The Notch!

People tell me that I can be forgetful and that I often lose things. I always just ignored them until this last week or so on the trail. I have lost so many things it is really pretty hilarious. At least it is for me, it’s a lot less funny for the people that walk behind me and find all of my stuff. Since I started on the trail I have managed to misplace: a pair of smart wool socks, a shirt, 2 guide books, Mabel’s leash, Mabel’s bag, a journal, a list of email address of all the people I have met so far on the trail, a platypus bladder, Go Pro lens cover and a Swiss Army Knife. Ironically, even though I laugh with disbelief when people tell me I lose things too often, I am surprised by all the things I haven’t lost. I guess that’s why the group and I decided that my autobiography should be titled “A Series of Contradictions.” I guess there are only two things I hope to have when I reach Springer Mountain, Mabel and my wallet. In that order. If I can manage that, I will consider myself lucky.

Anyway back to the topic at hand, The Notch! The Notch, or The Mahoosuc Notch, is considered to be the hardest mile on the AT. It’s not that uncommon for hikers to spend up to 3 hours in The Notch. It is a valley flanked by two steep bluffs, in which south bounders begin on the north east corner of the valley and follow the huge boulder field to the south west corner. There are caves formed by fallen rock that have ice and snow preserved in the dark corners and there are huge ledges that you can stand on and look ahead. It’s really hard to describe in a way that captures how cool this trail section is. That being said, it was so talked up that by the time we got there it seemed way easier than we expected.

A couple days ago the group, also known as “The Breakfast Club” rolled into Andover, ME via the second road crossing. We hitched our way into town with a really nice guy from North Carolina who had tried to hike the trail a few years ago and broke his ankle. He was back in Maine because he was working on hiking all highest mountains in each state. Anyway, we got into town and killed a bunch of cheeseburgers, candy, soda, strawberitas (don’t judge) and ice cream. Then we went to the post office and I found out that the package I was waiting on hadn’t been delivered and I would need to stay another day. Shuffle was already planning on staying at The Cabin, a local hostel, so I decided to join her. The only catch is that the post office didn’t open till 8:30 AM. Which would mean the group would be miles ahead. I was disappointed but Shuffle was going to wait till I got my package and we would try to catch the group together.

The Cabin was one of the most hospitable places I have been in my life. The owners Earl and Marge are the most friendly and welcoming people I have met on the trail. They are an elderly couple that seem to love their hiker customers, almost to a fault. If I really wanted to, I am sure they would have put us up for free. We ate an amazing dinner of bbq chicken and corn, followed by a huge breakfast of fruit, blueberry pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy. Shuffle and I had a blast. Mabel and I slept out in a pop-up trailer for only $15 and I slept like a baby.

When we set out the next day we didn’t get on the trail until 10 AM because my package was actually not late, it had been delivered to the wrong address. As we hiked over the next few days, always just behind the rest of our group, everyone we talked to had something to say about the Notch which was getting closer every day. They all seemed to have mentionitis. Nearly all of them would look at Mabel and say, “you are taking her through the Notch!?” By the time we actually reached it, we were tierd of hearing about it. It took all of my conscious power to enjoy it without all the mental noise we had picked up from the few days leading up to it. It’s a lot like hearing about a movie for weeks before seeing it. By the time you actually see it, you already have so many overblown expectations in all directions its hard to judge it fairly. It was so talked up that by the time we got close, Shuffle and I were calling every little rock laying in the trail The Notch. We would go down a steep hill and and say “Man we were really notching back there!”

Despite all the hype, we really did thoroughly enjoy ourselves. We both really tried to approach it with an open mind and I think we did great. The real hero of the day was not The Notch, it was Mabel. She is a wonder dog, that I do not deserve.

She has kept an amazing attitude this entire trip. She will do any task that I ask her to and she has unending source of strength that I can’t comprehend. The hike in Maine and New Hampshire is tough for me but she has to bound over boulders that are twice her size over and over again for miles. In the Notch, the boulders require  you to climb in all directions. Up, down, left, right, sideways, backwards, through, and under. I placed a youtube clip below of us moving through the Notch together for you to get an idea of what it was like. The video doesn’t do the boulders justice. She gave her best try to climb every section but when she couldn’t she waited patiently for me to hoist her up and on to the next challenge. I am so proud of her and impressed with the simple devotion she possess. I am doing my best to contemplate what I can learn from her over this trip. I can definitely say that this trip had brought me closer to her and for that I am extremely grateful.

We crossed into New Hampshire the day before yesterday and we are chilling in Gorham, NH about to head into The White Mountains. I haven’t had a chance to post about all the amazing adventures we had in Maine because I have little time but I thoroughly enjoyed every mile in Maine and I can’t wait to go back and visit it some day.

My next major stop is below. Feel free to send me the following things if you want to send something:

• Money 😉
• Trader Joe’s dehydrated Mangoes!
• Pasta Sides
• Breathe Right Strips
• Beef Jerky
• Snickers
• Protein powder
• Trail mix
• Fruit Snacks
• Starbucks Via packets
• Breakfast Essentials
• Boil in bag brown rice
• Other goodies

If I can’t use it, there will be a hiker in need near by I am sure!

Send to:

James Puckett
C/O General Delivery
Lincoln, NH 03251
Please Hold for AT Hiker
ETA 8/6/2013