Our sleep in the woods outside of town was quite good. I was nervous about it when I heard the town clock gong 8 times the night before, but I didn’t hear the bell again until 7am, so at least they were considerate of the outdoor dwellers.

I packed up and walked to my massage appointment, about a mile south of the co-op. Wendy the masseuse (Hanover Massage) was wonderful, and when I learned she was actually on vacation but wanted to make sure I got my gift certificate massage, that made it all the more special. We chatted about my arm issue as she worked on that area and on the knots in my back. She thinks my aches aren’t a pinched nerve, but tendon problems. (I had started to worry about a torn rotator cuff, but she was fairly certain that wasn’t it.) Rest was her suggestion; I had already been hiking without my left hiking pole, decided to continue to do so in hopes of relief. Wendy even drove me back to the co-op and saved me another mile of walking. Thanks so much Wendy and Cindy for getting me the perfect gift!

When I got back, NEMO slid me some arnica massage oil for my arm and I talked to Kirk again who had some advice too. I do have to say I think all of it is helping, throughout the day I did feel better. 🥰

We did our resupply, packed up, bought a few more things, and were walking out of town by noon. The first few miles were road, and we walked over the bridge separating New Hampshire and Vermont.

Hello Vermont!!!

Then we walked through the little town of Norwich…a fair was in full swing, but all the rides looked like they would make me vomit and we already had too much in our packs (again! The post office closed right before I got there, so I will now be hiking with my Dartmouth t-shirt) so we continued on and up a steep little road to the trailhead.

Water would be scarce in this section again, so we filled up at the next creek and met a nobo and his dog who seemed very happy and told us about some trail magic ahead. After he walked on I looked at NEMO and said, “I think he was drunk.” His stumble gave him away. That must be some trail magic! More nobos passed us with glowing reports of the magic, so when we finally found Laurie and her dog Harry we were anticipating a good spread, but what we found blew us away.

This was Laurie’s first time doing trail magic and she researched what hikers would like, then she picked a beautiful spot in the woods (she had to carry everything in) that had a view of the last three big mountains we climbed: Moosilauke, Smarts, and Cube. Then she sourced everything locally (we are in Vermot after all) and wrote up a menu of all she was offering. A menu!!!

She welcomed us and gave us each a tupperware with watermelon salad (watermelon, feta, and basil….amazing). We sat on a bench admiring the view, and she brought us a cracker with some kind of delicious soft cheese and blueberry preserves. Then she brought us three different sausages to try and gave each of us a very tasty (and stong) local IPA to drink (apparently the hiker we saw drank three of these strong beers!)

But best of all we the conversation. We sat with her pup Harry for a good long while having the best time. It was such a wonderful experience, and we encouraged Laurie to continue her good deeds in the future. Best trail magic ever! She even gave me a ripe peach for the road. Yum!

We didn’t have long to go to reach our destination, the Happy Hill shelter. We walked down the side trail and found a very cute stone building and decided to sleep in the shelter for once…we seemed to be the only ones stopping. One nobo did pass through and we had a great time chatting with Mango (we were helped along in our chattyness by the IPAs). We tried to eat a bunch of our food (again a heavy food carry…we like to eat), and I closed my eyes before dark.

What a great day!

I’ve been having a pain that I haven’t been telling you about. My left arm hurts and I think a nerve in my shoulder is getting pinched by my pack. I’ve been playing with different strap combinations and have a pair of socks that I use to diffuse the pack strap pressure, but it’s still an issue. I did get a confirmation of my massage happening tomorrow morning, and I hope, hope, hope it will bring me some relief. If anything I’ll live with it for another two weeks of the hike and then I won’t have to wear the pack again for a while. We’ll see.

There are always aches and pains on the trail. This time it has been a mystery rash and arm nerve pain. In 2002 it was a brown recluse spider bite and infected blister that made my whole leg swell up. Both required medical help…so I guess I’m getting off easier this time around…so far.

To the day….it rained again during the night. For a drought-striken land I sure have been getting rained on alot! The storm passed by morning, and we were walking in the cool, chill aftermath. Blissful.

The hiking was mild and the day milder. The miles ticked by and when we emerged on one of the many road crossings we would have today, found more trail magic! NEMO must be my lucky charm because I’ve had more magic since she joined me than all the rest of the trail…then again, I am out of the Whites and there are a ton of roads now. And fields! We walked through some beautiful fields today.

