grasshopper
New member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2005
- Messages
- 73
- Reaction score
- 1
july 2 and 3 the great range and dix range from 73 to round pond
5:00 am,july 2 - cool,misty rain 52 degrees.I've been waiting for this.I slip into the dark cool forest on the nice well laid out Tony Goodwin trail to roostercomb and the range.The first few miles silently slide by,no dawn,just a lighter shade of gray.I stop to fill 2- 32oz. nalgenes before hedgehog soon the ridge of lower wolfjaws then the col,I stop to eat a pint of blueberries on the cozy summit rock of upper wolfjaws.A few steep wet rock scrambles and I'm passing the cliff on the summit of armstrong,very cold strong wind,I don't linger but push on.Gothics,so cold no views,the rain and mist cut through my mesh tee and running shorts 3hr and 15 min.The trees are so close and wet,I'm swiming my legs are cold my arms are numb but I can feel the cable as I desend gothics.Up and over saddleback and basin,I'm in the zone,not too cold or hot.Still no other people,only the silent wind and cold grey mist,i don't miss the views this run is for the body not the eyes.Down the steep ledges of basin to the stream to fill my water and rest.I sit and feel my first warmth of sun.I eat my fresh bing cherries and dream of my wife Cheri,she is my love,I long for her warmth.I made it here in 5 hrs.but somehow i've rested 20 min.time for haystack and marcy.One strong push and I'm on haystack,the sun is out clear and cool and I tag the summitand head over to marcy.I feel strong life is good untill the last open rock of marcy my pace falters my legs grow weary,suddenly I'm all here,short breaths heavy legs,Ipush up marcy this is work no dreams now just pain and work.I make it to the summit 7hr. 15 min.I'm used up,I just sit,I curl up and rest-45 min.go by I'm up and on my way a bit stiff I start down.My knees warm up soon I'm leaping down the open rock-I'm going to be ok-I'm back in the zone.9 miles to go to the garden,I've got 2 hrs.to go to get under 10 hrs.Endless white boulders then slant rock and the trail is smoother I welcome the mud from the recent rains as it is softer underfoot.I'm running in a steady rhythm now no dreams,no pain,just my body moving through space.Soon I pass the out housefor busnell falls leanto and cross john's brook,"keep running you can do it"my feet are ok breathing good keep moving.JBL lodge,push it-run-I'm tired but oh so close to pace,the glint of metal,the garden 10hr. 2min.I would love to be under 10hr.but this is good,I feel good.I start down the road back to my truck,I get a ride 1/2 way down from another hiker."hey what did you hike today?" the great range,what!,yeah- cool- "what did you climb?,brothers and big slide -hey thats cool I love that hike.Drop me of at the cliff hanger,black cherry soda and ice water-conversation with some fellow hikers I'd passed running out. They are starting the 46-think it's cool I ran the great range-wow 10hrs.I tell them thats real good for me but others can do better.I walk through Keene to my truck then swim in the ausable have a sub at stewarts stop in at the mountaineer.I pull up to N. fork of the boquet river and spend a nice eve listen ing to the river and some jazz and the Dead.
5 am.and I'm off for the E.Dix slides,cool and sunny,I warm up as I move down the trail.Today isn't about speed,just a nice hike I do every 4th of july weekend,I've run it in under 8 hrs.but today is just for fun and a bit of trail work.At the bottom of the slides I pump 2-32oz. then head up,a perfect day,and great views.I stop here and there for blowdown,I cut only trees above my knees and below my head.I continue on to Hough,then spend 2 hours working my way down hough towards dix,the old 99 blowdown.I've run through it the last 5 years.I'm sort of sad to see it go but I'm sure new will take it's place.I put my saw a way and head up dix.I hang out on dix for 1and 1/2 hours,4 people from my home town,lots of good mountain talk then on to the end of the ridge and a nice couple lounging onthe big rock. We talk and talk,sun drink,food,I head down and pump water at the bottom of the slides on dix.I have some water left from E.dix slides and I mix the two and have a cool slide cocktail.All the way to round pond and not a single hiker,I dream of a nice couple to give me a ride back to my truck and on the last desent to 73 there they are,my prayers are answered,we hike down to the trailhead together.They are from vermont-killington-I love the green mnts.and LT.I tell them of my run from killington to mansfield a few years ago.The lamas and beautifull streams and waterfalls.They love the ruggedness of the adks and ask where to swim.I tell them of the pools on either side of 73 at the N. fork bridge.Back to my truck,and home,Summer=training for winter.You get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.Look right Mastergrasshopper are,
