The Bonds, 3/15/14 to finish my W48, finally

This little stroll has been eluding me this winter. Dropping everything to take a day off on the spur of the moment is not an option for me so I've been unable to coordinate trips out there with friends and acquaintances, much to my annoyance. So, I guess this is what it's come down to. I'm definitely not looking forward to doing this alone, but I will if I have to! Lincoln Woods in and out is my strong preference, since I did Zealand long ago as a bushwhack and have all the rest completed many times over, in many cases. If the forecast was looking ideal, I would definitely consider taking the day off Friday since my students have a mid-term exam and I could easily arrange for a sub that day. Otherwise, Saturday likely has to be the day. So, anyone want to join me?

gaiagirl said:

This little stroll has been eluding me this winter. Dropping everything to take a day off on the spur of the moment is not an option for me so I've been unable to coordinate trips out there with friends and acquaintances, much to my annoyance. So, I guess this is what it's come down to. I'm definitely not looking forward to doing this alone, but I will if I have to! Lincoln Woods in and out is my strong preference, since I did Zealand long ago as a bushwhack and have all the rest completed many times over, in many cases. If the forecast was looking ideal, I would definitely consider taking the day off Friday since my students have a mid-term exam and I could easily arrange for a sub that day. Otherwise, Saturday likely has to be the day. So, anyone want to join me?

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Hey Chris - Good luck. Great you are that close to finishing. I completed the W48 on West Bond. I will let you know if I can join you. I will if I end up hiking Saturday, although the chance of that is about 20% right now as I have a likely obligation.

Thanks Scott ! It would be great to hear that you could, but no pressure at all. At this point I may have the possibility of joining forces with someone else heading out there, but I'm concerned about the kind and amount of snow that might be coming tomorrow into Thursday. Guess we'll just have to see. In any case, I'm leaving the possibility of going out there Friday late afternoon/evening and staying at Guyot. I'm also considering letting other people track it out and going on Sunday . Yup, gotta have Plans A, B and C, right? I'm not giving up, that's for sure ....

Did you get to do the bonds as planned. I'm planning to go early tuesday (3/18) - either in and out from LW or overnight at Guyot. I've heard it is broken to at least bond cliff but havent seen any reports from there to Bond and WB yet.

gaiagirl said:

So, I guess this is what it's come down to. I'm definitely not looking forward to doing this alone, but I will if I have to!

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You aren't going to change as a person when you finish your winter forty-eight. No one is going to respect you any more than they did the mountain before. Why would you ever take a day off from work to do something as desperate and un-fun as hike those magnificent mountains alone just to check them off a list?

Why not wait a year, go up with friends on a beautiful day, have a great conversation, pop open some bubbly, and enjoy the day, rather than turning it into nothing more than a utilitarian slog?

I don't understand the rush. You could have a very special event, and yet you're willing to take a pass on that just to check some boxes off a list? I just don't understand that.


Brian

B the Hiker said:

You aren't going to change as a person when you finish your winter forty-eight. No one is going to respect you any more than they did the mountain before. Why would you ever take a day off from work to do something as desperate and un-fun as hike those magnificent mountains alone just to check them off a list?

Why not wait a year, go up with friends on a beautiful day, have a great conversation, pop open some bubbly, and enjoy the day, rather than turning it into nothing more than a utilitarian slog?

I don't understand the rush. You could have a very special event, and yet you're willing to take a pass on that just to check some boxes off a list? I just don't understand that.


Brian

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Some of us are driven by goals and when you're that close...you just want to finish. It has nothing to with what anyone else thinks and has everything to do with the self satisfaction of accomplishing a goal that we've set for ourselves. Most people don't understand that and you don't need to because those of us that are like that totally get it.

Don't you believe it, Chris.

When I finished the W48, it all started gettin' good. When people heard I had done it, doors just started opening for me. I got a promotion at work with a huge bonus and a new parking space. All of a sudden, I was getting asked to be part of the Saturday foursome with the big boss. And he doesn't even golf. There were interviews and television shows, and of course who could forget the university lecture circuit. The money just started rolling in. It was crazy. My hair grew back. My dog came back. Women started to really notice me. It was like I had joined a fantastic club no one else knew about...but not just a club no one knew about...a secret club. No more waiting like a peon in restaurants...heck, no more bills in restaurants! We finished the W48. We don't pay.

Oh yes, Chris. Things are going to change for you, my friend. Finish that W48. Carpe Diem!

See you on the yacht.

Thanks for the feedback, Kim! Much appreciated! Scott, you put the biggest smile on my face today, and I thank you forever for that !! And, actually, Brian, I don't disagree with what you said at all, just wish you had saved your missive for a private message. But it's all okay, really. Thanks for all the well-wishes. Despite pretty serious blistering out there on Saturday (I did my very best Curt Schilling impersonation for the first time in LONG time and for the very first time with my North Face winter hikers which I've been in for almost every hike this winter .... And I've been out there ALL winter long) I made it to Bondcliff with a little help from some wonderful people. Conditions were very tough, additionally, and I decided it was best for me to turn around when I was fairly certain I would still be able to on my own. I'm going out there tomorrow to try again, but I've already decided that I'm going to repeat the trip regardless going in from Zealand and finishing back on West Bond during Winter Solstice 2014. I have a few friends who are not only able to join me then, but would really like to, so that'll be my plan. Like Brian, I guess I've decided that who I share my hikes with is more important than when I get it done. In the meantime, my need for a new goal will be satisfied by the realization that it won't take me long to finish my NE67 this summer .... when I have EIGHT WHOLE WEEKS OFF .... Anyone want to join me in VT and what I have left in Maine??? It could be FUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I highly reccomend redlining. Nearly endless opportunities and no time restrictiins. There are so many beautiful trails to try!

It comes down to the difference between peakbaggers and non-peakbaggers. I myself fall into the former but it's really all good. As with many things...if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.

Tim

bikehikeskifish said:

It comes down to the difference between peakbaggers and non-peakbaggers. I myself fall into the former but it's really all good. As with many things...if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.

Tim

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Haha - thanks for posting those. I started as a peakbagger working on the all-season 48, so I can definitely relate the the urge to finish (although I certainly didn't rush it, I wanted to finish with style, so it took a few years for everything to fall in place. Redlining still allows for peakbagging, and peakbagging can still allow for a lot of redlining if you take non-standard routes, like Stinkyfeet did this winter. You could split the difference and try the NEHH, which will take you all over!