Ok, so we popped out on a road and find Bacon Wrapped, a trail angel, cooking up some pancakes. He has fed over 300 hikers this season and I happily accepted a plate and had a seat in a camp chair. The trail angels love these meetings almost as much as the hikers…the expense, time, and effort it takes to set up a feast and cook for us over and over is pretty incredible. The passion and inspiration the AT provides people up and down the east coast is really astounding. I love it.

Thank you Bacon Wrapped!

The last little bit before Hanover went steeply up and down a few times, and they threw in some rocks and roots to make sure we weren’t getting too comfortable with cruisy terrain.

We popped out at the Dartmouth sports fields and found a few hikers…since there are essentially no places to stay in town (pretty much ever, unless you want to spend big bucks on a fancy hotel room) most hikers camp at the edge of the woods…a large and beautiful food co-op is on the other side of the soccer field and I imagine hikers drop many thousands of dollars there each year.

NEMO and I wander the floor of the co-op adding things to our lunch baskets. I emerge with an artichoke salad, cold sesame chicken and rice frim the deli, and terrimisue (that spelling can’t be right). NEMO comes out with pickles, sushi, and watermelon. We chat with some nobos who are sitting outside as we eat our way through the treats.

I really want a shower. No, scratch that, I need a shower. I try a variety of tactics: going to the rec center that used to let hikers shower and do laundry (nope, not enough staff to offer that service), texting some Dartmouth outdoor club students who offer assistance to hikers (nope, no one responds), booking an expensive hotel room (nope, all booked up for three weddings, is $400 dollars, or is $275 in the next town and a $25 cab there and back). I even try chatting up a couple who talked to us while they were walking their dog, but no go, they ate going to the fair in Norwich tonight. I’d have to bathe in the woods.

I purchased some shampoo and filled my water containers with hot water at the pizza place where we had dinner, and then we walked back into the woods where we had emerged. Because the laundromat wasn’t open today either (are you kidding? What kind of college town is this?) I also bought a Dartmouth t-shirt at CVS so I had clean non-hiker stank shirt to put on….the goal was to be as fresh as possible for my massage tomorrow morning.

My time in the peace corps prepared me well for bucket baths where I would literally bathe by using a cup that I dipped into a bucket of water and poured over my head. Getting hot water was pure genius, and I got a decent washing in.

I do feel ragged and and I’m waaaaaay overdue for some tlc in a real hotel room with running water and pillows, but there haven’t been opportunities. The next time off I’ve got coming up this week with Carrie will be camping at a state park. I’ll have to keep my eyes out for a lodging opportunity before it gets too close to the end. I’m sure I can find something…

I set my tent up after the bath and then called Kirk to find that it’s going to be over 100 degrees again at home; I sure hope it cools down in September! Summers are a great time for me to take off work because it’s simply too hot to hike or lead volunteer trips in the summer. But 100? That’s next level.

I’m glad to be out here.

We had a lot of climbing today. We still climb over the tallest mountains they can find out here.

The first climb took us to a fire tower and we got some great views and snacked on the stairs until I felt too nervous that I would drop something important.

There was minimal water today too, southern New Hampshire must be part of the drought cycle, because there ended up being a 15-mile waterless stretch this afternoon. Folks weren’t sure how to handle it, but with my desert background I just smiled and loaded up four liters of water on my back. We desert rats just grin and bear it.

We got down to a road crossing and I was dragging. I stuck a tumb out just to see, and a car pulled over immediately! We are going to town! I had her drop us off at the store in Lyme, and we both ate and got some treats to pack out. I needed a little pick me up today…the humidy was back and I am still tired. I believe I am overdue for some time off!

The same thing happened on the hitch back to the trail. As soon as I had a thumb out a pickup pulls over and we jumped in back. Yes! AT experience complete now that I’ve had a ride in the bed of a pickup! Lyme NH: 3 stars.

We had two more sizable climbs after that and before making camp. We are within striking distance of Hanover…still don’t know where we will stay, but we’ll do our best to make friends and see what happens.

Tired.

I can tell that it’s getting lighter later each morning.

Out neighbors the beaver, loon, and kingfisher were active early…the loon belting out it’s forlorn cry right in front of our camp…not a bad way to wake up actually.

It was a two cup morning…and even though I combined it with terrain that was super easy and dreamy compared to what we’ve been hiking, I felt slow all day. I wonder if it’s the residue of all that effort it took to hike the previous 400 miles. It’s as if I need some adjustment time to the new speed of things. Now I can truly hike three miles an hour; it’s a complete 180 change, and I have trail whiplash today.

