New Hampshire

I moved to New Hampshire in February 2011. I sort of always knew I would end up here when Jen and I got together.  After hiking The Whites in 08, I expanded my very small horizons.  I had never really been that far out of NC.  So here I am in New Hampshire with all of these fun places to go. It is much more different than I thought it would be.  The scenery down south is great and amazing and I miss it. The mountains and the woods are totally different. The one thing that always amazes me about NH is the way the forest changes as you climb.  The different species of plants and mosses that are across these mountains are unlike anything else in the world. The dirt is different. I live in the center of the state and have had the privilege of doing some traveling in and around New England and I really appreciate the beauty up here.  With that said, we have to protect it.  The main thing that people can do everyday is pick up trash. If you see a wrapper that someone dropped, or whatever, pick it up. With the amounts of people on the ridges and open summits, there was quite a bit of trash scattered across the trail. If you see something, just pick it up and pack it out. Keep the streams clean.  I do not really choose to filter water, especially in the alpine elevations.  I let the moss do the filtering. I do carry Aqua Mira because as precaution, but I have been carrying the same drops for the past 2 years and am probably due for a change out.

So my calves still ache from the hike and the map is out for this weekend. I think I am going to get on a 2 night quest for some of the 4000 Footers I need to complete the 48. I have a figure eight type hike, starting at the trailhead for Mt Hale, and do the side over Hale then take Ethan Pond Trail to the Pond or try to water up and camp somewhere in that area.  Next day will be over Wiley, Field, and Tom, then back to the hut and to the car, its all pretty flat.  I will still have one extra night left so I thought of driving to Haystack road and walking in later in the afternoon on the North Twin Trail and just camping at the bottom area along the river. The next morning I could head up North Twin and get a total of 5.  I have to be in the car by 2:00 at the latest.  I may try and catch a sunrise somewhere depending on weather.

Our summer plans are changing and it is looking like I can't do the Long Trail after all.  We are going to Jonesville, Vermont and will be hiking Mansfield to the border and will be out for about 8 days.