Summer Vacation

 This was another day of changed plans.  We were going to hike with friends, but they got too busy so we decided to meet for dinner.  Under the new plan, I hiked solo in the morning while Gail went for a swim at a state park, then in the afternoon we would do a short hike on the way to dinner.

Encouraged by the weather forecast for the higher summits, I wanted to take the trailhead nearest the lodge and get up above treeline.  Gail dropped me off a little after 5 am with plans to pick me up at 11:30.  

 I went up the Castle Ravine Trail until I got to what I thought was above treeline.  The weather wasn't too bad, certainly nothing like what was predicted, but I was glad I had on long underwear, a hat and gloves.  These rocks were extremely slippery, and being alone I decided I'd gone far enough.  It was pretty tempting to continue just a little farther to see what the Roof Rock labeled on the map was.  I don't think I was above 4000', not above treeline, just on a jumble of exposed rocks.

Turns out this is what Roof Rock is.  On my way up I'd gone left at a tricky spot and that was just enough to miss the actual trail that goes through this cave.  It reminded me of the time Mary Ellen didn't see the UPS truck we were walking past: I'm pretty sure I don't have a brain tumor though.

On the way down, I misread the map and instead of descending to a ridge (?), I climbed a vertical wall for about a half-mile.  At least there was a nice view from the top of where I'd hiked.  When I was almost done, I had my second near-catastrophe of the trip when I made a misstep on these two boulders and landed on my chest to the right of them.  It just knocked the wind out of me so I sat on one of them to regain my composer before continuing.  I finished more than an hour early for my meet-up with Gail so I thought I'd see how "post"-pandemic hitchhiking would go.  It didn't go well.  But when I got to the Jefferson View Motel I stood by the driveway where even the people going 70 mph on Rt. 2 could have a chance to pull off.  No one did.  Fortunately for me, the owner was heading out and going my way so he took me all the way to the turnoff for the lodge.  If you're ever looking for a place to stay in northern NH, don't hesitate to call them.  Private cabins and snowmobiles available, and cheaper if you book directly through them instead of using an online app.