![]() The ’23 AT SOBO is a master in resilience through pain and rain in the 282 miles that Maine so graciously offers. “No rain, no pain, no Maine” is meant to remind the NOBO thru-hiker that you cannot get to Maine with going through pain and rain. ![]() The NOBO Orientation for the SOBO HikerĬliches like “No rain, no pain, no Maine,” “Rocksylvania,” and “Vermud” are clearly oriented to the NOBO. It’s the tallest peak on the Franconia Ridge. Mount Lafayette (pronounced la-fet) in the background. This pause would allow me to rest before tackling Mount Madison and let the high creek levels subside. I had pushed a few extra miles a couple days previous, so I had an extra day of food to get me to Franconia Notch 50 miles away. Conditions forced me to an unnamed stealth site about one mile north, and I decided to take a zero the next day. I finally ran into one that I was unable to cross in my attempt to get to Osgood Campsite. These are not even listed as “fords” on any guides, but the couple I was able to get across were thigh-deep. After encountering treacherous conditions hiking the Wildcat Range through a rainstorm, I was greeted with flooded creeks south of Pinkham Notch. The Weather Breaks for the Presidentials! Plus, all the boulders will turn you into a rock star. The summit would be a great place to build a hilltop house to park 15 cars. Even though they can be easily overlooked, their difficulty really reminded me of who I really am. Of all the ranges, I found the Nicklebacks the most despised. Sunlight breaking through the clouds over Goose Eye East Peak At times, the trail was a running stream with water well over ankle deep. Since there were no views from these peaks, the rewards were equally brutal descents on slippery rocks. ![]() I experienced rained-out views after brutal climbs. Maybe one day I will return to enjoy them, but that’s unlikely. The Rain and the Pain ContinueĪT guidebooks report amazing views from the Saddlebacks, Wildcat Mountain, and Carter Dome. Second, my body needed some downtime after some serious challenges and a loss of 12 lbs. After 20 years in the Army, I don’t need to miss any more milestones or holidays. First, my sons’ birthdays are two years and one week apart, so I got to celebrate both of their annual trips around the sun during my vacation from hiking. I am nearing the end of a much-needed break that took me off the Trail for almost two weeks. The trials and perils of southern Maine conditioned my body and mind for tackling the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, which I found some of the most enjoyable walking so far. I finished up southern Maine, completing the most fun mile of the AT at Mahoosuc Notch, moving into continuing extreme terrain in New Hampshire. It has been a while since my last update, and I have covered some monumental terrain in the last 190 miles.
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