When one makes the start of an activity very public, as I did with this hiking stuff, I think it only fair that the conclusion (even if unexpected) also be public. I’ve been trying to come up with a witty way of writing about my early return from the hills, but haven’t been satisfied with anything I’ve come up with. This will have to suffice.

So anyway [as the modern locution goes] I’m home again.

I was out hiking for 8 days, and found out several things, including that

a) I wasn’t having a lot of fun out there this summer, because

b) the White Mountains in New Hampshire were beating me up (I could post pictures of my bruises, scrapes, and swollen ankle, but we all know nobody wants that), and

c) although I kept telling myself that “I may not be as fast as the kids out here, but I’m among the faster 62-year-olds on the Trail” it was becoming clear that even that wasn’t going to be fast enough to get me where I needed to be before night fell each evening, so

d) I was actually concerned about preserving my life and limb on this part of the Trail.

All of which added up to me deciding to get off the Trail in Franconia Notch, NH. That’s where the Trail crosses under I-93. Ann drove up and retrieved me. [THANKS, ANN, YOU’RE WONDERFUL!!] We got home earlier today.

Total miles backpacked on the Trail: 1816.7. Miles left unhiked: 373.1. If and when I go back to finish (and, frankly, at this point it’s more if than when) I will do some things differently in order to deal with the problems that arose this last week.

Anyway, thanks for playing along at home. I think I will add a few pictures and maybe some commentary at some point, so you subscribers may get further alerts that the blog has been updated.

For now, here’s a picture of my “last blaze.” The Trail turns north to the left. I turned turned to the right, heading to a parking lot from which I hitched a ride into Lincoln, NH (and then — long story — walked a couple miles up thru North Woodstock to a motel).