Change is the law of life

Ryan came to visit me on the trail while I was near Hanover, NH.  I was staying with a trail angel named Greg in order to wait for Ryan's arrival.  Greg is an absolutely wonderful trail angel and he made me feel completely comfortable in his home- he even gave me my own room to sleep in (I haven't had a room all to myself since I left home!) and it had a TV in it.  Greg also has these plush bathrobes for hikers to use after they are done with their shower, so I was in complete lounging heaven.  Two northbound hikers were staying at Greg's with me along with their dog and we all had a great time relaxing and chatting.  Ryan arrived on Sunday evening and we spent the evening getting his pack ready for hiking the next day and chatting with the other hikers.  We left Greg's the following morning and hit the trail.  I knew that I would have to slow down a little bit in order to allow Ryan to adjust to the hiking and the slow pace was greatly appreciated by my legs.  We crossed from New Hampshire to Vermont in the morning and made our way south.  The trail in Vermont is much more gentle than what I had been hiking in Maine and New Hampshire- there were some roots and rocks, but nothing compared to the rock and root hopping that I am used to.  I appreciated being able to look up while I was walking down the gently sloping trail, taking in the changing leaves and oncoming fall in Vermont.  In order to prepare to hike with me, Ryan has been running a 5 mile trail around a lake in his Vibrams and his feet have been doing well on that trail.  However, the trail that we are now hiking has many more rocks and roots than what his feet are used to and the Vibrams caused him some pain.  Haha he also wasn't expecting for the nights to be so cold, so he just brought a sleeping bag that he had used when he was younger.  When I saw that the sleeping bag only came up to his abdomen I knew that it would be chilly for him.  Our first night out we slept in a shelter and it poured rain the entire night.  Ryan was very cold and uncomfortable for most of the night, so I knew that we would have to find him a different set-up for the two weeks that he would be out with me.  The next day we hiked 5 miles to a road and hitched back to Hanover from there because Hanover has a good selection of outdoors stores and we could get some better gear for his feet and a better sleeping system.  He picked up some good boots and a new sleeping bag and we set back out on the trail.  We ended up hiking for another 2 days and thoroughly enjoyed the hiking in Vermont.  In Hanover I had taken a peak at my bank account and knew that my time on the trail was coming to an end.  I can't hike without food and I can't buy food without money, so I spent a few days adjusting to the idea that I would not be able to hike for much longer.  I thank the trail angels and you all so much for all the love and support that you have given me- I would not have been able to make it this far without you!  I have already been given so much and could not have asked for more.  Our last day in Vermont I spent the entire morning thinking about what to do while Ryan and I hiked.  Based on the amount of money I had, I would have to get off the trail in the next week and seeing as I was in Vermont, I would not have been able to make it home easily or cheaply.  So, I stopped in the middle of the trail, turned around, and told Ryan that it would be easiest if he took me back to Virginia with him.  Two miles later we were sitting at a farm just off of the trail enjoying some Vermont icecream, jerky, and maple soda.  I sat on the porch absorbing the decision that I had just made and then we hitched back to his car and drove to Virginia.  We are staying at his house for a day or two and then he is going to take me to the trail in Virginia and I will hike a section here so that when it does come time for me to get off the trail my mother can easily pick me up.
I am completely confident and comfortable in my decision to come home, but it was not an easy decision to make.  The trail has given me so many wonderful memories and it's difficult to tell myself that it will not be a thru-hike.  However, I still plan to complete the Appalachian Trail.  I have hiked about a fourth of it (500 miles) and will continue to hike it- it is now just something that will have to come in sections.  Now Ryan and I will hike some of Virginia together, then I will go home to get my dog, and then we will hike until I cannot hike any longer.  Change is a difficult, but completely necessary and fruitful law of life.

Day 57 & 58- all over the place!

My hiking adventure is going a little crazy right now and is flipping from north to south a lot because Bomber is leaving and I have to meet Ryan in Hanover in the next few days. Also, I woke up this morning and realized that the hot tub was a bad idea for me because it put even more heat into my already inflamed knees. I woke up from the pain and could barely walk, so I figured it was a good time to take a little break anyway. Susan made us ham, egg, and cheese biscuits for breakfast = a very happy belly of mine. Bomber and I made a cairn with blue blazes (marking a place off the Appalachian Trail) for her driveway as a gift and I made a trifle for her since her 50th birthday is in just a few days. We all had a family dinner and laughed like crazy around the table. One of Susan's sons, Killian, took pictures of us and put them in the Fat Booth, which basically makes you look like you've gained 200 pounds. Haha Bomber's was the best!
The second day, Bomber and I had to drive to Hanover to pick up his car. We got a little lost on the way and then I saw a sign for fresh milk and excitedly made Bomber turn the car around. Doing the things that I want to do spontaneously is something that I have learned from the trail. Even just weeks ago I would have driven by the sign but now I'm doing a u-turn in the road to find fresh milk. Haha we never ended up finding the milk, but the hunt was fun :) At the end of the day, Mosey texted me and Bomber and I went to pick him up and whisk him away to Susan's for the night. I missed Mosey sooooo much! Susan made a scrumptious German meal for dinner and we all had a lovely evening full of smiles and talking. I fell asleep late and slept well. Tomorrow I go to Hanover to get ready to meet Ryan. Yay!!!

