Into the White Mountains, NH

Thur 7 July Day 119
I slept in until 7am which was great. English muffins and French vanilla coffee started the day well.

I had left my sunglasses at Sandy Point but we ended up going there so I was able to pick them up on the way out of town.

Just over an hour later Earl Grey and Mary dropped me in Glencliff, NH at the Hikers Welcome Hostel. I have been sitting here for a couple of hours and have decided to move on to the next shelter which is only a mile away. I'm just waiting on the post office to open to check for any packages.

So technically I will enter The Whites this afternoon. Let the big climbs begin :) Mt Moosilauke and hopefully South Kinsman tomorrow!

Fri 8 July Day 120
I stayed at Jeffers Brook Shelter the night and headed out early (6am) to tackle Moosilauke. It was a nice climb up the hill and on top was just like being in the mountains at home. It was a bit windy and visibility wasn't great but I could see some of the eastern ranges but not the presidentials.

The trip down followed Beaver Brook which was nice although some parts were a bit dodgy. Steep rocks with missing steps made for some interesting decisions.

At Route 112 there was a parking lot where some day hikers got talking to me then offered up some trail magic - blueberries, carrots, green tea, water, cheese and to top it off, a beer at 1.15am. Magic!

Things basically went downhill from here. I thought I was going to be able to make Kinsman Pond Shelter, but the last mile and a half my leg started screaming at me - so I stopped at Eliza Brook Shelter. I was gutted that I could carry on as I felt good, but my dumb leg just didn't want to play ball.

Sat 9 July Day 121
Up a little later as I had a terrible sleep - I woke every hour for some reason (probably this bug I have come down with). I set out over the Kinsmans. La La (another hiker) carried my pack up South Kinsman as my leg didn't want to be hiking.

I pushed on slowly down North Kinsman to Lonesome Lake Hut where I thought I would get some help - instead a guy said that I would be able to hike through to Liberty Springs!! I could barely walk up the stairs! I waited in the hut for about an hour and noticed a guy leaving - I asked if he was going to Lincoln and would he be able to drop me there.

Mike and his family are lovely people. He carried my pack the rest of the way and I walked out with Karen and Jen (thanks so much to you all).

We found Chet's house in Lincoln - he takes in hikers for donation and I basically found a bed and lay in it for the rest of the day.

I must have some kind of bug too as I feel terrible. We organized for me to get a massage tomorrow morning too - yay.

Sun 10 July day 122
I tossed and turned last night and my leg just ached so getting up was hard. But I had the massage at 9 so had to be up and about.

The massage was awesome. 90min for $70 and she found all the sore points. Unfortunately though there isn't a magic answer to fixing injuries so I'm still sore.

I slept for the rest if the day in-between reading Earl Shaeffer's book Walking With Spring.

Lots of hikers turned up late today and so there wasn't much room - they all had to sleep on the floor.

Mon 11 July Day 123
Last nights sleep was again dismal - it was like a sauna and I woke so dehydrated. I did feel a little better but the leg is still sore. Mary called and offered to pick me up so I appreciatively took her up on the offer.

I walked to the supermarket which was just around the corner and bought fruit, a smoothie and some yoghurts. I felt exhausted by the time I got there and. Sat outside eating the fruit to have a rest before heading back. I started feeling ill so went into the store to find a toilet but then realized I was going to pass out so knelt down (right outside the supermarket) before I fell down. It was a little embarrassing.

Some people came and offered help and the store manager gave me water and coke then offered to drive me back. Not a great start to getting better.

So I must have a bug of some sort or just be totally exhausted. In any case my leg won't stand the climbs of The Whites so I am going to have to come up with a different plan for finishing.

I'm gutted it hasn't gone as planned but I don't want to permanently damage something, especially as I have Nepal on the 'to do' list when I get home.

I will hang out at Mary's until Thurs then continue on, hopefully I will be in a better state by then.

- posted by enzed :)