Adams and Tears of Joy

June 14, 1015

Trails: Airline, Lowe's Path, Gulfside, Valley Way

Not a problem today. 

There have been lots of tears in the last year.  Lots of sadness, confusion, anger.  Not much has made me happy, very few smiles.  Yeah, I summited Katahdin, but remember I sprained my ankle on the way?  I’ve bagged a few peaks, done a long traverse, slept in shelters and huts.  However, nothing has brought me the intense, overpowering joy as my hike to Adams.  It was hard, it took a long time, there were way too many wolf spiders, and the black flies were just beyond evil.  As I got back to the trailhead, an inescapable wave of emotion washed over me.  Joy.  I just broke out in tears as I walked back to my car.  I can’t remember the last time I felt like that.  I am so ready to do it again...once the soreness ends.

This was not my first attempt at Adams.  After my failed Presidential traverse, I went up Airline , but took the cut off and just did Madison.  I tried again a few months later and remarked at how easy it was to hop up the summit cone, but, it was not to be.  When I did my AT section hike with the Interstate Trail Dames (we made that up), I considered going up Lowe’s and meeting my friends at the hut, but the Gulfside Trail pretty much killed me.  I had considered Adams so many times, had my pack ready, but the trips never happened.  It did on Sunday. I woke up late because I could not get sleep.  I really wanted to do Adams, so I got ready and left.  

My departure time was 10am.  I talked to a few rangers who had set up a table.  We talked LNT, some WFA.  I departed taking Airline.  It is a tough, steep, and in some parts, scrambly trail, but it is worth every drop of sweat.  There is a section I have called Mordor, but I did not recognize it in the bright sunshine.  Every now and again, you have to stop and look behind you, not just do you see how high you have climbed, but you see the beautiful land below.  I will admit, it took me forever to reach treeline, but somehow, I made a bit above book time.  I had a brief lunch break because, well, I was tired.  So glad I did because treeline was, in fact, much further away.  At treeline, I made an executive decision. I was just going to mosey and take my damn time.  And besides, it was too damn hot. First time I did not like my very light Ibex wool shirt. But I got over it quick.

Wait for it...Wait for it

There is NO TURNING BACK NOW

I huffed and puffed to a nice spot, sat down, and just, well, sat there.  Seriously, you can just get to the ridge and call it a day it is so beautiful.  I had a sandwich, caffeine gel, water.  I took pictures.  I finally sewed the elastic into my skirt.  Little issue that needed my attention.  Nothing a dollar needle and thread kit cannot fix.  Took some more pictures.  Looked at the map.  It had to be at least 45 minutes, but I need time for my food to digest, otherwise it is a hard, loud trip.  I should have taken an hour.  Going up to Gulfside was rough.  Tummy not digesting.  Pressure on diaphragm making it hard to catch my breath.  Gas building up.  And...BELCH.  And some that would make drunk frat boys jealous.  I once scared my friends.  They thought it was a bear, but it was just the turkey on pumpernickel with a pickle.  Guess I should bring gas tablets.  

Not today James

Did a little wardrobe fixing.  Yes, I had compression short on, no mooning.

The perfect lunch spot

Yeah, I knew it was getting late, but I had a lamp and spare batteries.  Got to my nemesis, Gulfside.  Don’t let people fool you.  Only about .4 of the trail is paved like a sidewalk.  I guess that is when Edmands died.  The rest from the first Jefferson loop to just past Lowe’s is bouldery HELL.  Tippy boulderly HELL.  And gaps in the slanted boulders HELL.  When I finally did the whole trail last summer, I actually melted down at Madison hut.  There were many many many many many words.  Luckily, I knew I would not have to deal with it for a while.  How long, I had no clue.  

Going up?

Yup, up there

As I headed up Airline to Adams, I remembered how easy it seemed them.  I am almost 2 years older.  I sprained my ankle on the Tablelands.  Easy was not the word this time.  DAMN, there are so many DAMN rocks.  And spiders crawling everywhere.  They didn’t bother me, but the black flies did.  OMG the black flies.  I could not catch my breath because they would just swarm.  Now, when I did it earlier, I did not get far up the summit cone.  I did this time.  Again, DAMN, with scrambling.  Another executive decision...I was going down Lowe’s, no question.  I had my phone playing music and I swear it played the most appropriate songs, even if it was just alphabetical.  Toward the summit, I hear the Smiths.  

