Day 126 Zero Day No 12 - North Woodstock

Today's miles 0.  AT miles 1812.2

Two days off in a row, so nice, we could get used to this.  We did actually manage a lie in until 8am today and had a later but another lovely breakfast in the hotel.  They also serve breakfast to non guests, this place has a good reputation and is always busy, there was a small queue of people waiting to come in when we left.  I took advantage of a spare day and got my hair cut and coloured at a hairdressers across from the hotel, five months of grey hair growth all gone for a few weeks!  Nigel hadn't moved when I got back, he was still laid on the bed watching TV.

The rain forecast was light in the morning but got heavier after lunch.  We were glad we weren't out on that Mountain ridge. We went to Cascades coffee house just down from the hotel and had toasted sandwiches for lunch then back to the hotel for an afternoon snooze again.  I gave my good old leather boots a bit of TLC, conditioning the leather with some Vaseline lip balm (that's all I had).  They'll last me the rest of the trail hopefully.

In the evening we went to a Greek restaurant.  Sat in a window seat we saw a beautiful little hummingbird, they had nectar feeders hanging outside the windows.  Lovely food again, I had a Spanakopita, a traditional spinach and cheese pie and Nigel had a seafood pie with a glass of Greek red wine to wash it down.  We feel like we've eaten loads the last couple of days, we're feeling quite stuffed but making the most of it.  Well be back in those mountains tomorrow eating our dried packet trail food.  Our legs and knees still feel just as stiff, maybe even a bit stiffer, when getting going again after sitting or lying down after our two days rest.  We keep wondering how long after we finish the trail will it take for our legs to feel normal again with no daily stiffness?

Day 125 Zero Day No 11 - North Woodstock

Today's miles 0.  AT miles 1812.2

We had a rest (zero) day today.  We planned a lie in but were still awake around 7am, our body clocks now are used to waking around 6am or earlier.  We had another delicious breakfast at the hotel then I went and got our laundry done at a launderette just up the road.  Late morning we walked to Lincoln the next town to North Woodstock which has a bigger choice of shops etc.  We stopped at McDonald's on the way, Nigel wanted a burger meal, I had an Oreo flurrrie.  We continued walking along the road, we were looking for The Summit outdoor shop, it was one of the last shops we got to.  Nigel needed a new sleeping mat, his old one got a puncture that we couldn't repair.  He managed to get the same mat, a Klymit Static V, they're a lot cheaper here than the UK.

Next we did our food resupply then headed back to our hotel.  We walked nearly four miles there and back so not exactly a zero walking day, at least it keeps our legs moving and stops them from stiffening too much.  Back at the hotel I Skyped home and then it was afternoon snooze time.  In the evening we went for a Chinese meal at Imperial Palace, a few doors down from our hotel.  Very nice food, large portions we couldn't eat it all, and very good value. Nigel got an ice cream from an ice cream shop opposite for dessert, I was too full.  North Woodstock, Lincoln and this Franconia Notch area we are in is very touristy, lots of tourist shops and attractions.  The draw of the White Mountains.

These rest days go so fast.  We're having another one tomorrow though, our first double rest day.  The weather forecast for tomorrow is for strong winds and heavy rain, not good for walking up and over a two mile exposed ridgeline, Franconia Ridge, our next big climb up.  We're looking forward to doing nothing much at all tomorrow, all our usual town jobs are already done.

Day 124 Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch

Today's miles 16.3.  AT miles 1812.2

We were the first guests to arrive for breakfast in the hotel this morning at 7am.  It was one of the best breakfasts we've had in a hotel/motel, we got the normal tea/coffee and fruit juice choice plus a sticky bun then could choose a main and side dish from the breakfast menu, all included in our room rate. We had blueberry pancakes, no side.  After breakfast we called The Shuttle Connection for a shuttle back to the trail, they turned up very quickly, we were at the trailhead for 8:20.

The trail today was tough and tiring again, lots of rocks to climb up right from the start.  It was made a bit easier because we were slack packing so weren't carrying our normal heavy packs. Slack packing doesn't mean we go any faster. We may have been a fraction quicker going uphill but flat and downhill slack packing made no difference to our pace, our/my legs will only go so fast no matter what weight we're carrying.  We've heard a few other hikers say the same. The only benefit is less strain on our joints/knees with less weight.   Our first mountain was Mount Wolf (3478ft) where we passed the 1800 mile mark.  We descended from there down to Eliza Brook shelter where we refilled our water and had a snack break.  It was another beautiful sunny day, a bit warmer and more humid than the last few days.

We had another tough uphill from the shelter up to South Kinsman Mountain (4358ft).  The ascent started off OK but then got very steep and rocky, scrambling almost in places.  Tree roots made great natural ladders on some steep rocky sections.  We quite enjoy the rocky scrambly climbs, they're more interesting than just a straight flat trail up. It was a beautiful 360° view from the top again today.  From South Kinsman it was a shortish down and then up again to North Kinsman Mountain, still rocky trails.  We had great views across to Franconia Ridge where we'll be walking next.  From the summit it was a steep mile and a half down rocks again with occasional wooden steps placed to help, then the descent got easier for the last three miles. We had a few river beds to stone hop over too.  We passed an AMC hut at Lonesome Lake, there were a few people staying there.  It looked quite nice from the outside, we didn't go in though and have a look.  Its highly unlikely we'll be staying at any of the AMC huts in the White Mountains, we can't justify paying $250 a night, we've got three nights for that price where we're staying now.

