FARMER
New member
On saturday I completed a presi traverse in 5 hours 7 minutes 44 seconds. Beating the previous fastest known time of 5 hours 25 minutes set in 1998 by Ian Torrence and Steve Smiith. They ascended via howker ridge trail and did not include Pierce.
I spent a restless friday night sleeping under the stars at Barnes field unsettled by the news from Sasquatch that my pemi record had fallen. I was up with the sun and said goodbye to caveman, dotruancy and swamp as the were off to hike a traverse south to north. At 9 a.m. i put on my pack and had a warm up run to the Daniel Webster scout trailhead. I pulled in to the flushable toilets to get as light as possible for the big climb that i would be starting my day with. Feeling ready to go i headed for the trailhead cranked up the metallica and started my watch as i ran by the trailhead sign.
Dolly copp to osgood junction 1 hour 4 minutes.
not much to say about this section except my legs were on fire. normally i just try to focus on keeping my heart rate where i want it and ignore all the aches and pains but today was different. my legs weren't warming up.
Osgood junction to Mt. Adams summit 41 minutes 37 seconds. (including 7 minutes at madison hut)
It felt great to be on the ridge finally. It was smooth sailing to madison summit. until this point since i had emerged from the scrub on the scout trail the wind was ok. not enough to even make me take my hat off. But as i began to descend and pick up the pace i was getting blasted by strong gusts and pushed off course making a quick pace very difficult on that unforgiving terrain. i made it to the hut in one piece and went inside to fill water and eat. to my suprise i had only drank about 10 ounces of water so far. Not Good! i drank and ate and went out the door. I was still able to move quickly to Mt Adams but my legs were not recovering well from the hard climb up to Madison.
Mt Adams to Mt Jefferson 36 minutes 57 seconds
my legs were feeling better after running on some level ground for a bit. I passed BIGearl and his two companions as i was approaching the col. A quick hello and a handshake and i was off to Jefferson. I pushed hard up Jefferson and reached a crowded summit and almost fell over due to my muscle fatigue with everyone gawking at the crazy runner i took off in a hurry with a big smile on my face.
Mt. Jefferson to Mt. Washington 51 minutes 54 seconds
The running is great between Jefferson and the Mt Clay summit trail. so i lengthened my stride and put the hammer down. very quickly i reached the loop over clay and made the left turn. At that moment i hoped there would be a cog train headed to the summit that i could race. but when the tracks came into view i was dissappointed to see only one train headed down to marshfield. when i joined back up with the gulfside trail i picked up the pace as best i could but my legs just were'nt in the game. i crossed the tracks and shortly after made my left up trinity connector towards the summit. there were people everywhere and i displayed some textbook super aggresive trail behavior as i ran full speed past the summit sign and made my way through the crowd towards the crawford path in a full sprint.
Mt Washington to Mt Monroe 29 minutes 6 seconds (including 5 minutes at lakes)
I was happy to be done with the northern presis and be heading to the much more runnable southern presis. I moved as quickly as i could to the hut but the trail was quite crowded , i recognized bob and gerri and mad river and quickly said hello. i arrived at the hut and went in to fill water and had to wait in line at the faucet. this was completely unacceptable in my eyes. i had drank half a liter since madison hut. not enough. i had been focusing so deeply on the rugged footing that i was forgeting to drink. i chugged three glasses of water and ate two clif bars and headed towards monroe. The climb to monroe was quick and uneventful but my legs were getting worse and my feet were really hurting now from the northern presis.
Mt Monroe to Mt Eisenhower 28 minutes 3 seconds
I was able to run the whole way and made great time between the two summits. before reaching the col i came across swamp and new friend pete. then a minute later i saw do truancy and caveman up ahead. i let out a yell of excitement and really startled the two hikers i just happen to be running by at that moment. a quick hello and discussion of how far off my goal time i was and i took off.
Mt Eisenhower to Mt Pierce. 22 minutes 47 seconds (including 3 minutes of pure agony)
the descent from eisinhower was awesome on the newly renovated trail.i was moving as quicly as i could with my foot pain and wasted legs. As I approached the col with pierce in my sights i felt the tingle of leg cramps coming on. I pushed ahead. within .2 miles of the trail junction for pierce i made a powerful move up some smooth rock to pass two hikers and both legs locked up solid in mid stride and i crashed right next to them. i layed on the ground holding my legs and said a few choice words. The two hikers hovered over me and asked if i was ok. I immediately thought of Mats and his pink himalayan salt and asked them if they had any. they didnt so i ate my last 3 gels and drank half a liter. then stood up and began to run towards pierce ignoring the pain. the pain subsided quickly and the cramps would threaten to come back if i pushed to hard. i took the left up to Pierce and summited my last peak for the day.
Mt Pierce to rt 302 32 minutes 16 seconds
I moved as quickly as i could with my foot pain and lingering leg cramps towards the road. I stopped my watch when my feet hit the pavement. it felt good to be done.
I headed back to barnes and met up with sasquatch and we hung out till the south to north crew showed up and we celebrated isabelle 48 finish till 3 a.m.
the next day rob and i decided that a mahoosucs traverse would be perfect recovery for me. so we spotted a car at the north end and hit the trail at 1 p.m. spent the night at gentian pond and finshed the next day with a total hiking time of 14 hours 30 min. rob wants me to mention that he lead the whole way and even had to wait for me sometimes.
next up pisgah 50k vt50 and another whack at the pemi loop to reclaim my title.
