Notes from Hanover: City of the Studiously Beautiful

If you've been following along on the google map, you will be happy to learn that I have finally updated it to reflect the last couple of weeks.

As for my current location-I'm in the Hanover public library! Rather, I'm in one of them. That's right kids, this is a double library town, my favorite kind. It makes sense-Hanover is home to Dartmouth College. You'll be happy to know that there actually IS expensive looking ivy growing on things: walls, buildings, stately stone domiciles. I sure was!

Boy howdy, the people here sure are pretty and sweet smell'n. The studious looking fellow at the computer next to me keeps going "hmmmm" in a thoughtful way. No doubt he's contemplating how to invest his inheritance after he graduates with a degree in comparitive African Socio-Politics. Should he buy a yacht or travel through Europe for a while? Hmmmmm...

The trail has continued meandering along through southern New Hampshire in a pleasant fashion. Today I wound back and forth along low, smooth hills. I walked through a field of blackberries and ate and ate and ate. I scrambled around low, ancient looking stone walls all covered in moss and ferns, the occasional piece of quartz glaring out from the native granite like an angry, clouded eye.

And I've been hiking solo for a few days now. Patches and Cold Beer are somewhere between fifteen and ten miles behind me, Six String was ahead of me until last night when I finally caught up to him. I rocked out a nineteen mile day on the seventh and a twenty one mile day yesterday, breaking my records for longest miles in a single day and longest distance covered in two days.

Maine and New Hampshire were a crucible: I've been heated, beaten, battered, and rained upon. Now I'm feeling incredibly strong: I walked twelve miles into Hanover today before eleven thirty. Probably could have done a thirty mile day if I really pushed it.

And the best part? Northbounders are asking ME questions for a change. "How are the Whites? Is Maine hard? Did you see any Moose? How do you stay so good looking while hiking?"

Hard.
Yes.
Two.
It comes naturally. Don't beat yourself up.

So that's the fast and dirty update. I've been writing down a few more thoughtful pieces in my paper journal, I'll probably post one tomorrow before I leave town. One good thing about Hanover: There is a whole list of people willing to let you stay at their house for free. I also got a free slice of pizza at the local pizzaria, a treat that I enjoyed while watching three college dudes try to impress the one girl who was with them, mostly by trying to talk louder than one another.

Ah, to be 18 again.

Hap Hap Happy Trails Ya'll.

--Pawn