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Doodles

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2005
Messages
235
Reaction score
28
Location
New Paltz, NY
Time to get to the Whites.

Zer0-G made the drive to New Paltz Fri night so we could get an early start the next morning to NH.

Alarm set for 3:30 with an on road time of 4:00. Right on time, we went thru the toll booths at 4:01 am. ZerO-G commenting that we are getting to old for these early starts. Anyway we were heading North. One quick pit stop and a breakfast stop in Norwich Vt at the Grange Hall. Saturday morning breakfast with all you can eat eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, toast, juice, coffee, and all the Vt hospitality that the locals can give you. All for a flat $6. Can't beat that. Once again we were on our way.

At the Flume PA by 10:00 and hiking by 10:30. A few drops of rain and a nice humid day to start. We made our way to the Flume Slide Tr and scampered our way up. A very hazy day but we were able to pick up VFTT. A quick break and on over to Liberty. Another great summit with hazy views. We took a little longer break and then proceeded down Liberty Spring. Back at the PA, we had one hike done, but not the end of the day yet. We downed a late lunch and relocated for our next hike up Cannon.

We started out at 5:00 pm. A steady climb in front on us. We made our way up the Kinsman Ridge Tr over the first bump and over to Cannon. There were slight rummbles of thunder well off to the North. What we didn't know is that there was a NASTY lightning storm just waiting for us to get to the top. This is were all HELL broke loose and the skies opened up. I managed to mark the waypoint, snap one phote as Zer0-G was yelling at me to RUN. We double or maybe triple timed it over the exposed rock face down to the col into a low spot and assumed the position on the balls of our feet as the fireworks started all around us. It was a quick moving storm, about 15 minutes, but seemed a lot longer. The storm passed but the rain lingered on a bit for our trip back down. We made it down by 8:00 and into town for supper by 8:30. 6 hrs of driving, 10 hrs of hiking and our first day was complete, except for finding our campsite and setting up during the night storm that made the first one look like a toddler.

The next morning we woke to a rain dripping forest, but the skies were clear. Up the Kanc we went. Up the Hancock Notch Tr to Hancock and then over to South Hancock. Today was a bit clearer and were able to take in more of the spectacular views. We met up with a fine young lad named Dean on these two peaks who was quite new to the peakbagging world and passed on some of our wisdom or maybe our obsessions. We made our way back to the PA for it was time to relocate again.

Moving down the road a bit, we started our next hike of the day. East Osceola and Mt Osceola. We made it up East O and over to Mt O when the clouds blew in from knowwhere. We could not see a thing. We took a quick break and as quick as the clouds blew in, they blew out. YEA, the skies opened up and the views were burned into our heads. With daylight burning we figured it was time to head back. Tonight were were out at a respectable 7:00 pm and in town for a relaxing Mexican dinner. We were sharing a campsite with Snickers who is up for a ten day peakbagging trip. We made it back to camp and dragged her out of a sleep. It was time for a nice campfire and some story telling as a full moon was rising. I tried to convince Snickers and
Zer0-G that this was a perfect hiking moon, but the only hking they were doing tonight was in their dreams.

Day three was going to be a half day since we had that same 6 hr drive home. Tecumseh was in order for the morning. We went up the Tecumseh Tr. This was a great, very green enjoyable hike. The day was perfect with blue skies and big puffy clouds. We spent a good long time on this summit, but we had the drive ahead of us. We made our way back down and this ended our short three days.

As always, a great hike weekend with a great hiking friend.

Some pictures

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/560465108IovEma
 
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Well, one nice trip report there Doodles.

Very kind of you to leave out some of my more comical and sad events of the weekend.. ;)

Soon to follow, when a peak is not a peak.

The Cannon Lightning Fest was truly enlightening.
I can see it all before me still, I still laugh my butt off when I think about standing there, a few hundred feet from the summit and hearing the Thunder all around us. Looking over your shoulder, seeing the lightning bolt hit the mountain just behind the tower. Then saying "LIGHTNING!". The look on our faces :eek: .

Then the unforgettable Doodle utterance "I'm going for it!" My exclamation "Ya better run!". Then, I find myself following you at full tilt to the summit.

I wasted no time after hitting the summit in turning around and blasting back down the trail. To my horror...I turn around because I did not hear Doodles following me. He is standing just off the summit TAKING PICTURES!

I scream - "C'mon George RUN!!!!!" - he stops snapping and starts running. Somehow, he got in front of me and now I'm chasing him. I jump over a rock, slip, lose my footing and slide off the trail into the bushes. Full tilt Indiana Jones!

Somehow I find myself back on my feet. We stop a hundred feet or so in elevation off the summit, on the trail, somewhat protected by some trees on both sides, ALL HELL breaks loose! :eek: :eek:

Both of us, on the Balls of our feet. I'm on a small pad that was in my pack.

I am chanting in my mind (om mane peme jung) Now with my rain jacket on, I am staring down into this puddle in front of me , a few inches from my face, I see the lightning directly over head reflecting in the puddle, over and over. The flash! The Cracking booming Thunder!, the wind, the torrential rain!

It was a good moment.

The storm passes, as Doodles said, back down to the trail head in waning light, no headlamps used. I didn't want to use it. For me, I let nature take me into the cradle of darkness, into my mind. The peace of the car, then the contentment of a full belly. To the hammock and beyond.

It was a great day.
 
For me, I let nature take me into the cradle of darkness

ZerO-G, it sounded like you really enjoyed yourself but dude, that kind of behavior around any thunderstorm will get you an immediate meeting with the "cradle of darkness". It is nothing to fool with.
 
Dude, I can appreciate that.
We were being very responsible.
Yes, in the middle of the drama...we did not put ourselves in any worse of a position then we were already in.
By the time it was on top of us we were already hunkered down.

;)
 
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