Miles Hiked Today - 10.1
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1751.4/2,193 (79.86%)
West Hartford, VT (1741.3) to Hanover, NH (1751.4) - Hanover Adventures Hostal
Total ascent - 1,973’
Total descent - 1,925’
Total States Completed - 12/14
**No Rain - Pretty nice weather day. Muggy - but not too bad for the season
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Vermont - Done!!! 2 more states to go! New Hampshire (161 miles) and Maine (282 miles).
We’ve been sitting around the Hostal this afternoon developing the strategy for New Hampshire. It’s like watching surgeons go to work —- listening to Sherpa Mike and Sam talk out the plan for each day. They both know every hill, curve, bump, and rock throughout the white mountains. It’s impressive to watch the gears grind. We’ve determined there’s about 14-15 — 4,000’ peaks on the AT through New Hampshire. Just like Colorado has its 53 mountains of 14,000’+ in height - New Hampshire has 48 mountains of 4,000’+ in height (and a good chunk of them are on the AT). It’s a common goal amongst hikers in each state to take on the challenge to summit all the respective peaks in that particular state.
So - today was pretty easy by AT standards. I took a shuttle back to West Hartford at 7:30am. I met up with Sam, Rock Flipper, Dexter, and Pearl at the blue barn. All 5 of us hiked together back to Hanover. A little over 10 miles - the trail was smooth. We took a nice, long break at a shelter mid-hike. At the conclusion of the hike in Hanover, we stopped for a great lunch - fish tacos for me. Our lunch spot was across the street from Dartmouth College. How cool is it that the AT goes right through 1 of the 8 Ivy League Schools on the East Coast! (I’ve always been a fan of visiting college campuses - this is a cool one to see)
After lunch - we finished up the last 1/2 mile of the hike. There was a grocery store at the finish. I was able to go in and get my resupply for the next 3 days. Then - we contacted the Hostal for a pickup.
The rest of the day has been pretty chill - talking with everybody at the Hostal. So many interesting people. I grabbed a sandwich at the grocery store for my dinner. I’m feeling really full right now - I’ve been snacking all day long.
So - tomorrow it starts. The first 44 miles of New Hampshire aren’t too bad. We’re planning to knock these down in 3 days. We’re actually going to do 18.9 miles tomorrow via slack pack. I know I’ve mentioned this before - but slackpacking is simply carrying a lesser weighted pack - while keeping some gear at a Hostal/hotel. It’s a very common practice in NH/Maine with the technical nature of the trails. We’re actually going to stay here at the Hostal again tomorrow after our hike. It’s been a good home base - and the Hostal caretakers have been incredibly supportive of our shuttle needs.
I had originally planned to take a Zero here in Hanover - but we’ve decided to push forward. After our 44 mile segment - we’ll be using Lincoln, NH as a home base for a couple days. It’s likely we’ll be taking a Zero at some point in Lincoln - once we complete the first big climbs in the “Whites” (I’ll be referring to the White Mountains as the “Whites” moving forward).
Alright - to celebrate the start of NH - here’s a song I felt was pretty appropriate for what we’re about to do. Please welcome to the stage - the legendary country band — Alabama.
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“You see that mountain over there
Yea, one of these days
I’m going to climb that mountain
Oh play me some mountain music
Like grandma and grandpa used to play
Than I’ll float on down the river to the Cajun hideaway
Drift away like Tom Sawyer
Ride a raft with old Huck Finn
Take a nap like Rip Van Winkle
Lay streaming again
Oh play me some mountain music
Like grandma and grandpa used to play
Then I’ll float on down the river to the Cajun hideaway
Swim across the river
Just to prove that I’m a man
Spend the day be’n lazy
Just be’n nature’s friend
Climb a long tall hickory
Bending over skin’n cats
Playing baseball with shired rocks
Using sawmill slats for bats
Play some back home come on music
That comes from the heart
Play something with lots of feeling
Cause that’s where music has to start
Oh play me some mountain music
Like grandma and grandpa used to play
Then I’ll float on down the river to the Cajun hideaway
Hey hey
Oh play me mountain music
Oh play me mountain music
Oh play me mountain music
Oh play”
“Mountain Music” — Alabama
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Even though I’m sleeping in a Hostal in Vermont - good night from New Hampshire. Here’s to good health and good times!
Hotel across from our lunch spot
Dartmouth football stadium
Connecticut River
Rock Flipper and Sam at Vermont/NH state line
Me at Vermont/NH state line
Dartmouth football stadium
Dartmouth
We went through Norwich, VT today
Near our lunch spot
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