The Hancocks - #s 15 and 16

A few weeks ago, on May 8th, Chris and I went hiking.  Neither one of us had been hiking since October and we had planned this hike for a couple of weeks.  The forecast said rain showers, but we really had to hike. When we woke up to rain we did not hesitate.  Okay, maybe we hesitated a little.  But the point is, we still went hiking.  It probably was not one of my best decisions.

It was about 50 degrees when we left southern NH and headed toward the Whites to hike the North and South Peaks of Hancock Mountain.  By the time we got to the Kancamagus Highway it was pouring rain and ten degrees colder.  With rain jackets and determination, we set off on our 9.8 mile hike in "rain showers".  About 20 minutes into the hike, I was drenched.

Hiking is many things for me.  It is getting outdoors no matter what the weather.  It is spending time with people I care about.  It is a chance for me to clear my head and think.  It is an accomplishment when I make it to the top, and more importantly, the bottom, safe and sound.  While the weather was not ideal, my company was, which made the day absolutely perfect.

 

Day 313 - October 11th, Tom Field Willey 12 13 14

The day after Cannon I hiked three more mountains.  They are in the Crawford Notch range and I had never heard of them until I saw them on the map.  I was looking for a hike that would knock off a few peaks in a short amount of time and also remembered my brother, Wit, telling me about Willey and what a nice hike it was.  Well, here is my story:

The trailhead begins in Crawford Notch at the Crawford Hostel Parking lot just behind the depot.  The Avalon Trail begins here and connects to the A-Z trail.  There are only a few steep sections along the beginning of this route, but it was easy going for the most part.  The A-Z trail connects to the Mt. Tom Spur trail, a sharp right.  The summit of Mt. Tom is the end of this trail and you have to descend back to the A-Z trail.  The summit does not offer a great view because you are not above tree line, but there is a view.

View from the Mt. Tom Summit

I encountered a woman hiking alone coming down from Mt. Tom on my way up.  She was using those walking poles.  I wonder about those.  I wonder if they would help me to fall less or make me fall more...but I digress.

The next peak took me onto the Willey Range Trail to Mt. Field.  It was the easiest climb of the three peaks. 

View from the Mt. Field summit.

The descent from Field was very steep, which was very frustrating because I knew I would have to climb back up to get back home.  You see, this hike is not a loop.  I like loops.  Every time the trail dipped down again I would curse under my breath.  I met the walking pole lady coming down from the last peak, Mt. Willey, and she remarked that the summit was "anticlimactic".  Awesome.  Well, she was right, even though it turned out she never actually reached the summit.  I met her again on my way down and she was going back up.  She spoke to another hiker who made her realize she hadn't actually reached the top.  She said she would be kicking herself because it was her last of the 48.  Bummer. 

She was correct, though.  There was no real view to speak of.  Bummer that she had to hike it again and bummer that her last of the 48 had such a terrible view.

I did make friends with this bird, though.  This is taken with my 50mm lens.  She was close enough for me to touch her.  She kept coming back and getting closer.  It was a little spooky.  I was afraid she was going to start pecking me in the eyeballs!

Three more peaks bagged!  Woo hoo!

Day 312 - October 10th, 2011, Cannon Mountain

I missed another day and I didn't even realize it.  Looks like another 365 project in my future!  

I have been hiking a lot lately.  I don't like to make excuses, and really it is not a good one, but I think I take on too many projects.  On 10/10 I hiked Cannon Mountain.  This was another solo hike and 4000-footer #11.  The hike was short, but very steep.  It was Columbus Day weekend, so it was busy in Franconia Notch.  I got there early enough that I found a parking space, but when I came down off the mountain the place was a zoo!

This was one of my views on the way up the mountain.  I have no idea what these berries are, but they were just hanging out with the mountains behind them.

A ladder going up one of the rock faces.  Yes, it was this crooked, but also very stable.  Coming down was scary, but I took a photo with my camera doing that.

I beat book time by almost two hours.  It was extremely windy at the top, and very cold.  Had I been hiking with someone I may have spent a little more time at the top, but I ate lunch and headed right back down and went to work that night.  I was a little tired, but it was worth it!

Days 284 to 291 - One Singular Post for Eight Terrific Days

Day 284 - Fire Tower

Olivia and I hiked up Stratham Hill and climbed to fire tower to eat lunch.  After lunch we walked on the trails in the woods for 45 minutes.  Her statement at the end of the trip tells you how much fun we had, "Mommy, I never, ever want to go in the woods again."  Awesome.

Day 285 - Lasagna Night!

My kids actually enjoy lasagna.  I swear, they do!  They also eat salad.  I made "Sneaky Momma's Tomato Sauce" which has kale, carrots and spinach in it.  Shhh, don't tell.

Day 286 - I Don't Like Milk

But Cameron does!  Olivia pretends to like it, but she really hates it.

