Aug 19: Holt's Lodge   Miles Today : 17.1 Miles to Katahdin : 423.0

Today was another great day to be hiking the AT. I got a later start than I wanted out of Hanover, but I did break the pull (yes, this phrase has a ton of gravity) and hit the trail around 11.

I left Drive By in town today. His stomach was bothering him some and I have to go to a wedding on Saturday, so it seemed like a good time to split. With any luck, we will hook up again on Sunday, just before the Whites begin.

Most of today was actually unremarkable. More ups and downs today which drained my energy. There were a few mountains, all of which were viewless or provided only small outlooks. My knee seems to be handling all of this OK, which is great news.

Then it happened. After a 1000 foot climb over an unnamed knob, I got an overlook of Holt’s Lodge. There most certainly is no camping here, and Dartmouth put a chain link fence around it. No matter, I hopped the fence and knew immediately that I was camping here. The ledge is a narrow rock formation on the East side of the knob. It was a perfect night, and I could see Mt Monadnock, Smart Mtn and Franconia Ridge. The view here is breathtaking, and I sat on the edge of the ledge eating dinner and just soaking in my surroundings.

This is one of my favorite types of views while hiking. That is, it’s a great view that shows a lot of landscape, but not everything. Also, the ledge is high, but nearby peaks are clearly higher. This type of view gives you a great perspective yet reminds you just how small you are. Actually, Mt Washington gives you a false sense of grandness. It is not you who is larger than life, it’s the mountain.

Miles swung by my camp to watch the sunset. Actually, the sun dropped behind the knob, but the entire horizon turned pink and purple as evening took hold. After chatting for a while, he decided to head the .5 miles to the shelter, as there is no water up here.

This leaves me alone tonight, which is exactly where I wanted to be. After seeing all of the ridiculous behavior going on back in Hanover, out in the woods by myself is exactly what I wanted. Tomorrow, I have a 19 mile day before my loving girlfriend, Michelle, picks me up. I am glad to be going to my friend’s wedding this weekend, but I am also happy that I got a chance to do this before heading home. This is what it is all about.

-Chomp

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