We finally arrived at Franconia Notch about 6:15pm.  What we hadn't realised was that it was a further mile from there down a paved side trail to get to the road. Once we got to the road we called for a shuttle back to the hotel.  There were very few cars passing in the evening, it would have taken us a long time to get a hitch back to town. The shuttle guy arrived though within ten minutes, what great service, we have to pay for it though $10 per person which is reasonable.  Back in North Woodstock we bought a sub roll and muffin each and Nigel got some beer from Wayne's grocery store and returned to our hotel, we weren't going anywhere else we were tired.  I had a lovely soak in our lovely roll top bath to ease my tired legs. 

Day 123 Glencliff to Kinsman Notch

Today's miles 9.3.  AT miles 1795.9

We had an early start this morning, quarter past seven we were walking on another beautiful clear sunny day.  We had Mount Moosilauke (4802ft) to get up and over today, our first big mountain in The Whites and the first mountain without tree cover on the summit.  It was basically six miles uphill followed by three miles downhill.  We had all day so we didn't rush and hiked up slow and steady, not even breaking into a sweat. The trail was pretty good going up, some rocks but easy enough.  We arrived at the south summit about 10:15.  We had great views from just after there to the main summit ahead.  It was beautiful, it was so nice to be on a mountain top with open views for a change rather than in the trees all the time with no summit views, more like the mountain hikes we're used to.  It makes it all the more worthwhile the effort to get up there.  We reached the main summit with an American flag on top just before 11am and sat and had a snack break enjoying the vista.

Just coming off the summit on the way down a couple of White Tailed Deer came bouncing past.  They stopped and did a perfect pose for our camera.  The trail down initially wasn't too bad, quite gradual to start.  The last mile down however was tough.  Very steep rocky steps following the side of a waterfall down the Mountain.  There were a few wooden steps and handrails thrown in where needed to help.  The last mile seemed to go on forever, we took it slow though we didn't want any accident or injury.  It was definitely the hardest mile of the trail so far.

We arrived at the bottom at Kinsman Notch about 1:30.  We waited at the side of the road for a hitch into North Woodstock about five miles away.  It wasn't a particularly busy road but we didn't have to wait too long, a very kind guy picked us up and dropped us off at The Woodstock Inn.  We arrived at 2pm too early for check in which was 4pm so left our packs at reception and went for some lunch in their outside bar area.  It's a very popular place it was packed.  We wanted to sit outside, we thought it better in case we smelt too bad.  We had to wait 20/30 minutes for a table, the food was delicious though.  We finally got to our room just after four.  We keep finding these gems of accommodation for a very reasonable midweek price, cheaper than the motels down the road and breakfast's included.  Our room is lovely again with double bed, plus day bed and private bathroom with beautiful old roll top bath plus bathrobes, we're staying for three nights, hiking tomorrow then a rest day.

We got showered and changed then went to the local grocery store to get some hiking snacks for tomorrow.  We are slack packing tomorrow (hiking with a day pack only).  Our first time slack packing.  We said we wouldn't slack pack but the way the trail goes tomorrow we can hike 16 miles and still be less than five miles from North Woodstock (on a different road) so can stay at the same place. There's no point carrying all our gear when we can leave it safe in our hotel room.  We've said our hike whilst on the trail has to be a 'continuous, unsupported journey', trips to and from towns excluded.  Many hostels offer slack packing services for a fee, often also meaning walking a section of the trail in the opposite direction, which we wouldn't consider.  We are going one direction only, Georgia to Maine and without slack packing support from a third party.

Day 122 NH25A to Glencliff, Hikers Welcome Hostel

Today's miles 10.  AT miles 1786.6

We woke up to another beautiful sunny morning at our lovely stealth camp site, a bit cooler again which is nice. We had an easier and shorter days walking today, a couple of gentle up and overs to Glencliff and the Hikers Welcome Hostel as tomorrow we go over Mount Moosilauke, the first big mountain of The Whites.  It would have been too much to try and continue over Mount Moosilauke today. The woods were a bit of a pain with mosquitoes early on in the lower damper ground but higher up they weren't so bad.  We saw some moose footprints in the mud today.  There's lots of evidence they're around but we've still not seen one on or near the trail yet.

Just before leaving the trail and heading down the road to the Hikers Welcome Hostel there was a very blunt sign saying 'stay on trail or stay home' by the State of New Hampshire, Bureau of Trails - we thought it a bit frank!  We arrived at the hostel just after 1pm. It's a very friendly but basic hostel with a choice of bunks or camping, we're camping.  They have an outdoor shower, toilet and washing facilities, all decent and working.  They have a communal room inside with snacks available to buy and the biggest DVD library. No Big Deal was there when we arrived and then Fancy Pants, Cola and Doc turned up in the evening. Today being the summer solstice is traditionally 'hike naked day' - we dont know anyone who partook in this hiker tradition!

Nigel had an afternoon snooze while I checked up on a few bookings and payments required for our South American holiday leg.  I've also booked us a week long wilderness canoeing trip on the Allagash River for the end of July, once we've finished the trail. We've said all along we wanted to go canoeing whilst in Maine when we finish hiking and its not too far away now.

We had to listen to the constant noise of a battle between wild boar and wild Turkey during the night. Everyone in the bunk room heard it too, in their fighting they'd knocked the rubbish bins over. It was noisier with animals camped in the hostels back garden than in the woods! Not normal activity we're told.