Day 287 - Cameron and Mommy

When Olivia was born, Cameron gave this statue to me as a gift to represent him and I and the bond we would always have no matter what.  OK, so he just gave it to me.  Not sure there was any meaning behind it for him, but for me, there was a whole lot of emotion.  About a year later he was playing ball in the house and broke the statue.  He was so sad.  When I came home from work he looked at me and burst into tears telling me he broke it.  We glued it, but ever since that day it became a ball magnet.  It finally broke beyond repair one day.  I bought myself a new one.  It still has the same meaning.

Day 288 - Ad Prep and Squishy Balls

One of the shifts I am scheduled occasionally is "Ad Prep".  Sounds way more exciting than it actually is.  You know all those little sale signs that hang off (or fall off) the edges of the shelves at Target?  Yeah?  Well, I get to sort them all by aisle number.  What's even better is that most of them do not have a location on them, so I scan them to find the location and hand write it.  It is monotonous, but it is hours, and I need hours.  Oh, I almost forgot about the squishy ball!  We have Halloween decorations out already.  So, I was having a rough morning and one of my co-workers brought this awesome maggot/bug/blood squishy ball for me to play with.  I need to get one for Cam and Olivia.  They would love it!

Day 289 - My First 5K

My very first 5K run was Saturday the 17th.  My brother ran with me.  I really hope you can tell the difference between the two legs... Wit's is the one with the goosebumps.  So I ran 6 times before this, and only one of those was a full run without stopping.  I was a bit nervous the day of the 5K.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to run the whole way.  But, I did and I finished in 27:09 which is an 8:45 minute mile.  I also got fastest finisher in my age group.  I realize that there were only 15 women in my age group, but still.  A great first 5K.

Day 290 - I Like My Hiking Boots

I really can't wait for the day that they look all battered and beat up.  That means they have done their job.  I hiked Flume and Liberty on Sunday the 18th.  It was a beautiful day and one of my favorite hikes to date.

Day 291 - Olivia and Mommy Day

Olivia and I spent the day in Portsmouth today.  I love Portsmouth.  I remember watching this same bridge go up and down when I was her age.  I love the excitement that something so simple brings to a child.  We spent some time in Prescott Park, walked to the toy store, shared a brownie at the coffee shop, walked around Market Square, played tag back at Prescott Park and ended our day at Lowe's in Greenland.  I know, it was hard to top the amazing day in Portsmouth, but Lowe's?  Come on!  Who doesn't love a trip to Lowe's? ;)

That's it.  Eight terrific days.

Day 269 - August 26th, 22 Miles in 2 Days

I was supposed to camp alone under the stars on the 24th.  That was my plan.  My family and friends thought I was crazy, but I was really looking forward to it.  After my 9+ mile hike in the rain, I came off the mountain and went to my favorite restaurant, The Woodstock Inn, Station and Brewery, for a bison burger (local) and a beer.  It has become a tradition after a hike in the Franconia Notch region to go to the Woodstock Station for a beer and some food.  It never disappoints!!

As I was leaving the restaurant the rain was coming down in sheets.  It was then that I decided I would not camp, but get a room at a hotel instead.  It was a good decision given the weather and the fact that I would be hiking another 11.2 miles the next day.  So I went from camping under the stars to a comfy queen-sized bed and a jacuzzi tub.  Talk about roughing it!

In the morning I was meeting Lee Anne, Lorienne and our new friend Rich to hike two more peaks in the Sandwich Range - Mount Whiteface and Mount Passaconaway.  Hiking solo has its rewards, but hiking with friends is the best!  We were on the trail for eight hours total and there was never a lack of conversation.  It is such a wonderful bonding experience.

Again, all these photos are taken with my silly little camera phone.  I should have brought the D90, but Rich had his D40 and took some great shots.  When he blogs about it I will post the link.  For now, you will have to suffer through mine.  We started up Blueberry Ledge Trail to the summit of Whiteface.  On our way up, Lorienne stopped to explain cloud formation or some other geeky science thing.  I learn so much on my hikes with her!  There were some awesome ledges and rock faces to climb.  It was my favorite part of the hike.  It was at the moment we were climbing a ledge that I announced to everyone my fear of heights.  I guess it isn't so much a fear anymore.  I have pretty much conquered it, but I do get little moments of it every once in a while.  There was a beautiful view at the summit and we sat and enjoyed each others company for longer than usual for us.  It helped that it was such a beautiful day!

Summit of Whiteface overlooking the Lakes Region of NH.  Beautiful!

We followed Rollins Trail to Dicey's Mill Trail and headed up to the summit of Mt. Passaconaway.  It was a very, very steep climb to the top.  Yes, we complained.  I am not going to pretend that we were happy and smiling the whole way up.  It was a tough climb, but we all made it and we were happy when we were at the peak.  After the steep section we found a ledge with a drop off.  I really do not enjoy heights, but I stepped out on the ledge with encouragement from Rich and snapped a photo with my phone. At the peak we met some other hikers and one hiking dog named Bear.  He was so cute.  Rich got a picture of him, so hopefully he will post it on his blog (hint, hint Rich ;) )  Bear is a Pit Bull.  The dog as a breed has a very poor reputation, but Bear was the sweetest dog I have met!  And he hikes.  He is perfect!