The nobos started passing with increasing frequency today, and by the end I think at least 30 had passed us, maybe 40! So many nobos, no sobos today. We even met a forest service ranger who said we were the only sobos he had seen all day, the big bunch I’ve been hiking around must be right behind me.

Oh, I almost forgot the most exciting part of the whole day! Nemo and I had just taken a break by a creek when we climbed up to the road for a short road walk and found a couple setting up an awning and table…as we walked up they yelled, “trail magic!” and we met Trail Magic Mama and The Greatest State.

This very generous couple lived in New Hampshire and had scouted out this section of trail as the perfect one to give trail magic to hikers. They had been visiting this spot for five years to feed us…in fact The Greatest State (TGS) had hiked the trail before and was section hiking it this year. Trail Magic Mama explained that TGS had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and they knew they had to get back on the trail while they still could. The plan was for TGS to hike a section of the trail in each state of the AT this summer, and she would meet him at road crossings and be his support vehicle. This was their one day at the home trail magic spot for the summer as they prepared for the next section. I was very moved. Our family is very familiar with dementia and how it flips the script on everything. I really enjoyed the giant donuts and iced coffee they gave us, but even more, I enjoyed hearing their story. Who knows, maybe I’ll see them again in the few weeks I have left!

Few weeks!?!?! 😭

Nemo said something yesterday about having two weeks left out here, and I said, “no, it’s more like three!” But she was right.

I am definitely not in the mindset to want to do the whole AT and spend five months out here. I only set out to hike for two months, and that’s a plan I’m happy with, but the floor of my stomach dropped when I realized in two weeks the hike will be over. Ahhhhhh, now that seems too soon. I’m just getting to “trail” trail, you know, dirt-fast-hiking-trail-stuff!

Everything is change.

But, another highlight of the day was hearing that Carrie (Anonymous) finished her 500-mile section hike on the AT!! Congrats 🎉 🙌 👏! Did I tell you that I took Carrie on her first backpacking trip last summer? 4 miles round trip, and here she is on her second backpacking trip pulling a 500-mile section! So impressive!!! AND I was close to passing #2 Pencil. Carrie is now up visiting him on trail, and I would see them both in the next week. We are cooking up plans for a big rendezvous, so exciting. And NEMO and Carrie will get a chance to meet…two of the most important people in my life coming together on trail…I’m all smiles.

We still don’t know when or if I’ll take any time off soon. I’ve had a few short days out here, but no day off since Stratton, Maine…21 days ago! I wanted to stay in Hanover, but we’ll be getting there on the weekend and the hostels and hotels are either full or cost waaay more money than we want to spend on a room. We are going to have to hikertrash it up in town and find a way…my lovely Cindy (Average Joe, my hiking partner on the 2002 AT hike) sent me a gift card for a massage in Hanover. If I can manage to book an appointment last minute, I hope I can show up showered…that would be most unfortunate for the masseuse if not…

Back to the logistics…being in the nobo and sobo bubble and getting to a tourist and college town on the weekend in summer certainly is a difficult combination to manage, but the trail provides, and you have to just go with the flow, one of the most powerful lessons in long distance hiking. As Andy (CDT hiker) said, “I’m going to go ahead and not worry about it.” (One of my favorite pieces of trail wisdom ever).

Hike what is in front of you. That’s all you can do.

We make it over 14 miles before making camp. I usually don’t know how far I’m going to hike in a day…today was solid!

One more big climb to go….well, that’s what they say. I remember tons of climbs throughout the whole AT, but this should be the last technical, full-body, dangerous scramble. Us sobos actually get the better end of the deal on Moosilauke. We have to climb up a steep, wet, waterfall area filled with slick wooden steps bolted to the rock. It’s sketchy going up, but terrifying going down. I specifically remember this descent 20 years ago 😬

We woke up after a full night of rain, but had a bit of dry sky for the packing up, which was nice. The climb started right away.

We took one step at a time, and when the rain really started to fall it barely phased us, we were already soaked through with sweat. Last night has been the warmest night yet of the trip. If possible the air has been getting warmer and holding more moisture…the rain was a welcome relief and helped cool us down.

