Pinkham Notch, NH to Monson, ME

Day 3, Saturday, June 24

Imp Campsite to “The Barn”, Gorham, NH, 8.0 miles

It’s still raining at 5:30 AM when I first wake up. I roll over and go back to sleep. No hurry this morning since I only have 8 miles to town. I finally get up at 7 AM. “Coconut Monkey” is up and leaves at 7:20 AM. I pack up quickly and head out into the rain myself at 7:45 AM. The rain seems to stop a few minutes later, but everything is very wet, and the trail is flooded in places.

The first climbs of the morning aren’t too bad. Mt. Moriah is an open rock walk/climb and slick. The descent after Kenduskeag Trail is wet and slick. There are several tough blowdowns to negotiate. I slip and fall on my butt twice. The top part is especially slick. I run into Brenda Little from North Wilkesboro and Troy Bentley from Taylorsville again. I first ran into them two days ago near Mt. Adams on the way to Madison Hut. They’re hiking south to Pinkham trying to finish this stretch of the trail.

Finally hit the bottom and cross the river. I stop and take a break in the sun on the rocks in the middle of the river. Now just 2 miles of nice trail to Highway 2. I reach the road at 1:15 PM and start walking toward town. Someone stops to pick me up within a half-mile and drops me off in downtown Gorham across from the Libby House B&B where “The Barn” Hostel is located. “Coconut Monkey” is still there watching a movie.

I take a quick shower and put my clothes in the washer. In less than an hour I’m human again. “Coconut Monkey” and I watch the end of The Runaway Jury on TV, and he leaves to hike another eleven miles at 3 PM. I finish my laundry and walk across the street to the Subway for lunch.

At 5 PM a Russian girl comes out of the bed and breakfast part of the building and checks me into the hostel. So far I am the only hiker here.

Two Southbounders come in around 6:30 PM or 7 PM. They are from close by in Franklin, NH. They clean up and we all walk down the street to Mr. Pizza for dinner. I eat a whole sausage and mushroom pizza with a salad to boot. That ought to help my legs some.

These first miles have been tough. I don’t know if I am that out of shape or they are that difficult. The mosquitoes and gnats have been awful. I’ve spent as much time swatting at them as I have hiking.