Jeffers Brook shelter to Eliza Brook shelter
I woke at 5am and started hiking at 6am. Soon on I took a wrong turn and ended up in a small cemetery but found the trail shortly after.
After a couple of hour’s climbing I was standing on top of the first 4000 footer in the White mountains. The mountains name Moosilauke.
I spoke with a couple who arrived from the north a few minutes after me. The guy had a 90’s skateboard styled tattoo on his left arm. We said goodbye after chatting a while.
Coming down the north side of Mt Moosilauka towards Kinsman notch was treacherous, rain had fallen last night and the rocks were really slippery. I managed to stay on my feet for the most part.
Once at Kinmans notch I hitched a ride to a nearby town named Lincoln. Rick kindly offered to wait for me till I finished my resupply in the grocery store.
During the drive into Lincoln Rick told me he was supporting his son (trail name Cy) who was 29 and a financial software hacker. Rich would work out where Cy would finish each day then collect him in the car, go eat a meal. drive to a hotel/motel sleep and then after coffee from Dunking Donuts the next morning drop Cy back off on the trail.
I told Rick in 2012 I went to Australia with my father and had unforgettable 6 weeks. But part of me did think Cy would miss out on some social aspects of the trail plus the feeling of independence an experience like this can bring would be missed also.
My resupply went well, I spent $70 for 5 days of food plus some nail clippers, for some reason my nails seem to be growing a lot faster then when in England. I brought pasta sides, Vermont cheese, a whole salami, M+M’s, trail mix, oats, tuna, pop tarts and I think that’s it… oh and hot chocolate.
On the return to the trail we approached McDonald’s, I asked Rick if he wouldn’t mind stopping so I could buy a coffee. Once Inside I decided a double cheese burger, small fries and an ice coffee had been earned.
Saying goodbye to Rick I got back on trail and hiked for a few hours until I reached the Eliza Brook shelter. Three guys were sitting talking, I dropped my bag unlaced my shoes and joined in the conversation whilst preparing my evening meal.
It’s now raining, Slim Shady (one of the three guys) went to his tent to sleep so it’s only three of us in an eight man shelter. Roomy enough to spread out.
I heard Scott Jurek is on day five of a South bound FKT attempt. Which means we will pass each other in about three or so days. I imagined what it would have been like if I was still on my attempt and on pace, I would have been on about day 36 of my FKT attempt. We would have passed each other, each of us going after the record.
Competition can bring out the animalistic side of humans. I have been in a few ultra’s when another runner and myself are battling for the win. There is that moment when you make eye contact with each other. In these times It feels like I’m a wolf passing another wolf from a different pack, neither one of us fears the other. The feeling is beautiful like you are part of nature’s force.
I would have had this moment with Scott if still on pace and going for the record. It would have been a beautiful moment. I felt a little sad this was not going to happen.
I hope that all those of you who read my posts realise that if you do not reach your targets in life it’s okay, sometimes we do not go the direction we have planned. But other opportunities will arise that you will have never even thought about.
In the long run your life turns out how it’s meant to turn out. I’m learning right now to embrace the power of circumstance. For years I’ve been planning but hiking is teaching me to be more spontaneous.
To all my sponsors who believed in me. I did not reach the target I had set out to reach. But out of this has been born something great, the adventure has just begun.
