Total Miles: 334.2
I was kept up a good portion of the night by shooting pains throughout my legs that would not let up for anything. Any way I tried to move was painful. I still woke up feeling much better than I did starting out yesterday, but I also slept in until about 6:30. The hike today started out great. It was about 2.5 miles to the top of Mount Madison, where it quickly entered the alpine zone and went above tree line. From there, it was all rocks and boulders for the rest of the day. This would become old quick and was a little tough to deal with for almost 10 miles. I stopped for lunch at the Madison Spring Hut. There were a father and son stopped for a break as well, so I talked to them for a little bit. They offered me a homemade strawberry oat bar, which I gladly accepted. It was pretty delicious. I continued on, making slow progress for the rest of the day. I took the best fall of all today, and I was so glad no one was there to witness it. I somehow fell forward, but on my side. My left arm was extended behind me but pinned under my pack, so I couldn't wiggle it free. I was just laying across the trail, completely stuck until I could roll enough to be able to push myself up with my right arm. I felt ridiculous and just sat on the trail for a minute while I recovered. I still don't understand how I haven't broken anything yet. The trail today skirted around some of the climbs, including Mount Adams, Jefferson and Clay. I'm glad the trail here is different from Maine in that aspect. If there was a mountain in sight in Maine, it was almost a guarantee that you would be going over the summit. The trail didn't skip Mount Washington, however. I somehow ended up taking the wrong trail, which brought me around the mountain instead of over. I had to backtrack and find my way back up to the right trail, which took too long since I was already grouchy, and it was getting later in the day. I could also feel some blisters forming on the arches of my feet from all the fun (sarcasm) climbing on rocks. I eventually made it to the summit, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed to the hut. I was lucky enough to get Work For Stay here, and I was genuinely surprised considering how late I was getting in. The whole hut system reminds me of a bizarre summer camp, but meant for adults and kids. There are set meal times and menus, lights out time, quiet time, and a morning wake up. It's all just odd to me, including the fact that people pay so much to not have a shower and sleep on a bunk bed. I definitely don't mind staying for free, even if it means I have to clean out the fridge. I'm hoping tomorrow will offer some of the same unmatched and breathtaking views that I had today. The only problem is that it takes so long for me to hike when I want to take pictures of everything!
The start of the Presidential Range
A few years ago I was on this train taking pictures of people hiking up. It was surreal to have a complete role reversal today.
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