2019-08-29 TH – let the fourth voyage of AT to begin

Day one summary: drive from Boston to Tree Mile Road in Etna, NH (near Hanover, NH). Drop the bike, drive to the start of the journey – Oliverian Notch in Warren, NH on route 25 and hike 8 mile to first the campsite – Ore Hill.  Shelter was burned down in 2011.

04:55 woke up, but it was too dark.  Went back to sleep.

06:35 wake up – this time for real.

07:44 – depart from Boston to drive 130 miles to Edna, NH.

09:51 – 131.3 miles – arrived to my hike ending point – Three Mile Road.

10:18 – hiding  bike and its implements in the woods

10:54 – 11:19 – 146.3 miles. I am at Oxford Community Field.  I am sitting in the shadow of the trees facing soccer field.  With a strike of 53 I am planning to begin breath and think for myself. I feel that my eternal 25 slowly turning into 52, and I am slowly maturing. I am taking a stop as I driving to hike starting point.   There are 20 more miles to go.  I resolved to write more about emotions, but there is nothing yet.  On this day (September 29) in 1942 my grandfather Alexander fallen in a battle of WWII. This was 77 years ago.

There is a signal here in the valley, and answered a client with a request for status update.  Everything is under control.  My current client is quite.  No one is needed me at this point.  No emergencies.

11:48 – about 4 miles before the destination, exploring the point on the road where it will be an opportunity to make a turn and bike on a narrow gauge converted trail, not on the road.

12:05 – 167.7 miles.  21.5°C. Arrived to AT parking lot.  Last minute preparations.  In a few days I would need to bike (167.7 – 131.3 = ) 36.4 miles to return here with my backpack.

12:37 – only now, literally at the last moment I am deleting tracks of my previous Maine AT trip.

12:45 ready to start the hike – start marching.  Sings show it will be a pond 2.3 miles away and another road in 4.9 miles.  My camp spot is over 7 miles away.

13:22 passing a sign on the ground made from sticks – 400 – apparently indicating 400 miles to the end of the trail on top Katahdin in Maine.

13:55 side trails for the Wachipauka Pond down and former AT trail up towards high voltage lines.  Large group of students here is on the move. They just completed the swim and ready to continue northwards.

14:07 There is a first aerial view just a few steps of the trail.  It is unclear which way the view opening up to.

14:29 – 14:40 almost on top of Mount Mist.  Chewing on trial mix.  Sitting directly on the ground – it is a good sign. 

15:25 – completed first 5 miles in under 2 hours.  I am on next road – route 25C.  High voltage lines are crossing here and there is sparing local traffic.  Sun is very hot here outside of the forest.  Summer is still in a full swing.

15:56 I am at the Ore Hill.  It is hot. I just looked at the market.  I am loosing and there is no good reason why. I need to free myself from the chains of trading. Weather forecast is showing it will be clear tonight and temperature will drop to 12°C (or 54°F). Good.

16:33 – small pond with an abandoned backpack.  Where did the owner go?

17:05 entering shelter protection area of 0.25 miles

17:11 Ore Hill side trail.  There is one hiker here.

18:04 Last pictures of the day – camp fire is going.  Lonely hiker from Pennsylvania is moving to Main via Appalachian Trail with all his worldly possessions with him. We shared my meal as it was too much food for me. By the way, there is no water here at the camp. 

Go to sleep around 19:30. Hammock half hanging, half on the ground. There is no more pictures or memories on that day.  I was too tired to write.

Good first day.