We planned on a 15 mile day, but ended up hiking 16 miles to Mountain Meadows Lodge. Turns out that Thundering Brook road crosses the trail twice and we had picked out the wrong one. What’s another mile when you are hiking 15 miles.   Today I was on stride. Felt good all day. Cooler weather and dry socks might have helped. Used some moleskin on some blisters from yesterday and feet did well. I went off trail twice. First, we lost the trail while leaving Winturi Shelter on the blue blaze. Using Guthook we bushwhacked back to the shelter trail. Not a good start. Next, I missed the trail when cruising the last half mile trail. Backtracked and Sheffy never missed me. Had fun climbing this trail ladder.   Stony Brook Shelter where we had a short lunch. I helped move this wedding trellis in return for a ride to the Deli store. Mountain Meadows Lodge: Hot showers, laundry, room, pizza delivery,  and breakfast. Thundering Brook Falls

The sun came out. Only 12 miles today, but they were tough. Hiked from Thistle Rock Shelter to Winturi Shelter. After 2 strenuous days, the sore muscles showed up on this shorter day. I also started getting blisters from the wet socks and steep descents. We are at Winturi Shelter. Piper showed up. Later after dark Shaker rolled in followed by Beast about 10 minutes later. Sheffield and I are tenting, rather I am tarping. A limb fell nearby last night. With better weather hopefully the limbs will stay on the trees tonight. Another salamander today. Winturi Shelter - I tarped outside the shelter.

We woke up to rain and packed quickly to hike into Hanover for breakfast and resupply. It was a wet 16 mile day from Velvet Rocks Shelter to Thistle Rock. Stopped  at Happy Hill Shelter for lunch where we met Beast, Shaker, and Woods Strider. Beast and Shaker were were with us for the night at Thistle Rock Shelter. Not much to report. Tough day. Sleeping in shelter tonight in order to dry out. Here is another salamander. They must love the rain. The trail leaves New Hampshire and enters Vermont on...

It was warm and humid and my shirt was soaked in sweat by the time I topped out on the first climb of 1200 ft. We had a few periods of rain. The trail became mostly easy but I was still worn out by the time I covered 15 miles. Here is where we ate lunch. Moose Mountain Shelter. We topped off water here but we were running low by the time we reached Ledyard spring, near Velvet Rock Shelter. Here is spring and sign. This salamander came out at night....