Maine!!!

Finally here! And my favorite so far!

Seasons

One of the coolest things about being out here as long as I have is experiencing seasonal change first hand! The leaves are changing now, and the temperatures are cooling, quite a contrast from the bugs, bird calls, and blistering heat of summer or the leafless, song less, moderate climate of spring.

Here are a few photos of early fall colors. That's my friend Bo filtering water, and me playing in the waterfall!

Black holes

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....

Mt. Washington

Climbing Washington was cool. We had perfect weather, and therefore, were very sunburned by the end of the 12mile ridge-walk we did over this big guy! It was breezy, sunny, and rocky: a tough day of exposed boulder climbing, but as I stood in line to take a picture with the summit sign, i couldn't help but think "man, I'm so glad all these tourists drove up here to tell me I'm awesome!"

Beginning to think about reintegration

With 320 miles to go I'm starting to think about life after the trail. Even though I still can't be bothered to look for a job or a living situation (or location for that matter), I'm beginning to take small steps toward being 'civilized' again. I'm staying with some couch surfers in North Conway, NH who have helped me FINALLY cut this plastic croc piece out of my ear! For those if you who watched the video of me foolishly jamming that locking plastic annoyance into my ear, IT HAS FOUND A FINAL RESTING PLACE in a garbage bin in North Conway! Now I can make some cuter gages for wear in the 'real' world.

I also shaved my legs and armpits for the first time since late March! This feeling of clean is so wonderful, SO wonderful! I'm beginning to feel like a real girl again!

Being sick + hiking =

I caught a cold in Hanover, NH and after days and days of trying to 'hike it off' I'm holed up in Lincoln, NH. We've been hanging out in this guy named Chet's garage, watching the rain (and Dr. Who on my phone) and cursing this fever. There are a bunch of hikers here, some staying a few hours, some staying an undetermined number of nights!