ZERO IN NORTH WOODSTOCK

AT Day 124: Wednesday,  August 9, 2023

SOBO Mile 1825 

North Woodstock

Distance Hiked – 0 miles/km

Total Distance Hiked: 2018.4 miles/3248 km 

We decided to take a zero in North Woodstock today. We needed a rest and a mental reset. We also needed to shop for our resupply and I had to get new shoes. The 370 miles through Maine and New Hampshire have destroyed my Altra Olympus shoes. Not even the rocks of Pennsylvania caused this much damage so quickly to my previous pair. 

The weather was not as bad as previously predicted. The morning was cool, very windy and overcast but without rain. Still hard to know what it’s like up in the mountains.  We did hear later in the day that the wind up on the ridge was knocking hikers off their feet.

We walked the one mile to the nearby town of Lincoln to shop. It is a bigger and much busier town.  A grocery store and an outfitter were across the road from each other. We got everything we needed and headed to the Moon Bakery for brunch. I had the best coffee I’ve had on this hike so far and the Full Moon breakfast burrito restored our peace with the world.

 

Jen from the Old Colonial Ski Club came and picked us up from Lincoln. We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on the blog, news from home and making arrangements for the rest of the hike and afterwards.

Late afternoon we went out for a walk and to have dinner. It was an incredibly beautiful, warm and summery afternoon. We sat outside, had dinner and a beer at Woodstock Brewery. The afternoon had a real holiday feeling to it. The rocks, and muddy bogs and boulder scrambling of the trail felt like a world away. Despite the scratches and bumps and bruises on my body I was feeling normal for a change. Could it be the beginning of a town vortex, when you just don’t want to leave. North Woodstock was picture postcard perfect on this midweek afternoon. 

We had pre-booked accommodation at The Notch Hostel in North Woodstock for tomorrow night. We couldn’t change or cancel this booking when we arrived on Tuesday.  So tomorrow we will hike 16 miles from Route 3 to Kinsman Notch and have another night in a comfortable bed.  Some people choose to slackpack this section of trail but Hammer was not having any of it. So full packs it will be for us.