Day 140 - Carter Notch campsite to Gorham

Got packed up quick so the tent wouldn’t get wet. Climbed up to Carter Dome, followed by three more Carter peaks.

 

Then we hit a nasty, rocky descent. Just the kind that I hate, especially when wet. Actually had to take my pack off at one point. Also did a lot of sliding down rocks, which felt lovely when the small pebbles and dirt particles ground into the backs of my thighs.

After lunch the terrain flattened out quite a bit. We planned to stay at the shelter two miles out of Gorham to save money, even if it was raining. However, when we got there, Dave made an “executive decision” to push into town. I didn’t resist too hard.


 
First we stopped at The Barn, a hostel. Saw Swagman, Bad Moon, Frankenstein, etc. Really crowded. We walked further into town and found a motel room with bath down the hall for $32. Perfect! Great shower, soft bed, nice pillows. Met some hikers at the Chinese restaurant across the street. One beer and I was feeling pretty loopy. Went back to the room, had some oatmeal, and zonked out.

Took it easy in the morning, then we split up to do the usual town errands. Took a nap in the afternoon. Watched TV. Awesome day! Feel very refreshed and ready to tackle these last 300 miles. How hard will the Mahoosics be? Can they be that much more difficult than the Whites? Will they be even more beautiful? Can I handle 10-12 miles per day? I think so. No, I know so.