Total Weekly Mileage: 217.3
“Moving South”
Made it through the 100 Mile Wilderness and into Monson in short order. Resupplied, spilled my coffee all over the front stoop of the local market, bought my sixth pair of cheap gas station sunglasses, and swung by Shaw’s Hostel for some fresh socks. Poet, the owner, gave me a ride back to the trail. I hiked hard. The trail was decent, the weather good.
I needed to reach the Kennebec River by 1 p.m. the next day to catch the canoe ferry across. Hiked late. Up early. Made it. No one was there.
Backtracked to the road and started hoofing it toward the store that supposedly dispatched the paddle person. That’s when Cheryl pulled up, rolled down her window, and asked, “You the guy?” I was. I hopped in.
After the crossing, she gave me some advice only a New Englander could deliver:
“Be careful in the Whites. Don’t be stupid.”
Then she shoved off.
God, I missed the East Coast. Tough broads out here. None of that West Coast soft shit.
From there, it was the Bigelows and Saddleback before Rangely. The hiking turned rocky and steep—no real switchbacks, just straight up and straight down. The downs were slower than the ups. Quick in-and-out resupply in some small town, then my first taste of weather: light rain, fog, and slick rock late at night. I slipped, fell, bent my brand-new trekking poles, swore, and kept moving.
Next day: slipped, fell, dented my left ass cheek, swore, and kept moving. A couple more falls, some severe wind and cold, and then—Rangely. Met up with my buddy and my dad. We had dinner. They took off. Short visit, but I’d see them again the following week.
Now it was time to get into New Hampshire, over Mount Washington, and through the Whites. Getting there was brutal. The hiking slowed. My mileage dropped. My pace tanked. No use getting frustrated—it was what it was.
I could feel myself crashing. I hadn’t had a rest day since Montana—July 21st, I believe. If only I knew then what I know now, I would have hiked later and harder, because compared to the following week, this was easy hiking.