I spent a restless friday night sleeping under the stars at Barnes field unsettled by the news from Sasquatch that my pemi record had fallen. I was up with the sun and said goodbye to caveman, dotruancy and swamp as the were off to hike a traverse south to north. At 9 a.m. i put on my pack and had a warm up run to the Daniel Webster scout trailhead. I pulled in to the flushable toilets to get as light as possible for the big climb that i would be starting my day with. Feeling ready to go i headed for the trailhead cranked up the metallica and started my watch as i ran by the trailhead sign.
Dolly copp to osgood junction 1 hour 4 minutes.
not much to say about this section except my legs were on fire. normally i just try to focus on keeping my heart rate where i want it and ignore all the aches and pains but today was different. my legs weren't warming up.
Osgood junction to Mt. Adams summit 41 minutes 37 seconds. (including 7 minutes at madison hut)
It felt great to be on the ridge finally. It was smooth sailing to madison summit. until this point since i had emerged from the scrub on the scout trail the wind was ok. not enough to even make me take my hat off. But as i began to descend and pick up the pace i was getting blasted by strong gusts and pushed off course making a quick pace very difficult on that unforgiving terrain. i made it to the hut in one piece and went inside to fill water and eat. to my suprise i had only drank about 10 ounces of water so far. Not Good! i drank and ate and went out the door. I was still able to move quickly to Mt Adams but my legs were not recovering well from the hard climb up to Madison.
Mt Adams to Mt Jefferson 36 minutes 57 seconds
my legs were feeling better after running on some level ground for a bit. I passed BIGearl and his two companions as i was approaching the col. A quick hello and a handshake and i was off to Jefferson. I pushed hard up Jefferson and reached a crowded summit and almost fell over due to my muscle fatigue with everyone gawking at the crazy runner i took off in a hurry with a big smile on my face.
Mt. Jefferson to Mt. Washington 51 minutes 54 seconds
The running is great between Jefferson and the Mt Clay summit trail. so i lengthened my stride and put the hammer down. very quickly i reached the loop over clay and made the left turn. At that moment i hoped there would be a cog train headed to the summit that i could race. but when the tracks came into view i was dissappointed to see only one train headed down to marshfield. when i joined back up with the gulfside trail i picked up the pace as best i could but my legs just were'nt in the game. i crossed the tracks and shortly after made my left up trinity connector towards the summit. there were people everywhere and i displayed some textbook super aggresive trail behavior as i ran full speed past the summit sign and made my way through the crowd towards the crawford path in a full sprint.
Mt Washington to Mt Monroe 29 minutes 6 seconds (including 5 minutes at lakes)
I was happy to be done with the northern presis and be heading to the much more runnable southern presis. I moved as quickly as i could to the hut but the trail was quite crowded , i recognized bob and gerri and mad river and quickly said hello. i arrived at the hut and went in to fill water and had to wait in line at the faucet. this was completely unacceptable in my eyes. i had drank half a liter since madison hut. not enough. i had been focusing so deeply on the rugged footing that i was forgeting to drink. i chugged three glasses of water and ate two clif bars and headed towards monroe. The climb to monroe was quick and uneventful but my legs were getting worse and my feet were really hurting now from the northern presis.
Mt Monroe to Mt Eisenhower 28 minutes 3 seconds
I was able to run the whole way and made great time between the two summits. before reaching the col i came across swamp and new friend pete. then a minute later i saw do truancy and caveman up ahead. i let out a yell of excitement and really startled the two hikers i just happen to be running by at that moment. a quick hello and discussion of how far off my goal time i was and i took off.
Mt Eisenhower to Mt Pierce. 22 minutes 47 seconds (including 3 minutes of pure agony)
the descent from eisinhower was awesome on the newly renovated trail.i was moving as quicly as i could with my foot pain and wasted legs. As I approached the col with pierce in my sights i felt the tingle of leg cramps coming on. I pushed ahead. within .2 miles of the trail junction for pierce i made a powerful move up some smooth rock to pass two hikers and both legs locked up solid in mid stride and i crashed right next to them. i layed on the ground holding my legs and said a few choice words. The two hikers hovered over me and asked if i was ok. I immediately thought of Mats and his pink himalayan salt and asked them if they had any. they didnt so i ate my last 3 gels and drank half a liter. then stood up and began to run towards pierce ignoring the pain. the pain subsided quickly and the cramps would threaten to come back if i pushed to hard. i took the left up to Pierce and summited my last peak for the day.
Mt Pierce to rt 302 32 minutes 16 seconds
I moved as quickly as i could with my foot pain and lingering leg cramps towards the road. I stopped my watch when my feet hit the pavement. it felt good to be done.
I headed back to barnes and met up with sasquatch and we hung out till the south to north crew showed up and we celebrated isabelle 48 finish till 3 a.m.
the next day rob and i decided that a mahoosucs traverse would be perfect recovery for me. so we spotted a car at the north end and hit the trail at 1 p.m. spent the night at gentian pond and finshed the next day with a total hiking time of 14 hours 30 min. rob wants me to mention that he lead the whole way and even had to wait for me sometimes.
next up pisgah 50k vt50 and another whack at the pemi loop to reclaim my title.