Day 56- Zealand Falls Hut to Crawford Notch. 8 miles.

Today was a ridiculous whirl of craziness! The day started with us doing a skit during breakfast. The theme chosen was Star Wars. Here's a funny and slightly embarrassing fact about me: I haven't seen Star Wars. I was given the role of Chewbacca and Hans Solo. Haha everyone was trying to teach me how to make a Chewbacca noise in the kitchen and then I went outside to practice. My first few attempts were just hilarious. I sounded like a dying bull. After a little while I figured it out and it actually wasn't too bad! We performed the skit teaching guests to fold their blankets, pack out their trash, and tip the crew and I made a Chewbacca noise at least 4 times. Priceless. We were presented with a hot breakfast and coffee for our efforts and I ate it happily. The hike today was really easy and I was so grateful for the flat trail. We did the 8 miles in a little over 3 hours and then we had to hitch to a trail angel's house where we have been invited to stay for the night. The first hitch we got was from a German couple and they took us about 5 miles down the road. We then got a hitch by a couple from Quebec and they drove us another 5 miles to a gas station. I grabbed a burger and a Gatorade at the gas station and while I was eating my burger an older woman walked up and started talking to us. She said she'd give us a ride to where we needed to go, but she had to run an errand about 10 minutes up the road first. We agreed and hopped in (because our remaining hitch was 16 miles south) and this is where it gets really crazy. Her destination was actually 17 north of the gas station, taking us over 30 miles away from Susan's house. She didn't quite know where she was going, so we had to pull out our GPS and give her directions. We ended up at a carnival where we did some campaign work for her. We were running around the carnival trying to figure out where to put some signs for about 30 minutes. We finally ended up at Susan's house after about 2 hours and I was so thankful to have a shower, laundry, and a warm home available to me. Bomber and I were greeted by her kids and I felt immediately relaxed and at home. Susan got home shortly after from work and whipped up a delicious dinner of beef stroganoff (I need that recipe!). It was so amazing to have a home cooked meal. Susan then took us to a hot tub and I got to relax in it while enjoying a beautiful view of the Kinsman Ridge with the night sky above it. I was in heaven all evening long and curled up happily in a bunk bed hugging 3 pillows at the end of this crazy, wonderful day.

Day 55- Mt. Garfield to Zealand Falls Hut. 10 miles.

This morning I woke up really early at 5 a.m. and I would usually just look at my watch and go back to sleep, but this morning I made myself wake up and crawl out of my tent. I have wanted to see a beautiful sunrise since I've been out here and I definitely got my wish. I sat out just watching the sun rise for over and hour- it was the most beautiful sunrise of my life. Bomber and I then packed up and headed out for the day. My knees have been bothering me a lot again, so I was pretty slow, but we nonetheless ended up making our way down the trail. My slow pace made us embrace the lazy hiking day, so Bomber put on some music and I sang and wiggled (my form of dancing while walking) while walking. We also played some memory games to occupy our minds for a bit. I saw a really pretty rocky area on a ridge where a northbounder, Mud, was taking a break and we joined him. Just moments after sitting down two hikers came up to us and asked if we were thru hikers. We responded that we were and they said they had a proposition for us. Turns out, they were hut crew at Zealand Falls Hut, where we were headed for the night. One of their crew members had to leave for the night and they needed some extra hands to help out. They interviewed us and said a PBR was at stake and we hopped on board. They told us that we'd have a lot of extra work to do, but they would give us fresh, hot food in return. Mmmmm hot pancakes and bacon. Oh yes we agreed! Bomber and I arrived at Zealand Falls around 5 and joined the crew for dinner preparation. We washed dishes for most of the evening and were introduced to the guests. Later on, we sat with the guests and got to answer a lot of questions that they had about thru hiking. The day wound down to it pouring rain outside. I was so happy to be inside and snuggled up in my sleeping bag.

Day 54- Franconia Notch to Garfield Mountain. 10 miles.

Hmmm....maybe eating too many good foods threw my stomach off because I woke up multiple times in the night with my stomach just twisting in pain. I managed to sleep some, but still didn't feel too perky in the morning. Nevertheless, we caught a shuttle from Chet's to the trailhead and I just started hiking up a mountain. Most of the day was a climb and I was rewarded with absolutely beautiful views. The weather was amazing again and the view from the top of Mt. Lafayette was especially gorgeous. At the end up the day, we sat up on top of Mt. Garfield and watched the sun set. This was the most beautiful view of my life. I was about 5,000 ft up, able to see everything in every direction and just watched the sun set. I can't even describe how magnificent it was- I would not be able to do it justice. The night is a windy night with the tent flapping loudly against the sides, but I'm so tired that I'm willing to bet that I'll fall asleep quickly.

