Northern Oxford

Updated: 10:14 am EDT on September 3, 2009
No Active Advisories (US Severe Weather)
	This Afternoon Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. West winds around 10 mph. » ZIP Code Detail
	Tonight Mostly clear. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s. Light and variable winds.
	Friday Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Light and variable winds...becoming northwest around 10 mph in the afternoon. » ZIP Code Detail
	Friday Night Partly cloudy in the evening...then becoming mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Light and variable winds.
	Saturday Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Light and variable winds...becoming northwest around 10 mph in the afternoon. » ZIP Code Detail
	Saturday Night Clear. Lows in the lower 40s.
	Sunday through Labor Day Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 70s. Lows in the lower 40s.
	Monday Night through Tuesday Night Partly cloudy. Lows around 50. Highs in the mid 70s.
	Wednesday Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.

Practice Hike

I went for a little walk in the Blue Hills Reservation today. I can
report that hiking on a flat, smooth trail, with no pack, wearing
Cho-pat braces on both knees, and using my trekking poles, my knees
felt about 98%. How that translates into carrying a full pack up and
down mountains and over rough terrain, remains to be seen.

And James, you're right, I do miss sleeping in my hammock!

As for kicking the AT's ass, Ken, there is no such thing. Hiking the
AT is like climbing a big mountain. Nobody conquers a mountain,
they just climb it, or not. I'll either finish the trail this year, or I
won't.

--
~~~~~
Monkeywrench
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Slight Delay

Jodi just got a job for Thursday so she can't drive me to New
Hampshire that day. Plans are pushed back one day to Friday.

Geez, it's September already! How did that happen?
--
~~~~~
Monkeywrench
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com

Decided

Si I've decided: I will be heading back up to New Hampshire on
Thursday to try to complete this darned hike.

I wish I could say that I am excited to be heading back to the trail,
but it's not quite true. I certainly am not yet ready to give up my
life as a thru-hiker. It is, after all, a pretty sweet way to live.
You hike. You camp. You see new places and meet new people every day.
You eat as much of everything as you can possibly get your hands on.
You breathe fresh air. You exercise your body. You have time to le
your mind wander where it may.

But my hike should be finished by now, or at least close to being
finished. The people I hiked with way back at the beginning of my
thru-hike have all either completed their hike, or have gotten off the
trail. It is no longer summer. The cool weather of fall is arriving in
New England. It is 65 degrees here in Quincy this morning. The days
are shortening rapidly. It is strange being here at home now, since I
left here last March when winter was just winding down. It feels like
I somehow missed summer.

This is wonderful weather for hiking of course. If the weather holds
fair I will be treated to the full glory of New England's autumn. But
in a big way it feels like this is going to be a lonely hike. That is
strange, since I have by choice hiked most of the trail alone, but it
feels lonely I guess because everyone I know is done, or at least well
ahead of me.

Anyway, this will be my last shot at finishing my thru-hike this year,
so here's hoping my knees are up to the task!

--
~~~~~
Monkeywrench
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com