I started hiking from Pinkham Notch below Mt. Washington on Thursday 9/4, heading toward Maine. After 3 months of not hiking, except for a 3-day slog in rain and wet boots 2 weeks ago in Vermont, I'm badly out of shape. I'm also breaking in new boots, whose soles don't grip at all well. I slipped a few times, no damage yet, trying to get used to them- - like wearing roller skates compared to my old boots. Steep ups and downs meant it took all day to go 13 miles to Imp shelter, arriving at dusk and cooking in the dark. Decided to take it slow the next day, just 8 miles to the road to Goreham NH, where I planned to take a day off to wait out the forecasted rain.
I walked a bit with Simba, a young woman hiking with friends Bluebird and Rock Sloth. They had started late March separately but had been together awhile. We met 2 bearded guys coming up the trail who told us about their planned hostel, in Lancaster, 30 miles north of Goreham. Not really open and no charge to stay, but we were welcome to call for a ride and try it out. They represented one of the communities in the messianic Christian group the Twelve Tribes, and Simba and friends had stayed at their hostel in Rutland VT. Sounded interesting so I thought I'd check this out. Simba waited for her friends to show up down at the trailhead before calling for a ride to the hostel, while I went on before them, hitching a ride with a German couple touring Canada who had driven down to see the AT. They of course had read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods in German, title translated as "Beer for breakfast."
In Lancaster I met the many members of this religious group and was very impressed with their sincerity and generosity. This is the same group that was in the news in the 1980's about alleged child abuse in the Northeast Kingdom of VT. The state police raided them based on rumors and placed all the children in foster homes. The press coverage was entirely negative, and I doubt anyone remembers that all charges were thrown out by a judge as unfounded and the state's conduct was unconstitutional.
I found them friendly and cheerful, the children curious and delightful, and they fed us well. I was the first "fruit" or guest of their potential hostel, and have enjoyed my time here. Saturday they observe the Sabbath, with no work, just resting and socializing, exactly my goal. This afternoon before the rain we had fun playing games, bocce, croquet, even kickball. Quite a break from the trail.
I walked a bit with Simba, a young woman hiking with friends Bluebird and Rock Sloth. They had started late March separately but had been together awhile. We met 2 bearded guys coming up the trail who told us about their planned hostel, in Lancaster, 30 miles north of Goreham. Not really open and no charge to stay, but we were welcome to call for a ride and try it out. They represented one of the communities in the messianic Christian group the Twelve Tribes, and Simba and friends had stayed at their hostel in Rutland VT. Sounded interesting so I thought I'd check this out. Simba waited for her friends to show up down at the trailhead before calling for a ride to the hostel, while I went on before them, hitching a ride with a German couple touring Canada who had driven down to see the AT. They of course had read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods in German, title translated as "Beer for breakfast."
In Lancaster I met the many members of this religious group and was very impressed with their sincerity and generosity. This is the same group that was in the news in the 1980's about alleged child abuse in the Northeast Kingdom of VT. The state police raided them based on rumors and placed all the children in foster homes. The press coverage was entirely negative, and I doubt anyone remembers that all charges were thrown out by a judge as unfounded and the state's conduct was unconstitutional.
I found them friendly and cheerful, the children curious and delightful, and they fed us well. I was the first "fruit" or guest of their potential hostel, and have enjoyed my time here. Saturday they observe the Sabbath, with no work, just resting and socializing, exactly my goal. This afternoon before the rain we had fun playing games, bocce, croquet, even kickball. Quite a break from the trail.
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