2019-09-01 SU – How much one day can hold?

Day four summary: hike 8 miles from Trapper John shelter to Three Mile Road by 12:30 PM where bike was hidden. Ride bike for 35 miles and arrive to car by 6PM. Drive back to Boston for 138 miles.

I slept very well in the shelter under the tarp for extra warmth.

06:00 – wake with everyone in the shelter with someone’s alarm clock. Let’s do it!

07:07 – start the hike with lots of clothes on – it is still cold in the morning forest, but I feel great and full of energy.

07:37 Trail goes along the ledge with a couple significant viewpoints.

08:05 cross forgotten Tyler Hill Road that still appears on some maps. Most likely, no one drove here for several years.

08:33 – completed first 2.9 miles today and reached Goose Pond Rd. Shed warm clothes. My British companion from the shelter passed me by as I made an extended stop here. My average speed so far – 2.2 mph. Next goal 3.1 miles away – Moose Mtn. shelter. Plan drawn in Excel named this shelter as my next camp for the day, buy now I am planning to go all the way to the bike and bike all the way to the car. Let’s see if it is feasible.

08:52 – ready to start last climb – North and South peaks – about 2,300′

Hour and a half of tough going. I am encountering plenty of North-bound hikers of all ages. It is Sunday, September 1, 2019.

10:28 – entering shelter protection area

10:36 – 11:14 stop at the shelter. Water with Grape Nuts. There is a sticker – Bear in the Area! Very emphatic. Talk to an elder hiker from Georgia – he has a massive stick with all kinds of supplies inside the stick. He gave me Fix Newton(s) and biscuits for nourishment. Very nice – Thank you! This shelter has a bench installed with a potential for a view in winter, may be.

11:42 I am at Moose Mtn – South Peak (about 2,300′). Good sunny spot with several hiker families basking on the sun

12:18 I reached the bike and Three Mile Road. Total miles hiking today – 8.5.

Talk to couple of guys who picked exotic fungus and mushroom from ground and from trees. They know the poisonous and medicinal properties of chaga – mushroom that grows on birch trees.

13:15 bike is ready, backpack is strapped. Begin 35 miles ride towards the car.

14:01-14:39 I’ve reached Post Pond in Lyme, NH. 9 miles completed, 25 more to go according to Google. Forecast predicts no rain till 8-9 PM today. This might be my last swim of the season.

15:54 – 16:10 – ice cream stop at Piermont – an intersection of routes 25 and 25C ($1.59 cash). Completed 21 miles and 13 more to go. Plan to take 25C to a small connecting road – Lily Pond Rd and then emerge on route 25 for the last stretch. What if this a really hilly road?

For the last 13.68 miles I would climb from 600′ to over 1200′ on the connector road, then sharp drop to 800′ and the very last miles again climb back up to over 1,100′ at Olverian Notch. And all this with an average speed on 7 mph.

17:30 I gain some elevation and now I was dropping down from a side road into route 25 with a great speed. Now only 6 miles remains. Can I make it?

Last several mile I knew exactly how far is destination as I took a picture of mile maker at the car. My speed was only 8 miles a minute and it looked as I was going on a flat road, but later I saw my elevation profile – I was going up entire last section on route 25.

18:01-18:22 At the car! Car trip odometer shows 167.7 miles. Last drops of energy spent. It is getting colder and windier.   There is no signal here, but I would just use GPS in the car.

Driving toward Walmart with its fruits. They are open till 10 PM even on Sunday. Amazing!

18:57 – 19:42 At a Subway inside Walmart I used contactless card for the first time ever – $10.16. At Walmart I bought watermelon, honey dew, garlic, pears, plums and raspberry. I need finger fruits for a long drive home.

21:48 – arrive home (trip odometer 307.5 miles, +18°C) in a reasonable hour so we even had time to eat supper and watch Frosty Affair on Prime.

The END