It was freezing out last night. I wore my down jacket and down pants into the sleeping bag with me when I got into bed. And even then I had to snuggle all the way in just to stay warm enough. But I love that. I slept like a log in the ice chamber. 

I woke up hungry but once again, breakfast was a struggle. I popped my last antibiotic as I choked down a bit of bread and hoped to all hope that once these antibiotics were done that I’d be able to eat again. I was confident I could. And so ready. 

The day started with a 6 mile walk to Mahousic Notch. For those of you not familiar, Mahousic Notch is the slowest mile on the AT. It is a massive boulder field and it requires you to climb over some, under others and around the rest. It’s a puzzle to get through. Some people say it’s their favorite mile of the trail. Others hate it. I had done it once in summer camp. It took us 3 hours to go one mile.

By the time I got to the boulder field, I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. I had moved slow all morning, unable to get the energy up to move at a real pace. 

But when I hit the boulders, it was like a switch was thrown. Suddenly I felt alive. I practically laughed out loud as I threw myself around these big rocks. As music played in my headphones I even did a few random dance moves to celebrate some of my cooler moves. 

I was loving it. It was rock climbing, hiking and stratego all mixed into one mile. I tried to go through with my pack on the whole way, but a few times I begrudgingly had to take it off and drag it behind me through a narrow gap. 

There was one section where I had to go under a few boulders. As I went down, the temperature fell with me. It was cool. But it was dark. I had a moment of claustrophobia sink in. But suddenly I was out the other side. Already looking for the next boulder to pass. 

As I left the notch, I checked my watch. It had taken just about 90 minutes to go that one mile. But, i have to admit, it probably was my favorite mile yet.

It was less fun after the notch. After the notch, we climbed. And climbed. I just had to go to low gear and hope it would end one day. But then, just as I got to the top, I stopped. “no way!”

It was blue jeans and Father Time! They had, since blue jeans was running out of time on his visa, flipped up to Katahdin and were now hiking back. Father Time to North Adams, where they had walked to and where he lived. And Blue Jeans as far as he could make it. We sat up at the top chatting for 20 minutes before realizing we each had places to get off to.

I set up camp .4 miles before a stream meaning I had to walk an extra 0.4 to the stream and then back with water. But I was done for the day. It was time. 

I needed food after a day like that and I remembered what my internet doctor had recommended I eat. And so, I broke my no instant mashed potatoes rule. And I choked down a bag of those and still made it to bed by 8. 

Miles: 13

Elevation gained: 4600 ft

Mile marker: 1930

Days since I had instant mashed potatoes: 0