When you say it's gonna happen "now"

well, when exactly do you mean?

see I've already waited too long

and all my hope is gone

Except, my hope was not gone.  I had waited too long, and it was going to happen NOW.  OK, it summited to a Dido song, but you get the idea.  I did it.  Johnny Boy no longer laughed at me.  All the Presidents are done.  Of course, I will return to their summits, but for this round, they are done.  I even have one in winter.  I wish the black flies would have let me be because I could have stayed there forever.  And the ladybug was too busy to do her job apparently.  Madison was cool, Monroe was awesome, Pierce is nice, Eisenhower is great, Jefferson is interesting, Clay is unique.  Washington is a summit to do.  Adams is different.  Maybe it is the toughness.  I mean 4500ft elevation gain is nothing to laugh at.  I have pictures, even a pano, but really, it cannot explain that peak.  It is like nothing I have experienced.  

The snowfield.  No snow angels for me.

What is a trip without a random guy photobombing?

Yeah, I don't like this one.  I am going to have to go up again and take a better picture. ;)

Slightly better, but still need another trip up

Stop tempting me James

I will say this, going down Lowe’s Path was the best decision I made all day.  Not easy, but not dodging crooked rocks with the spiders.  I make it back to Gulfside where I must face some demons.  These are not the demons a SOBO faces, but pretty tough.  It did get to that nice sidewalk.  Back to gnarly, then sidewalk, then stairs to the hut.  I took a brief break, peed, got water, lemonade, and some of those fantastic Folger's Crystals.  Don’t knock it, that stuff is freaking awesome after 8 hours of hiking.  No sugar or milk needed.  I was quite jealous of those staying at the hut.  I signed the book, talked to a few guests who were wondering why I was leaving.  Damn work.  I will be back.  I mean I only have Madison for August, same day too, I think, just a year apart.

Making peace with Gulfside

This rock so perfectly sums up how I feel about Gulfside

Valley Way is mellow compared to the other trails I did that day.  Could have made it down in two hours, but I was tired.  It slows you down.  At some points, I just wanted to get back to the car with AC and food.  I was not going to get anywhere in time for dinner.  I had chips.  I did have my first incident of the day...slipped and landed on my butt, in mud.  Wet mud.  I passed part of the trail and thought back to my experiences on it.  It was not my first headlamp trip.  Or my first fall, but this time, no header.  I could hear the road, but like the earlier portions of the trip, the closer I got, the longer it seemed to get there.  

This is not right.  Illegal campsite and way illegal fire up on Valley Way.  I hope they got caught.

When I reached the powerlines, after singing I Shot the Sheriff, it hit me.  Like a megaton of bricks.  I did it, I finally did it.  I bagged Adams.  Arms went up in joy.  They kind stayed there until I had to find the remote.  Then back up.  A fist pump here.  Hell YA there.  It had to be the best victory walk.  The people on Rt. 2 must have thought I was on drugs or something.  But I could not have cared less,  I bagged Adams.  It was the best feeling in the world.  I honestly felt like I finished my 48.  I have 5 to go, but I feel like they will be a letdown compared to this.  OK, maybe Isolation might bring a tear to my eye.  And my last will be awesome.  But nothing can top this.  NOTHING.  I just broke down in tears so many times on the way back to 93.  So many emotions.  I had wanted to take my mom’s car, but in retrospect it was probably better.  But I felt her with me.  One of my biggest hiking accomplishments 2 days before her birthday.  Damn, I am getting emotional again.   

I could write so much more.  Like the kids who asked me if I was crazy to hike by myself.  The section hikers at the hut who called Gulfside by what is should be called.  The kids who were shocked by my #18 bag.  When I told them I do 25 for overnights and weekends, they nearly fell over.  They were carrying #50.  My body is recovering, but the pain is like a badge of happiness.  The next few months will be hard and force me to question everything I thought I knew.  I will be pushed to my limits.  Maybe even over the edge.  There will be no rescue crew to help me.  But I have this. I will always have this.  They can take so many things from me, they already have, but they cannot have this.  It is mine to cherish.  And they can’t have it.