So every now and again we walk through an area we seem to just be unable to leave. I'm not talking about taking a zero day (or multiple), falling in love with a place, or getting lost somewhere. I'm talking about places that you hike away from but find yourself in at the end of the day anyway! Pearisburg, VA was this way: you hike until you hit a road (but don't worry, if you don't get a hitch you can try again from the next 3 road crossings). If walking through a few peoples yards (on trail), a cemetery, or along the interstate for half a mile wasn't enough to make you feel like you'll never get out of town, traversing the local industrial plant's property 3 times only to find yourself back at the interstate a few yards from where you left it 1-2 miles of hiking ago...
Another black hole exists around Mt. Washington. Because you essentially walk a giant circle around this monster, you have it in yours sights for a few days before you climb it, and almost a week after you descend it! I lined up three couch surfers for us in this time, and we made so many circles hitch-hiking to meet them all that we actually crossed the same intersection three times from each of the three highways that intersect there. No joke, the same guy picked us up on two different occasions, and was super confused; two which we replied "this area us like a black hole, what can we say?"
And the whole time you have Maine on the brain. It's like you can smell that sweet Maine air on the wind from only a few air miles away, but you just keep circling Washington....
