Notes From the Flipside: Siesta at the Hikers Welcome Hostel

Is there anything in this world better than three free bowls of ice cream? No, I say, and I say it with a certainty that cannot be matched.

The Hikers Welcome Hostel is right on the southside of the Whites. I'm sprawled out in the friendly main room of the hostel, charging my phone and working on my third bowl of free ice cream. Soon as the phone is charged I'm hitting the trail again, but this trail...

...oh sweet Appalachia, Goddess of the Trail, thank you for this amazing trail!

Coming down out of the Whites this morning Cold Beer and I started leveling out and suddenly, with a beautiful and lovely shock, I realized we were walking along flat ground. Not only was it flat, it was mostly without rocks, mostly without roots, and mostly dry.

Great jumped up baked beans on toast, I didn't even know what to say. My jaw dropped open. Tears welled up in my eyes. My knees lept off my legs and flew around my head, singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "The Messiah".

I grabbed my knees, stuck them back on my legs, and cartwheeled down the rest of the trail into "town". (a hostel, a post office, and some houses).

Don't get me wrong. The last three weeks have been nothing but absolutely amazing views. I think my pictures and posts speak for themselves. I'm sad to see these rugged mountains vanish behind me. It is going to be a long, long while till we peak out at another 4,000. (We did our last one this morning and looked out over Franconia Ridge and Mt. Washington behind it in the morning mist).

That being said, it's time to start banging out some significant miles. I want to do at least three twenty mile days this week, and eventually work up to twenties seven days out of seven.

Side Note: I found another straw hat in the hiker box here. (Mine blew off my pack during my epic night hike up to Mt. Washington)  It is quite snazy and I cut a dashing figure in it. I'll post a pic soon.

Time to check the charge on my phone and use a flushing toilet before getting back on the trail.

Mom, Dad, and Rach, I'm looking at Hanover in three or four days. Two solid days of rain delayed me a bit coming out of Lincoln.

--Happy Trails!

Pawn