Thursday, September 27, 2012

27 September 2012

Nutella and I needed to resupply in Stratton, ME and it took about 30 minutes until someone stopped over for us.  It was a pickup so we invited the other hikers to join the ride!  This is what it looks when 6 hikers, plus their gear cram into the back of a small truck. 

23 September 2012

In Maine, there are many rivers, creeks, streams that you have to ford.  Luckily I haven't gotten wet yet. 



14 September 2012

Moose~!!

I was walking in the woods, messing around with  my earbugs and I see a black butt in my face.  MOOSE!  She walks off to the side of the trail and I freeze.  I pull out my camera and wait for Nutella to hurry so he can see too.  It was really something special.  Her baby was around as well and we stood there for 30 minutes watching them eat.  It was magical.







 

11 September 2012

New Hampshire has many steep ups and downs.  This is what I look like when the temperature is freezing and I have to shimmy down a steep mountain. 


11 September 2012

In the White Mountains, there are huts that hikers can stay at that costs....money.  Thru-hikers have the opportunity to work for stay meaning we give a couple hours of our time to help out around the huts in return for free dinner, shelter, and free breakfast.  My first work for stay was at the Zealand Hut and I had mixed feelings afterwards mainly because of the people/person in charge.  Overall, I was grateful to have that chance and it surely made for a warm night.

 
 
 






 
 
11 September 2012

I bought these thoses in Hamburg, PA and they lasted about 650 miles.  Do you think I need new ones?  Good thing I have new ones on the way!  My shoes were so drafty! 


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

04 September 2012

I am currently in the library in Hanover, NH!!!!
Nutella and I ran across some great trail magic on the side of the road.  Bagels, watermellons, banana nut bread, and tons of info about Hanover!




































I have reached the Vermont/New Hampshire boarder!!!!







































Friends, I have about 442 trail miles left.  I am entering the hardest 2 states, New Hampshire and Maine, and am so scared, but even more excited.  My deadline is 10 October 2012 and it is approaching quickly.  Please think of me as I finish my journey and wish me luck!
02 September 2012

Nutella and I were walking through the woods when we saw a line of people hiking the opposite way all carrying cardboard lunch boxes.  Nutella inquired about the boxes and we found out that they were from a wedding party that just hiked to a waterfall.  Turns out that some of them had food left over which they gave to us.  We had a really great lunch that day.  Turkey wraps, ginger cookies, and an apple.  Trail magic happens when you least expect it and that is always amazing!

22 August 2012

Upper Goose Pond Cabin was an unexpected stop.  We arrived in the morning and decided to have lunch there and run, but the place was so cool that we ended up staying the night.  The caretaker made us pancakes for breakfast!

15 August 2012

This is the morning view of my hammock after a very scary rain storm.  It is amazing how terrified I was during the middle of the night and how beautiful the morning turned out.  For 5 seconds during the storm, it sounded like a freight train passing an inch next to my hammock and then...a branch fell on me.  I freaked!  I tried getting out and fixing my rain fly, but my crocs were washed away by the river under my hammock.  In the morning, Mac was inches away from having a branch pierce his body.


13 August 2012

I went to NYC with a few awesome hiker buddies of mine.  We were in Pawling, NY and just could not get out of there out of pure laziness.  We decided to get on the train to NYC at ~7pm.  We arrived ~9pm and was thrown into Times Square where we met this homeless man that invited himself to dinner with us and then tried to make us pay for his drink.  Maybe we looked like easy bait, but we stood our ground!  He has an IPhone so how homeless could he be right? 

I really wish this photo came out clear.  This is a man...in a bikini...and happily waving to everyone.




































On the last night, we ended up at a bar until midnight and missed the last train back to Pawling.  We couldn't get a hotel so we ended up sleeping next to the public library.  A police officer stopped by and asked us about our situation during the wee hours of the morning.  When we explained to him that we were catching the 6am train, he let us stay there.  He even put up a fence so others couldn't see us.  That was the best trail magic ever!  This photo came out blurry too, but you can see Grady and Harrison asleep.  NYC was great!

This is the day after.  No one slept well on the street so we ended up at the laundry where everyone snoozed except me.  Our parents would be so proud.