Tuesday, 23 August
Destination: The Notch Hostel (1821.3) | Today’s Miles: 3.0 |
Start Location: Lonesome Lake Hut (1818.3) | Trip Miles: 50.6 |
After the usual breakfast of oatmeal, eggs and sausage with a blueberry muffin Wedding Walker and I were off. The trail was wet from the overnight rain.
Today was a “nero” (near zero) day. Wedding Walker and I backtracked three miles on the AT and added a 0.9 mile off trail walk to the visitor center at Flume Gorge for a shuttle to The Notch hostel.
We arrived at the visitor center before ten. The shuttle was scheduled for about 11:30 so I had time for a call to Dolora and an ice cream sandwich. Three other hikers were returning to the hostel because of tomorrow’s predicted rain.
A stop for gas provided the opportunity to grab a chicken salad wrap and iced tea for lunch. The Notch is really nice. Loaner clothes while they do your laundry and my first shower in a week. Ahh! Sure beats washing off in a stream. Packs and shoes (and associated odors) stay outside in the pack shed. Clean sheets, pillows and comforters on the beds.
WW and I signed up for the 5:30 shuttle to Price Chopper. We do not need to resupply but there are restaurants nearby. We have a few more days of real food before a week of hiker meals to end the trip. Dinner at the Mexican restaurant next door was adequate, the Sam Adams seasonal draft was a bonus. We picked up a few items for breakfast then the shuttle back to the hostel.
We are sharing the bunk room with a hiker who has one summit left on New Hampshire’s forty eight above 4,000 feet. He cannot understand why the AT hikers do not go 0.3 miles off the AT to summits. Being an AT hiker I cannot understand wanting to summit all forty eight peaks. I guess it all depends on your perspective.
Like the debate over whether Pluto is a planet I think there is some debate over the forty eight. One summit may be close to 4,000 feet but slightly under. Another one or two may be sub summits of taller mountains. At least the AT is a continuous line of white blazes. The AT debate is whether you need to hike the seven mile approach trail in Georgia that is not included in the official AT distance.
it feels good to have a shower, clean clothes, a nice bed and rest my knees tonight.
I see you finally spotted a moose
And he wasn’t charging.