The White - NH - Pemi Loop

“Hey Pete i live just south of Hartford! i think that we are going the same way!”

“I think have seen that town with the missle is it near Keene?”

“hummm....I am not sure. I'll have to look at a map later.

Well then we can definitly meet up. why don't you pick a time to be at, say exit 1 in vermont or somewhere and we can follow each other from there.”

“No it's not by Keene.”

“The exit off of 91 is at Fairlee

I think that town is Wentworth.

I follow 25A”

“no I think it's Warren.

Fairlee to 25A in NH
25A to Warren where it turns right and turns into 118
118 turns into 112 and cruises into Lincoln.”

“Madriver can you e-mail me directions to your house from 112 in Lincoln.

campshamoo@noln.com”

“Sirpete, it looks like I might be even later than you. It s looking like 1-2am for me.”

“thats ok. Still better than coming up the next morning.

BTW I feel like Pennsy. I will be sporting some new gear. maybe my tarp and a new backpack, Osprey Aether 60, couldn't pass up the price. we will see how good it is when it gets here. I can always send it back.”

“Morning:

Pete, far be it for me to tell someone how to drive, however, I don't understand why you are heading to my house by way of Lincoln. I too take 25A into NH. When you come to the end of 25A take a right onto 25 east and head towards Plymouth. Once you reach Route 93, head north 6 miles to exit 28. From Lincoln, you are at least 20 miles, so going my way it is a shorter trip to my house. I will e-mail you directions from there.

Also, my wife made a big pot of chili, so those of you who are not dining on Peking duck with Princess Twinkle Toes and I, you are more than welcome to have some upon your arrival.

Lt. If you are not arriving until 1 or 2:am, you might as well head up in the morning and meet us at the trailhead or at the house in the morning.

Side note, I popped something in my back on Sunday while stacking wood. It's not as bad as the last time when I actually had to cancel a trip. I will go to the doctor today and hopefully get some major drugs to ease the pain. If all else fails, I will construct a litter so you all can carry my middle-aged butt up the mountain.

3 and a wakeup.”

“According to the weather channel, we will have a mixed bag of weather for our little adventure. They are calling for scattered thunderstorms and isolated thunderstorms throughout the weekend. However, Saturday looks promising, which will be the day we are above tree line and exposed to any severe weather the longest, so I would prefer that Saturday be the better of all the days.”

“Mad river, i am much more of a night owl than an early morning person. My wife has to go to NJ for work on Wensday and Thursday which means that I have to stay home with our son until she gets back. I am hoping that she will not be too late on thursday, 1am should be the latest without unexpected problems.
As far as directions I will take 91N then I don't have a clue!
Why are both Expedia and Mapquest telling me to take 84 to the mass pike to 495 to 93? Have you ever gone this way?”

“Yes I have. We use to go the 84-90-290-495-3-93 route, but found the traffic out of Boston unbearable. We now go the 91 to exit 15 to 25A to 25 to 93 route and like it better. I will give you detailed directions in a few. Btw, if you are coming up Thursday night, I will leave a light on and the door unlocked. You are welcomed to nuke some chili when you arrive. I might be in bed asleep, so just find a place to crash.”

“Cool thanks for leaving a light on! I will be quiet and just flop on a couch or floor. You don't really want me to eat chili at 1am and then go hiking with me in the morning. I was thinking that the Bostone Traffic would be bad.”

“From Deep River take route 9 to I91 north. Take exit 15 in Vermont and take a right at the end of the exit. Proceed to the stop sign and take a left onto route 5. Take a right just past the Citgo station and proceed across the metal bridge (Connecticut river). At the next stop sign take a right and follow route 10 for about a ¼ mile and take a left onto route 25A.

Follow route 25A to route 25. Turn right onto route 25 and follow it to Route 93 in Plymouth. Take route 93 north to exit 28 (Waterville Valley/Campton). I will email you the rest of the directions.