The steepest stuff was over by the time we made it to the next shelter…still over 2 miles from the summit. We found numerous hikers waiting out the rain, if fact we hadn’t seen one hiker on the trail yet that morning! Both nobos and sobos were not eager for Moosilauke, but we took solace in the fact that this was the last one…the nobos looked nervous, and they should be! They were entering THE WHITES.

We knew there would be no views today, but it was still sad when we reached the top and only had views to the next cairn.

At the summit sign we lined up with some other hikers to take photos in the wind. It’s so interesting how the tides have turned. Now that I’ve reached this point, the nobos look to the sobos with trepidation, “How bad is it?” they implore, just as us sobos watched the nobos in Maine fly through the terrain with a triumphant and haughty air.

NEMO and I flow down the mountain, the going gets real nice for a while: obstacle-free trail in a short pine forest, lovely! And then it gets steep again, just not like the other side of the mountain steep.

The rest of the afternoon brought walking that was nice and easy, and we even passed a field filled with milkweed and Monarch butterfly caterpillars.

We pulled into the Hikers Welcome Hostel (just off the trail) to find a well-organized system. Food and drinks were in the fridge, forms were on the table to fill out how much of what you took, and what you owed the caretaker. We drank sodas and hung out for a while in the shaded back yard. Other hikers milled about…this was a popular slackpacking base, and hikers arrived after their pack-free hikes (slackpack: someone drops you off and picks you up at the end of the day…road to road day hikes with a bed at night.)

Back on the road. Literally.

We had a short two miles to reach a lake where there is supposed to be a nice camp, and there is!

We swim and are serenaded by a chatty Kingfisher (Marina!).

What will tomorrow bring?

It rained most of the night, but we woke to clear skies. The trek to the kitchen area and privy was a long one….I dropped things and slid around in the mud on my way there and back…a foreshadowing for sure.

It was still darkish when NEMO and I made our coffee; we would really need to fortify ourselves for the day ahead. You see we are still in New Hampshire, and the hard bits of trail were all around us. Several notable hard days were the next two. Welcome back to the AT NEMO! Let’s do the hard stuff first. She had a good attitude about it, and really, she was faster than me for much of the day….she always has been a fast hiker.

We make the first big climb up to Kinsman Mountain North and found the cloud was back. No views today.

No matter, we continued on to Kinsman South and took a snack break. Actually we snacked on North too, we need to snack all the time to make a dent in these food bags.

We meet a few nobos who tell harrowing tales of the next section…the one they just climbed and we had to descend. Others had told me about this section too…you know it’s notable when this descent is a topic of conversation off trail.

It goes down the quickest way it can: straight. The rain soaked everything and added another layer of terrifying, “will my knees hold out, or will my feet slip out from under me?” to the morning.

We finally leveled out and surveyed the damage. Still walking…so that means we go on.

We pass nobos throughout the day, and they have a glazed daze on their faces. It’s the look of exhaustion that started hours ago.

I’m sorry poor NEMO for bringing you to this for your first day! But really, most days are like this…some say Vermont will be flatish in comparison. They whisper this to each other, hoping it will be true. Sobo hikers get their feet held to the fire on the AT, if they can withstand the heat, pain, and struggle of the Northern 450 miles, they can withstand anything.

Ok, maybe I’m being a little dramatic here, but it’s kind of true.

Back to it!

The hiking gets nice in places, it does! Rolling dirt trails with only the occasional root or rock. I start to dream of 20 mile days….could they be possible some time soon?

We finally roll down to the next notch (this one is called Kinsman), and find a trail head where there are rumored to be trash cans (a VERY big deal when you are out here) and a voice calls, “Trail Magic!”

NEMO and I look at each other wide wide eyes. “Oh baby!!” I think. We walk over to find Stiches, a 1999 thru-hiker, who brought a table full of treats. I crack a warm root bear open (have I told you that cold root beer is my all-time favorite trail fantasy drink? Warm root beer is my third favorite…the second being a cold beer of course) and soon I was eating cookies and enjoying the other hikertrash.

Thanks Stitches!

After a bit we thought about trying to make camp before the next storm arrived (this afternoon? Evening? Night? The forecast is rain almost every day for the next week…) and thrn we stumble up the next section of trail until it starts to go up, then find a nook to set up in.

What sweet relief.

We hiked just over 11 miles today, and it took all day.

Tomorrow would be harder.

I love you NEMO! Thanks for doing this with me! 🥰

The bed was cozy and I slept late….until 6am.

The morning was filled with coffee, food, and milling about the hostel. It was all very relaxing.