Day 53- hitch to Franconia Notch

Bomber was freezing his tush off again last night and I couldn't bear to see him shivering and not be able to help, so I suggested that we hitch to Franconia Notch to pick up his sleeping bag (his mother had mailed it there) and then hike north to where we are. He accepted my suggestion and we set off for Franconia Notch. The hitch was a tricky one because we had to travel 26 miles and were in a very touristy area. The locals that know that we're thru-hikers will pick us up, but it's not very likely for anyone out-of-state to pick hikers up. It took us over a half an hour to get picked up, but we ended up being driven by a really cool man. He drove us all the way to our destination and pointed out mountains and told us about the history and wildlife of the area. We hopped out at the Franconia Visitors Center and picked up his package. I grabbed a bag of chips- I'd been talking about chips all day (which I normally don't even like)- and they were gone within a minute. The woman who gave us the package, Susan, is a trail angel and said she would love to have us stay at her house when we got back to Crawford Notch in a few days (the section we have to hike north). We graciously took her phone number and said we'd love to. At the Visitor's Center we went to see the flume and then watched a movie about the history of the area. We told Susan that we were going to Chet's place for the night and she said she was just about to go on her lunch break and had always wanted to meet him, so she drove us there. Chet's place is at Chet's home and he has a few bunks and beds for thru-hikers to sleep on. Chet has a really amazing story and spends part of his life giving to hikers. We all met Chet and passed his thru hiker quiz and were given a work-for-stay for the night. I swept the house and Bomber vacuumed. I was starving for lunch, so Bomber and I went and found a little cafe to grab some food out. Turns out, the Gypsy Cafe had the best food I've eaten on the trail. Bomber treated me to Moroccan-style calamari and peanut noodles with shrimp. I never wanted to leave that cafe. We grabbed an icecream cone to top of the most amazing meal ever and I ate it happily while walking back to Chet's. We hung out there for a bit and talked to Chet and other hikers. I even got to read some of my book ("On the Road" by Kerouac). Later in the evening, we walked back down to Main Street and came upon a candy store named "Chutter's". I squealed when I saw it and immediately headed for the door. Apparently this candy store in the Guiness Book of World Records and the tons of jars full of candy definitely impressed me. I grabbed a bunch of gummies for a trail snack and once again walked happily back to Chet's. A pizza party was thrown for Bomber because he helped a SOBO out who has giardia and so I got to chow down on that for dinner. My belly hasn't been so happy in such a long time. I've even managed to gain a pound with all the free hut food this week. To make the day even better, Faith and Old School showed up at Chet's! I was so happy to see them! All in all, today was completely awesome. Tomorrow I'll be hiking north for roughly 30 miles. It's going to feel so weird to hike the opposite direction!

Day 52- Lakes of the Clouds Hut to Crawford Notch. 11.2 miles

For the first 5 miles today I got to hike along the ridge line in the Presidential Range. The weather was perfect and warm- another rare day in the Whites. I just strolled along and every time I looked up I was completely amazed. It's really amazing to be able to see for miles and miles and also be able to see where I've come from and where I'm going. Bomber and I talked the whole way about all sorts of random things and he had me laughing pretty much the whole day. We stopped in at Mizpah Hut around 11 a.m. and washed some dishes for leftover lasagne in return. It was full of veggies and absolutely delicious! I have been enjoying eating all of the fresh fruits and vegetables at the huts- I'm sure my body is very happy with me. The end of the hike today was really rough on me, though. We had a steep 2,500 ft. descent and my knees are still really messed up. I'm pretty sure I have tendinitis in them, as they haven't really healed since the 100 mile wilderness, but I'm almost done with the crazy mountains for a while and that'll give them a better chance to heal. Once we got to the bottom there was a sign for trail magic :) Two past thru-hikers had set up a nice area in a parking lot and gave me an apple, a mountain dew, a good chair to sit in, and lovely conversation. I told them that I was itching for a shower and they directed me to a coin operated one at The Highland Center and Lodge. When I got there I was informed that it closed at 5. I must've made a really sad face because the guy behind the front desk handed me a towel and told me to just go upstairs and use the guest showers. There was even soap and shampoo in the showers! It felt so good after the rough descent. I left the lodge feeling refreshed and Bomber and I went to find a stealth site near the trail. We ended up camping near a river and we made a nice dinner of Mac-&-cheese with tuna. For dessert we had gummies :) I'm exhausted tonight and am so happy to be clean and full. Also, I am finished with the Presidential Range!