Given you will be driving at night and traffic shouldn't be a problem, you can take the 84-90-290-495-3-93 route if you like. However you come, just make it to exit 28 off of route 93.”

“Well it sounds like I'm gonna be the early one! I should be there before 10pm - worst case would be 11pm.

MadRiver - sounds like I'm going to your place - would you please e-mail me directions?

awalz@itnnetworks.com

Thanks! Hope your back feels better - my back is mend well from a spring injury, but my knee has been giving me real hell lately. Guess we'll be bringing up the rear listening to each other groan..”

“Heck I am slow hiker anyway, so it will be the three of us following TT and Sirpete .”

“I just hope I make it through the day without re-injuring my back before seeing my doctor. If I can get some major drugs, I should be ok. This couldn't come at a worse time. Damn, I would hate to miss this trip.”

“Don't be stingy - how 'bout major drugs for the lot of us?

You wanted to go from wine to congac for the more punch per oz...can your doctor write a group prescription? Hell - we won't even need food on this trip!!”

“Hey Mad: I hope your back heals up fast!

I will be out there hiking this weekend - 'cept maybe if the weather forecast turns to crud. My g.f. is working Friday but wants to backpack this w/e so we (and my dog) will do a two nighter with just one full day of hiking (Saturday). Depending on weather and whim, we are likely to go for: Owls Head, the Carrigain loop, or Tom, Willey and Field.

The usual strategy on w/e's like this is: get just barely out on the trail and set up a tent on Friday, lots of hiking Saturday and just enough hiking on Sunday to keep us going until late morning or noon.”

“I'll see what I can do.”

“Good luck with your back!”

“So far Saturday looks like the best day. I can live with isolated or even scattered thunderstorms; it's just the all day torrential rain that tends to piss me off.”

“What town are you plugging in for the weather?”

“Madriver, I hope your back gets better quickly.

Um, hate to ask this question...

If Madriver has to cancel, will the rest of you still be going?

Also, worst case scenerio....can I catch a ride for one of you other BP'ers?

Hopefully none of these back-up plans will be used because Madrivers back will get better (RIGHT?!?!)

Feel better”

“Hey you said that not even a Comet hitting earth would kep you from going!! Absolute worst case TT you can come with me! I am not leaving until late!”

“I've had to take the unprecedented act of canceling my golf on Tuesday night to ensure that I don't re-injury my back. Although I have never thrown out my back playing golf, why take the risk. Needless to say, all pony rides will be suspended until further notice. Damn, the things I will do for the team!”

“I use North Woodstock for the weather. It's the closest town to our trip.”

“Well - TT - I'm in no matter what - and ya know I live nearby too.

But Mad's back will be better!!

Mad - I got the directions - thanks!”

“I will know by tomorrow how the back will feel this weekend.”

“TT and the rest, are thunderstorms going to scare you away?”

“The only day that thunderstorms would be a problem would be on Saturday when we traverse the ridge. If the forecast holds, we should be fine on Saturday. Most of the thunderstorms roll by fairly quickly, so we shouldn't have any problems.

My back is feeling better, so if I can just avoid the dreaded "pop", I should have no problem making the trip. I will still seek out my doctor for some happy pills.”

“ummm get the blue ones! Yeah i bet a thunderstorm up on Fraconia ridge would be scary.”

“It would be fun, however, to be at the Greenleaf hut or Galehead hut when a major thunderstorm hits.”

“Yeah in the hut! Are we going to be staying in the huts if they are availible? I am just trying to decide what shelter to bring. My ultralight siltarp, the Trekker Tarp, or the tent. I would really hate to have to lug the weight of the tent, but i would also really not like to be in an exposed location in a nasty storm under my silnylon tarp. How exposed are most of the campsites.”

“The thunderstorm forecast is only "scattered" / 30% chance for two of the 4 hiking days, and temps are not to go above 80.

That's near perfect. Temps are nice, and you're not likely to ever find a 4 day stretch in July that doesn't have such a precip forecast for the Whites.

