SURPRISE!

As Hansel and Gretel were finishing up their last mile in the 100 Mile Wilderness (the 31st mile of the day) they played the song game to pass the time.  Hansel got stuck on a song and fell silent when Gretel started singing... at least that is what Hansel thought.  It wasn't until he looked up that he saw Mom in front of him!  She and Two Bad Dad had hiked in to meet them and Mom, of course, was singing as they walked!  The four of them hiked out together while I hid out in the hotel.

Mom and Two Bad told Hansel and Gretel that I wasn't able to come to Maine since I had a job interview in the beginning of the week.  It could have been true... but it wasn't.  They all returned to one of our two connected hotel rooms.  Hansel and Gretel had no idea I was listening behind the door in the other room as Hansel recounted the story of his fall on The Notch and Gretel hopped in the shower to get ready for dinner.  Two Bad took their laundry down the hall so they would have fresh clothes for tomorrow, and while he was "loading the clothes into the drier" he took me to the restaurant we all planned on eating at once Hansel and Gretel were all cleaned up.  I chatted with the waitress in this rather empty bar and grill while I waited for the family to arrive.  15 minutes later, the rented white suburban pulled up.  Sitting in the middle of the table with a huge menu open and covering my face I listened for all of them to get closer.  Then... SURPRISE!  I dropped the menu and sat grinning at Hansel and Gretel who didn't quite realize what was going on at first.  I watched as their faces changed and suddenly realize that the goofball sitting alone at a table for five was their very own sister!

"I knew it!"  Hansel yelled!  "There was no way you had an interview!"

"I didn't!"  Gretel said.  "I had no idea!"

The three of us exchanged many hugs in the middle of the dinning room and some of us might have even gotten a little teary-eyed in the midst of it all.   We proceeded to have a delicious dinner with drinks and lobster and plenty of laughter!

We returned to the hotel where the second room was revealed.  Hansel and Gretel prepared for their final hike- Gretel braiding her hair and Hansel dividing their candy stash into two even bags that they would carry up Katahdin tomorrow.  I took a video of the two goofs preparing.  It's probably a bit longer than it needs to be, but it's a pretty accurate representation of a typical dialogue.  This was right before bed and they were both very tired after their 31 mile hike.  Click here to see one of their final conversations before the big climb!

Happy Trails!

The Whole Fam Together Again!

Hansel counting out the Good and Plenties

Hansel and Gretel with their blogger in the midst of blogging

Carter Notch, For Better or For Worse

Carter Notch Hut has been deemed the favorite of all the huts simply because it is "SO cool!"  It sits nestled in a valley between two huge mountains with a 1,500 foot climb on either side.  Hansel and Gretel felt more in the woods and isolated than they did at any of the other huts.  They also had the best dinner, and we all know how important food can be to our dear Hansel and Gretel.  Homemade black bean burgers on homemade buns, awesome pasta salad, chili, and apple pie for desert!  Another point of interest is that Carter Notch is open year round.  There is a care taker that keeps it open for very serious winter hikers.  How they get to the hut going over the mountains in the snow and ice was more than Hansel could fathom, but it's there for the crazy adventurers who dare try it.  In those winter months, the never actually sees direct sun light because the mountains around it are so tall.  This makes the hut extremely frigid in the winter.

The down-side to Carter Notch Hut was that the staff working there left something to be desired (that is a euphemism).    Hansel and Gretel have had exceptional experiences with the staff at all the other huts.  The crew typically does an excellent job of accommodating thru-hikers and are usually very excited to hear their stories.  George at Madison was an excellent example of this.  The Carter Crew, however, just didn't seem to get it.  Hansel and Gretel were especially disappointed with this because they weren't just thru-hikers, they were paying thru-hikers with a real reservation.

When Hansel and Gretel stay at a hut, they often try to leave early in the morning so they are able to make it to their next destination.  They cover more miles per day than the casual hiker so it's important for them to hit the trail as early as possible.  At Carter, they told one of the staff members that they wanted to head out around 7.  Unfortunately this is when breakfast starts.  At other huts, the crew is always able to give something to Hansel and Gretel before the other guests eat.  This Carter crew member didn't seem to understand this but said they usually start preparing at 6:30.  So, 6:30am Hansel and Gretel stood in an empty dinning room listening to the echos of distant snorers.  Food preparations started at 6:45 and Hansel and Gretel ended up with some oatmeal and pancakes to go.  Gretel was so angry.  They were just so accustom to the staff being awesome, and the Carter Crew was a huge disappointment.  At least the hut itself was amazing.

They quickly forgot their frustration with Carter Crew because the Trail that day was very difficult.  They had to climb over three mountains!  The day ended at the White Mountain Hostel, which was terrific.  They were actually given spare clothes so they could wash all their dirty laundry.  The people running the hostel took them to the store for a resupply and then to dinner!  They are a little behind schedule mostly because of their delays before Madison Hut, they are hoping they will be able to make up some time in Maine. The Whites are a really difficult part of the trail and Hansel and Gretel have been pushing themselves extremely hard to stay on track.  Right now they expect to finish on the 18th or 19th of July.  The end is near!!

Happy Trails!

Beautiful sunset views before getting to Carter Notch Hut

Gretel pauses to admire the view.  The Whites truly are magnificent!

New Gear and Chilly Nights

A black lab barked it's greeting as Hansel and Gretel rolled into their shelter at 8:30pm tonight.  They spent the day resupplying and refreshing in town.  For $2 they were able to wash their clothes and another $2 bought them a shower.  They also were able to upgrade some of their gear.  Both have been lining their sleeping bags with what is called a "mummy sack."  It's just a thin liner that helps keep their sleeping bags cleaner.  When Gretel pulled her mummy sack out of the drier, it was pretty clear that mom and dad's old moth-eaten, whole-ridden sleeping bag liner need to be replaced.  They also purchased a new filter for their water.  On the trail, water often comes from creeks and streams, so it is important to filter it properly so as not to ingest bacteria and other germs that might be floating around in the water. Their old fiter was extremely slow, so even though this new filter coast a pretty penny, it's nice to finish the job a bit quicker.

Before heading back to camp, Hansel and Gretel squeezed in another savory meal.  Hansel had the Boat House Burger and Gretel, a vegan burger.  After their last mistake of inhaling their meal at the all-you-can-eat-buffet, they practiced pacing themselves and coaching each other through the meal so as not to destroy their bellies yet again.  

"Ok, put down the burger.  Take a sip of water.  Chat.  Pick up the burger.  Chew."  It took will power and team work, but this new consumption strategy was so effective, they even had enough room to split a home made blackberry cobbler desert!  

As the night was coming to a close, Gretel said she was hoping for a warmer night tonight.  Yesterday the temperature dropped down to 15 degrees and when they woke up, there was snow on the ground!  Tomorrow will be a very steep hike.  10 miles straight up hill.  Good luck! 

Sleep well and happy trails!

First attempt at hitch hiking lead to a successful trip to the grocery store!

Most ladies carry a smaller purse to the store.