dr_wu002
Well-known member
Participants: LRiz, Marc Howes, Dr. Wu
Date: Saturday 6/13/09
Rules: No Bailout Car
Goal: Sub 14 hours
We started at 6am -- no running on the Wilderness Trail but 2:45 later we were on Bondcliff. Weather was great -- no sign of thunder boomers yet but one of us had a problem: Marc was getting some bad chafing on his back. Not good considering we had about ummm... 23 miles to go. I offered him a hot oily massage (I did manage to give him a lap dance later on) but he declined and put some powdered cocaine on it instead. We hit Bond, West Bond (no brainer), Guyot, South Twin and down to Galehead Hut in good time and all felt strong and were still moving fast.
Once past Galehead (Gale River Trail Junction actually) Marc and I noted that this was the furthest we had gone on a Pemi Loop attempt (I bailed in 2005, Marc in 2008 ?) but today it never entered into any of our minds to bail. We didn't really have that option anyway.
The middle third of the Pemi Loop is probably the most challenging and most of that comes from the Garfield Ridge Trail. I've done this trail several times and never found it to be that bad but after all those miles this trail, with all its PUDs, rough and wet footing, and not to mention steep crap was pretty draining. I think even Larisa struggled for a second or maybe even two going up Garfield. But we did it and we were psyched and we moved on to Lafayette (another 3.5 miles) where we knew that once we stood on that summit we had the home stretch ahead of us!
We reached Lafayette in under 10 hours... goal of 14 hours was fading for us but we figured we'd give it our best no matter what for the next 10.5 miles. Franconia Ridge is awesome as usual and makes for good, fast hiking over beautiful terrain. 2 hours later we were on Flume with 5.5 miles to go... at this point we knew we made it and, although tired (at least I was) it was an incredible feeling.
Marc's back was so screwed up at this point -- I don't know how he did 20 miles with it looking like that... plus he had leg cramps. Kudos to him for making it to Flume still feeling good and positive. He agreed to let Larisa and I go ahead if we give him an extra headlamp... so I gave him mine (Larisa had two, WTF?) and we started out for Lincoln woods with the 14 hour goal in mind.
I told Larisa that she'd be running once we got to past the ladders but she didn't think so, not after 28 miles. Once we stepped off that last ladder we broke into a jog. She didn't think we'd run once we got to the flat Wilderness Trail but once we got there, with 1.4 miles left to go and we were at 13 hours and 40 minutes we took off. From a jog, to a run, I was calling out times (tripped once too) and then to an all out sprint we finished the 1.4 miles in under 10 minutes.... final time: 13 hours 49 minutes!!!!
This was an unbelievable victory for me. I realize that 13 something hours on a Pemi Loop is about half of what some people on this site can do but this has been a long road for me getting back into hiking shape and banging something like this out. Usually I leave the parking area right after a hike but since Marc was a bit behind us, we were able to savor the moment with a few beers. I definitely felt a real sense of accomplishment; this was without a doubt the hardest thing that I had ever done physically and mentally and not only that it was a long and sometimes frustrating and difficult road to get there.
Marc finished up about 30 minutes after us. Still happy despite his back issues. I can't imagine how draining it must've been to hike like that but he rocked. Then the three of us headed over to Waterest Campground for some partying for Kim's Birthday.... great night still ahead of us with some great friends and a big win notched in all three of our belts.
-Dr. Wu
Date: Saturday 6/13/09
Rules: No Bailout Car
Goal: Sub 14 hours
We started at 6am -- no running on the Wilderness Trail but 2:45 later we were on Bondcliff. Weather was great -- no sign of thunder boomers yet but one of us had a problem: Marc was getting some bad chafing on his back. Not good considering we had about ummm... 23 miles to go. I offered him a hot oily massage (I did manage to give him a lap dance later on) but he declined and put some powdered cocaine on it instead. We hit Bond, West Bond (no brainer), Guyot, South Twin and down to Galehead Hut in good time and all felt strong and were still moving fast.
Once past Galehead (Gale River Trail Junction actually) Marc and I noted that this was the furthest we had gone on a Pemi Loop attempt (I bailed in 2005, Marc in 2008 ?) but today it never entered into any of our minds to bail. We didn't really have that option anyway.
The middle third of the Pemi Loop is probably the most challenging and most of that comes from the Garfield Ridge Trail. I've done this trail several times and never found it to be that bad but after all those miles this trail, with all its PUDs, rough and wet footing, and not to mention steep crap was pretty draining. I think even Larisa struggled for a second or maybe even two going up Garfield. But we did it and we were psyched and we moved on to Lafayette (another 3.5 miles) where we knew that once we stood on that summit we had the home stretch ahead of us!
We reached Lafayette in under 10 hours... goal of 14 hours was fading for us but we figured we'd give it our best no matter what for the next 10.5 miles. Franconia Ridge is awesome as usual and makes for good, fast hiking over beautiful terrain. 2 hours later we were on Flume with 5.5 miles to go... at this point we knew we made it and, although tired (at least I was) it was an incredible feeling.
Marc's back was so screwed up at this point -- I don't know how he did 20 miles with it looking like that... plus he had leg cramps. Kudos to him for making it to Flume still feeling good and positive. He agreed to let Larisa and I go ahead if we give him an extra headlamp... so I gave him mine (Larisa had two, WTF?) and we started out for Lincoln woods with the 14 hour goal in mind.
I told Larisa that she'd be running once we got to past the ladders but she didn't think so, not after 28 miles. Once we stepped off that last ladder we broke into a jog. She didn't think we'd run once we got to the flat Wilderness Trail but once we got there, with 1.4 miles left to go and we were at 13 hours and 40 minutes we took off. From a jog, to a run, I was calling out times (tripped once too) and then to an all out sprint we finished the 1.4 miles in under 10 minutes.... final time: 13 hours 49 minutes!!!!
This was an unbelievable victory for me. I realize that 13 something hours on a Pemi Loop is about half of what some people on this site can do but this has been a long road for me getting back into hiking shape and banging something like this out. Usually I leave the parking area right after a hike but since Marc was a bit behind us, we were able to savor the moment with a few beers. I definitely felt a real sense of accomplishment; this was without a doubt the hardest thing that I had ever done physically and mentally and not only that it was a long and sometimes frustrating and difficult road to get there.
Marc finished up about 30 minutes after us. Still happy despite his back issues. I can't imagine how draining it must've been to hike like that but he rocked. Then the three of us headed over to Waterest Campground for some partying for Kim's Birthday.... great night still ahead of us with some great friends and a big win notched in all three of our belts.
-Dr. Wu
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