NEMO was due to arrive about noon, being delivered by her husband Pouch (trail name) and their 8-year-old son Rewan. NEMO, Pouch and I all met while thru-hiking the PCT in 2006, and those two fell in love. A trail romance grew into marriage, and I was there to see the whole thing! These three are part of my extended trail family and I love them very much.

They arrived with much fanfare (on my part). Because we were going to originally meet at the trail head, she brought me a full resupply. I didn’t need to carry 5 days of food, but she brought such yummy things that I threw most of it in my pack. I already regret the weight (I probably took much more than 5 days worth…this is the heaviest my pack has been this whole time), but I will be eating well! And I’m with one of my very best friends, so all is good.

Pouch drove us back to the trailhead and soon we were on our way. The going was mild and we took a swim break by a lovely creek and most excellent swimming hole. It rained, it rained hard, but it didn’t really matter, we were already wet with sweat.

Oh boy, NEMO is getting a taste of it right from the go. There was climbing, stairs, steps blasted into the rock, and wooden steps bolted to the rock. Straight up was the name of the game for the afternoon, but the sun came out and entertained us with its light play on the mossy green that carpeted everything around us.

We made camp in one of the last AMC fee campgrounds on a tent platform and I did my best to make a dent in all the food.

It rains a lot during the night.

Team She-Mo is back together!

Today would be the Francinoa Ridge walk, another highlight of the White Mountains. It included summiting the imposing peak of Mt Lafayette and miles of alpine ridge walking.

I got an early start. On these town days it’s my MO to push hard and fast…why? Because I can. It’s fun to find your style (or styles) of hiking out here. When you are solo you can do exactly what you want 😉

Maine has prepared me well for New Hampshire. I feel good and strong. I can hike anything!

It looked like I would have views for the ridge when I popped up on top of Mt Garfield, but by the time I got up Lafayette the clouds had moved in. I had great views of a mist that shrouded the landscape, but no matter, it was cool and refreshing in what had been some hot weather lately.

I took a short break on top and started moving before I got too chilled. The tourists were coming! Today was a Saturday and as I started walking I encountered a steady stream of day hikers smelling fresh.

I threaded my way between them as I descended from the cloud, and even though I was hiking fast and hard, it still took me 6 hours to cover the 10 miles. Whew.

I had to walk an extra mile to get to the Flume Visitors Center where there was a food court (!!!) and while I was there I texted the hostel. They came to pick me up before I even had time to finish stuffing my face with pizza, and a few miles later I was in North Woodstock getting the tour of the Ski Club lodge that opened their doors to hikers this year.

It’s a fantastic place, and once there I found Gormet! She had decided to zero here, so I was able to catch up on all that had happened since I last saw her.

Every day feels like a week out here.

It rained hard, and I could see lightening flashing from behind my closed eyes. I stayed dry though and no rain splashed in my tent this time.

The morning was dry (well, nothing is ever dry out here, there is a persasive dampness to everything, myself included), and the walking was flat. That’s right! Not a typo! The first five miles of the day were FLAT!

On top of that the trail was lined with berries. It seemed like no one was eating these beauties because there were so many, so, I did my part and grazed my way through first snack. Later I found out everyone had been eating their way down the trail….that’s how many berries there were in that section!

I arrived at Zealand Falls Hut to find some of the sobos I knew and a few I didn’t. More arrived as I basked in the rare ray of sunshine in the misty and cloudy day. The weather over the presidential traverse had bunched us up…there were about 20 sobos within a day of each other…we are the bubble!

The hut had gingerbread out for sale – gingerbread is one of my favorites so I had two giant pieces with some coffee. I’m loving these hut snacks!!!! The waterfalls were pretty cool too, another feature I know Kirk would love. I keep thinking that I need to bring him out here so we can paddle, ski, hike, and adventure in these places together. I think he would love it. Kirk has gone full kayak bro this summer since I’ve been hiking. He’s been kayaking 2-3 times a day some days! We live close to the whitewater play park in Bend and he’s gone back to his first love: play boating, and has even enticed our friend Tosch into the sport (Tosch makes the phanny pack I’m wearing on the trail…check out his company, Free Range Equipment). Play boating is when you paddle in a standing wave and then do tricks, spins, cartwheels, flips…it’s the freestyle fun of kayaking. Kirk is immersing himself in the river while I’m immersing myself in the trail….😁

I walk through the day, through some clouds and around the rumble of thunder, but nothing falls from the sky. Bits of views pop up here and there, it’s a pretty nice day of walking.

