Miles: 4.4
Hours: all day
I awoke this morning relieved to have completed the Mahoosuc Notch. My shelter companions, the three who were sleeping when I arrived last night were one SoBo hiker and a father/daughter pair who were out for a week long hike. Her name is Kylie, but they are called Sasafras and Caboose. Kylie is 12, almost 13, and she loves to hike any chance she can get. They had hiked the Notch yesterday also and she loved every minute of it. She dreams of doing the triple crown.
In hiking the Triple Crown refers to the:
Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, all 2,000+ miles,
Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada through the Sierra Nevadas, covering California, Oregon and Washington state, all 2,650 miles,
Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada through the Rocky Mountains and the states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. This trail is 3,100 miles
This summer I met, when I was in the 100 mile wilderness, a 12 year old girl who goes by Sunshine, with her father, Balls. Last summer they hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, this summer they will have completed the Appalachian Trail and next summer Sunshine hopes to hike the Continental Divide Trail. If she succeeds she will be the youngest Triple Crown holder at the age of 13. Kylie has not met Sunshine, but she is aware of her hiking and was disappointed that she would not be the youngest person to complete the Triple Crown.
Anyway, I knew that I had only 4.4 miles to hike today and I was glad to have finished the Notch. So I waited until everyone else left and took my time leaving the shelter. I camped only a half mile from the New Hampshire Border, I decided that I would wait until tomorrow and hike across the state line in the morning. I felt good when I got to camp tonight. I was the only person there and made dinner. Then I had a celebration meal of tea and cookie/cake that Sharon had added into the mail drop box of food. It was a delicious end to the day. I had carried in a book with me, "Into the Wild", so I read that while enjoying my tea. Then at 8 as I was ready to go to sleep, two NoBos came into camp. They were excited to be in Maine-their 14th state. And I was excited to be so close to New Hampshire. So I got up and talked with them while they made and ate dinner. It was fun because we were all feeling so good about where we were on the trail. Tank, one of the NoBos, is from Maine, so he felt like he'd walked home. After we fell asleep we heard voices coming up the mountain around midnight. An orientation group from Tufts University in Boston, 10 college kids, came into the shelter to sleep. They got to the shelter around midnight and hadn't eaten dinner yet, so it was 1:30 before it was quiet again. I didn't sleep much tonight because they had a snorer among them.
Full Goose Shelter
Carlo Col Shelter-the first shelter I have seen with four walls
Also the first shelter I have seen that is 'double decker'. I am told these are abundant farther south so more people can sleep in them. But this is the only one in Maine. We had four people sleeping up top and 8 down below after everyone showed up.
This is only the second shelter in Maine to have a Bear Box. Again, I am told these are numerous farther south along the trail. I am glad to see signs of the trail changing to mark that I am indeed moving along the miles.
No comments:
Post a Comment