5:00 am,july 2 - cool,misty rain 52 degrees.I've been waiting for this.I slip into the dark cool forest on the nice well laid out Tony Goodwin trail to roostercomb and the range.The first few miles silently slide by,no dawn,just a lighter shade of gray.I stop to fill 2- 32oz. nalgenes before hedgehog soon the ridge of lower wolfjaws then the col,I stop to eat a pint of blueberries on the cozy summit rock of upper wolfjaws.A few steep wet rock scrambles and I'm passing the cliff on the summit of armstrong,very cold strong wind,I don't linger but push on.Gothics,so cold no views,the rain and mist cut through my mesh tee and running shorts 3hr and 15 min.The trees are so close and wet,I'm swiming my legs are cold my arms are numb but I can feel the cable as I desend gothics.Up and over saddleback and basin,I'm in the zone,not too cold or hot.Still no other people,only the silent wind and cold grey mist,i don't miss the views this run is for the body not the eyes.Down the steep ledges of basin to the stream to fill my water and rest.I sit and feel my first warmth of sun.I eat my fresh bing cherries and dream of my wife Cheri,she is my love,I long for her warmth.I made it here in 5 hrs.but somehow i've rested 20 min.time for haystack and marcy.One strong push and I'm on haystack,the sun is out clear and cool and I tag the summitand head over to marcy.I feel strong life is good untill the last open rock of marcy my pace falters my legs grow weary,suddenly I'm all here,short breaths heavy legs,Ipush up marcy this is work no dreams now just pain and work.I make it to the summit 7hr. 15 min.I'm used up,I just sit,I curl up and rest-45 min.go by I'm up and on my way a bit stiff I start down.My knees warm up soon I'm leaping down the open rock-I'm going to be ok-I'm back in the zone.9 miles to go to the garden,I've got 2 hrs.to go to get under 10 hrs.Endless white boulders then slant rock and the trail is smoother I welcome the mud from the recent rains as it is softer underfoot.I'm running in a steady rhythm now no dreams,no pain,just my body moving through space.Soon I pass the out housefor busnell falls leanto and cross john's brook,"keep running you can do it"my feet are ok breathing good keep moving.JBL lodge,push it-run-I'm tired but oh so close to pace,the glint of metal,the garden 10hr. 2min.I would love to be under 10hr.but this is good,I feel good.I start down the road back to my truck,I get a ride 1/2 way down from another hiker."hey what did you hike today?" the great range,what!,yeah- cool- "what did you climb?,brothers and big slide -hey thats cool I love that hike.Drop me of at the cliff hanger,black cherry soda and ice water-conversation with some fellow hikers I'd passed running out. They are starting the 46-think it's cool I ran the great range-wow 10hrs.I tell them thats real good for me but others can do better.I walk through Keene to my truck then swim in the ausable have a sub at stewarts stop in at the mountaineer.I pull up to N. fork of the boquet river and spend a nice eve listen ing to the river and some jazz and the Dead.
5 am.and I'm off for the E.Dix slides,cool and sunny,I warm up as I move down the trail.Today isn't about speed,just a nice hike I do every 4th of july weekend,I've run it in under 8 hrs.but today is just for fun and a bit of trail work.At the bottom of the slides I pump 2-32oz. then head up,a perfect day,and great views.I stop here and there for blowdown,I cut only trees above my knees and below my head.I continue on to Hough,then spend 2 hours working my way down hough towards dix,the old 99 blowdown.I've run through it the last 5 years.I'm sort of sad to see it go but I'm sure new will take it's place.I put my saw a way and head up dix.I hang out on dix for 1and 1/2 hours,4 people from my home town,lots of good mountain talk then on to the end of the ridge and a nice couple lounging onthe big rock. We talk and talk,sun drink,food,I head down and pump water at the bottom of the slides on dix.I have some water left from E.dix slides and I mix the two and have a cool slide cocktail.All the way to round pond and not a single hiker,I dream of a nice couple to give me a ride back to my truck and on the last desent to 73 there they are,my prayers are answered,we hike down to the trailhead together.They are from vermont-killington-I love the green mnts.and LT.I tell them of my run from killington to mansfield a few years ago.The lamas and beautifull streams and waterfalls.They love the ruggedness of the adks and ask where to swim.I tell them of the pools on either side of 73 at the N. fork bridge.Back to my truck,and home,Summer=training for winter.You get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.Look right Mastergrasshopper are,