I put on a new podcast, Off Trail, and choose an episode with Cookie Monster, a hiker I met on the CDT, and now owns the coffee company Triple Crown Coffee. Give it a listen, he is a kindred spirit and I love how he explains his passion for coffee, hiking, adventure, and life.


I wasn’t sure how far I would hike today, but with the easy walking this morning I found the miles adding up. When I got to Garfield Ridge Campsite I did the math and saw I was only 10 miles from the next road and where I was due to meet NEMO the day after tomorrow. Hmmm. After hearing from some other hikers about the hostels they were going to stay at when they reached the road, I decided I would go too. I could have about 24 hours to rest up before NEMO got here, and then would be ready to immerse myself in the woods for a week with her. I called the new hostel that had been getting rave reviews in North Woodstock and made a reservation. I’m excited!

Now sleep.

It is another day.

When I packed up and headed out of the campground I saw both Fat Chill and Anna (now with the trail name Moose Boots). Let’s hear it again for all the solo ladies!

The hike from Mizpah Hut to Crawford Notch and the next highway was at times as steep as they come, but also frustrating. There was more overgrown trail pulling at my hair, and I lost the trail twice, walking out small side trails till I realized my error and backtracked. Come on AMC! Use some of our money to brush and adequately mark this trail please! I ran into a nobo hiker that was confused and wondering if he was on trail too, so it’s not just me.

There were views though. Weather would be moving in this afternoon, but for now the views were intact and the mountains most impressive.

I was down at the highway by mid morning and still determined to take a shower. The day was hot and humid, so I knew any refreshment I would get from my bathing would be short lived, but I didn’t care. I needed to knock some of the funk off.

It took a while, but finally a car pulled over and I met Maggie, or Risky Momma. This amazing woman had just walked from her home in Portland, Maine to Chicago! She kept to roads and carried her stuff in a baby stroller, thus the “risky momma” moniker. A fellow adventurer! The ride was short to the state campground that had showers and laundry, but we exchanged Instagram handles (@margaretacrossamerica if you want to follow her too).

I walked into the campground didn’t see a person; made my over to the shower building and saw I needed quarters and soap. I didn’t have either and since I didn’t see any staff, walked around looking for campers. I met a girl and her dad from DC that took interest in my plight and they gave me some body wash. Then I met a man and his wife from Cape Cod who were also curious and he gave me a small bar of soap and changed a few dollars into quarters for me. Since I didn’t have any laundry soap I decided to take a hobo bath, or a shower with all my clothes on. Before I went in, the campground attendant Matt came around and we had a good chat. He even offered to give me a ride after I was done.

I got 10 minutes for my quarters and washed myself and my clothes multiple times. I had enough quarters left over to then stick everything in the dryer. While I waited I finished the Neil Gaiman book I had been reading and charged up my devices.

Ok, cleaned up! Next on my list was lunch. The AMC Highland Center, a few miles the other direction from the trail, offers thru-hikers a $6 soup, bread, and beer combo, so I had Matt drop me off there where I cashed in on the deal and hopped on wifi for a bit.

I bought a few more things in their store including some new socks. Somehow one of my pairs had gone missing this week and I found a nice colorful pair to take their place.

Then I tried hitching to get back to the trail. My thumb was out for a while, then my tyvek sign I had made, but no luck. Finally I saw a woman walking up to her truck and offered her money to take me the three miles I needed to go. I was practically in her car before she said yes 😏. Sometimes you have to help these things along. She lived in the area and was very pleasent….and would not take my money when I put it in her center consol.

I guess it was time to hike. I kept my sandals on…I knew I had a climb, but was pleasantly surprised to find it gentle and well graded. Nice! And then I had a great flat section of boardwalks that brought me to my day’s destination at Ethan Pond. It was early, I had plenty of daylight to go further, but I really didn’t need to. This would do.

I’m glad I made it in when I did. The campsite was busy with lots of thru-hikers, summer campers, and an REI backpacking group. I was able to set up on dirt on an overflow camping spot, my choice, so I could ride out the storm without the splash backs into my tent I experienced last time it rained when I was set up on a tent platform, and the other time when I had to bail on the shelter when it got too full.

And rain it did tonight! The lightning was bright and thunder echoed in the mountains around us. What a show! But I stayed dry and fell asleep somehow while it continued into the night.