The summit of Passaconaway was not as spectacular as Whiteface, but it was decent.

The descent is always the hardest part of the hike.  The steep sections going up are tough and it is exhausting, but there is the reward of a view, or just the fact that you accomplished something, that makes the climb so wonderful.

"Every day you may make progress.  Every step may be fruitful.  Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path.  You know you will never get to the end of the journey, but this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."  Winston Churchill

Anyway, we complained on the way down too.  We were all pretty tired and it seemed like the path would never end.  I was on mile 21 and my body was still moving.  I was surprised, but proud of myself.  It was a wonderful day.  I bonded with my girlfriends and got to know a lot more about my friend Rich, all of which I liked.  I am looking forward to our next adventure together!

Day 268 - August 25th - Solo

A couple of weeks ago I hiked the Tripyramids.  My second solo hike. The hike was 9.6 miles and it rained the whole time.  The great thing about hiking the Tris in the rain is that there isn't a view at the peak, so I didn't miss out on anything at all!

I should probably also tell you that I worked from 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. the day before, slept for 45 minutes and then drove to the trail head AND I was planning a two day hike.  Tripyramids for 9.6 miles the first day and Whiteface and Passaconaway for 11.2 miles the next day.

I did not take my D90 on this trip.  All the photos are taken with my silly little camera phone.  The Tripyramids are usually hiked on the Tripyramid Trail going up the North Slide and down the South Slide.  This trail is difficult in good weather conditions.  I decided that I would not chance it and chose to hike the Pine Bend Brook Trail off of the Kancamagus Highway.  I'm glad I did.

The first couple miles of the hike followed these beautiful babbling brooks.  The sound of the water was so calming and peaceful.  The trail crossed the brooks multiple times, but the water was low and the rocks were dry.  When I entered the Sandwich Wilderness there was a sign that cautioned that the trail would be difficult, steep, unmarked and potentially hard to follow.  They were not joking!  But once I got past the steep part it was a great rainy day hike.

I reached this crossroads in the path and sat down on a rock to have a snack.  I just happened to take my map out so I could check how many miles I had left and I realized I was at the peak of North Tripyramid.  Yup, the peak is a fork in the trail.  Good thing I took out the map or I never would have known!

There were points along the hike where I was feeling pretty tired.  But every time I came across a scene like the one below I would be renewed!  Something about seeing a sign makes me really really happy when I am hiking :)

And the beautiful summit of Middle Tripyramid.  Wow! :)  It was an awesome adventure.  I enjoy my solo hikes.  I love being alone in the woods for hours.  I am a little bit scared at first, but once I am lost in the rhythm of my steps and the sounds of the woods, nothing else matters.  The sense of accomplishment I feel at the end is a nice reward!

Day 249 - August 6th, Three Peaks

Before I left for Wanakee, I went on the most awesome hike with my two dear friends, Lorienne and Lee.  We hiked Little Haystack, Lincoln and Lafayette.  Three peaks, two of which were 4,000-footers.  Little Haystack is technically above 4,000 feet, but it does not drop in elevation enough between peaks to be considered a 4,000-footer.  In case you were wondering? ;)

We went up Falling Waters Trail.  There were some beautiful waterfalls along the way.  I didn't want to hold the girls up from hiking, so I didn't spend any time taking photos.  I plan to return by myself, only to take photos.  I will bring my tripod!

Lorienne might have been getting quite tired of me taking photos of her, but she had the white and red and it just made for a great shot!  Plus, this cool bug landed on her during lunch.  Of course I just took a photo of it instead of getting it off of her.  I am such a nice friend :)

We met this group of nutty guys on our way up to Little Haystack.  They were on their way down talking very loudly.  They brought us into the conversation somehow and stopped to chat.  They asked where we were from and after hearing "NH" one replied, "You disguise it well, I would never have guessed."  They did not have to tell us they were from Massachusetts!

My favorite thing about hiking is the people you meet.  People are so friendly when they are out in the fresh air.  We ended up at each peak with these two guys who were taking photos with Nikons and I was pretty excited!  When I asked Rich to take a picture with my camera I was pretty psyched when he knew how to use it in manual mode.  It is the first time someone besides me has taken a photo and knew how to use my camera.

And finally, the classic hiking book with mountains in the distance shot.

Day 217 - July 5th, Moosilauke

On Tuesday I hiked and reached the summit of my first NH Four.  It is the first of 48 mountains in NH over an elevation of 4,000 feet that I have hiked, in an effort to complete them all.  My two dear friends, Lorienne and Lee joined me on the hike.  It is going to be such a great bonding experience for the three of us and I look forward to our journey together.

This first photo was not taken by me.  It was taken by another hiker who also happened to be a ham radio enthusiast.  He and his hiking companion, who was 75 years old, told us a bunch of stories about the mountain.  Hiking is a great way to meet some pretty wonderful people.

I did, however, take these photos.  This is us at the trail head before we started hiking.  We had such a blast.  We chatted about just about everything.  We realized how out of shape we are.  We realized how much we absolutely love hiking.  I realized how much I love these girls!!