And when the T-storms come, usually late afternoon, they come & go pretty fast, breaking the temps, getting rid of the bugs and making it comfortable.

Don't worry about it...”

“Man, I can't Wait to get up there! Still need to go last minute gear shopping and get my food. Oh and of course pack.
I've been staring at the map and the pictures on the internet.
Everybody ready?
anybody heard anything from Buddur Bear is he actually going to come?”

“My new pack came in today. Osprey Aether 60. So far I like it although I would have liked a chace to test it on a one day trip first. It looks like everythng will fit.
Mad, hope your back gets better. It would be disappointing to miss this trip I'm sure, but better to miss one than push it and be laid yup for a month if it comes to that. Yes, I have some experience with this one.
TT, Right now the only thing that will change with me is if the weather forcast turns bad for the planned trip. Then I will change hikes to something else. I'm still going.”

“Pepsi. I just bought that one too. go figure. mine should be here tomorrow.

Twinkle toes. If all else fails and you need a ride I would surely criuse by and pick you up Thursday night. I do however have to come home Sunday. I will be leaving Pa around 4pm”

“Madriver, I forgot where you lived. I will go the way you said to Plymouth and get on 93 from there.

BTW some of that chili on the porch would sure be fineeee!!!”

“Although my back is a little sore, fortunately it's on the mend. Baring any unforeseen mishaps like the Swedish bikini team taking me hostage and making me perform unthinkable acts, I should be well enough to pick up the fair Princess Twinkle Toes at the train station and motor her to NH.

To answer your question Lt., we will not be staying in any huts. First, they charge $65.00 a night and second they require reservations. We can, however, wait out a storm if one passes while we are in the vicinity.”

“Wow that is expensive, I was thinking more about the shelters. Can you e-mail me directions to your house? rob(at)goodwinmarketing.net
Just got back from the gear store bought fuel, food and a new pot. Now all i have to do is go to the grocery store for more food and pack!

Good News about your back!

Twinkle, do you want to do the tortellini?”

“Garfield and Guyot both have shelters. Although my back is on the mend, there are a few spots on our little adventure that will give me pause. I'm hoping to tough it out.

By the way, since I will have loads of chili, you are more than welcome to take some with you as your first meal. I have already frozen some for my first night.

TT, you will need to let me know what time your train is due to arrive, so I don't spend all morning hanging out with the prostitutes. Normally I wouldn't mind, but I will be on a tight budget.”

“Yeah don't go messing with prostitutes you might really throw out your back!”

“Ha! Madriver you are too funny! Can you email me your phone number?

Also, does everyone like chocolate? I have a little surprise dessert planned and want to make sure it will be eaten (it's a bit heavy and I don't want to make too much and have to deal with waste issues!) Please let me know if you are against yummy dessert.

LtHiker - I could not find pesto sauce or butter buds last night in my crappy nyc grocery store :(

However, I am game for the tortellini - what night are you thinking? do i have to bring anything?”

“I'll bring the pesto sauce and the olive oil, just bring your tortellini of choice! Since this is going to be a heavier food I was thinking friday night.

Ummm Chocolate!”

“sligth problem - i already went grocery shopping and will have no time to pick up tortellini....so I will have to cancel out on that food plan :( sorry

I might have some regular pasta”

“I cannot speak for anyone else, but I like chocolate.”

“I walked about two miles from my office yesterday at lunch (and two back) to go to EMS for some Mountain House brand dried meals - lasagna, stroganoff and stew...and they friggin' didn't have any.

They had only a few "Backpackers Choice" brand meals - which require 2 1/2 cups of water per meal, and their only choices were stuff that no on else would buy - like beans with curi, beans with beans, curi with curi, and something that could have been meat or cake. @#$%!! *%$&!!

Looks like I'm stuck w/ ramen noodles. Well, they are lighter...(think positive, think positve).”

“TT, we will be stopping at a large supermarket before hitting the house, so you can pick it up then.”