All Quiet on the Eastern Front
No gunfire can be heard, no shouts or bleeding soldiers, no cries of pain, no missiles. All that comes on Sunday. Until then, enjoy the beautiful foliage.
[Update 9/26: VT50 was awesome. tMail's northern Presi Trip was awesome. Trip reports to follow after I get home from work this evening.]
tMail's Trip Report: Madison...Bam! Adams...Bam!
The parking lot was totally jammed when I got there and I got the last "normal" spot without parking on the road or the grass. There was a huge group in front of me from Massachusetts that was taking Airline up to Adams...I was going to hit Adams first but decided I didn't want to deal with people so I took Valley Way to Madison...in my head I said I was going to beat the group going for Adams. I saw 1 person on Valley Way a guy and his dog coming down that stayed the night on the ridge. I talked to him briefly I was covered in sweat he said he almost froze to death in his 20 degree bag and not for his dog might have frozen...he had a 20 degree bag but said the cold front lingered last night...he said sky was crystal clear and the stars were amazing....I pushed to Madison took some pictures and then headed towards Adams. I passed the group going up to Adams...took some pictures and passed them on my way down....my knee felt great going down I am almost normal going down 70%...couple more months and the muscle I think will be back to normal. Those rock piles kick the shit out of you....Camels Hump and Mansfield were clear as day. Weather was beautiful, I had to put my Northface Cipher on while standing on the summit with mostly Canadians...I also did some research on where the hell Adams slide is I asked this guy that looked like he was either born in Kings Ravine or lives there if he heard of Adams Slide and he said, " you mean old Avalanche Slide"...I was like...aaaaa...yeah I guess he showed me and I took some pictures...this thing looks f'n insane...there is one section I think you have to bush whack to get through...I will post the pick. Who knows if he was right...someone post the Adams slide map.
One of the most interesting conversation that happened ever for me...about 3/4 of the way down Airline was with this Japanese guy. I talked to him for about 10-15 minutes he was attempting a Presi Traverse with a 70lbs pack...what he was trying to do today was go from Airline to either Crag Camp or Gray Knob this was at 1.50pm...he was still thinking he could do this while tagging Madison and Adams. I made the decision to tell him this was totally not possible and that his option at this time was to make it to Madison Hut (closed) and just camp somewhere there. I told him the weather tonight and tomorrow was going to be terrible and to make no attempt to go across the Gulf Side Trail, which he intended and camp his 2nd nite in Edmunds Col which is Hurricane Alley. I told him bad choice...I told him go to Madison stay there all tomorrow or go back down Valley way and maybe try Monday. There is a significant chance he will get lost or be missing...but I made every attempt to warn him NOT to try for Crag Camp or Gray Knob...
Anyway...after I talked to him I got to thinking if I ruined his day or did the right thing...I tried setting him straight and making it realistic for him...I guess it is that fine line similar to winter hiking when you wonder if you should tell someone...don't attempt to go above tree line.
Anyway it was a great day...89 total peaks completed on the grid total time today was 5 hours 25 minutes...including the convo with Japanese guy...
bam! bam! bam!
ReplyDeletewhile tmail is out rescuing blue jeaned-flip flopped coed on the northern presi...I just knocked off the seacoast century...19.2 mph avg (about a third of the ride was solo since I rode from home and cut out some loops)..it was the anti-gaps ride....the elevation gain was all from the bridges over the rivers and those you had to walk your bike because of metal grates...the bonus was 2999 other riders, tandems, recumbents, recumbent tandems, and trail-a-bikes to dodge, bob and weave..... glad to be home.
ReplyDeleteTrip Report:
ReplyDeleteMadison...Bam! Adams...Bam!
The parking lot was totally jammed when I got there and I got the last "normal" spot without parking on the road or the grass. There was a huge group in front of me from Massachusetts that was taking Airline up to Adams...I was going to hit Adams first but decided I didn't want to deal with people so I took Valley Way to Madison...in my head I said I was going to beat the group going for Adams. I saw 1 person on Valley Way a guy and his dog coming down that stayed the night on the ridge. I talked to him briefly I was covered in sweat he said he almost froze to death in his 20 degree bag and not for his dog might have frozen...he had a 20 degree bag but said the cold front lingered last night...he said sky was crystal clear and the stars were amazing....I pushed to Madison took some pictures and then headed towards Adams. I passed the group going up to Adams...took some pictures and passed them on my way down....my knee felt great going down I am almost normal going down 70%...couple more months and the muscle I think will be back to normal. Those rock piles kick the shit out of you....Camels Hump and Mansfield were clear as day. Weather was beautiful, I had to put my Northface Cipher on while standing on the summit with mostly Canadians...I also did some research on where the hell Adams slide is I asked this guy that looked like he was either born in Kings Ravine or lives there if he heard of Adams Slide and he said, " you mean old Avalanche Slide"...I was like...aaaaa...yeah I guess he showed me and I took some pictures...this thing looks f'n insane...there is one section I think you have to bush whack to get through...I will post the pick. Who knows if he was right...someone post the Adams slide map.
One of the most interesting conversation that happened ever for me...about 3/4 of the way down Airline was with this Japanese guy. I talked to him for about 10-15 minutes he was attempting a Presi Traverse with a 70lbs pack...what he was trying to do today was go from Airline to either Crag Camp or Gray Knob this was at 1.50pm...he was still thinking he could do this while tagging Madison and Adams. I made the decision to tell him this was totally not possible and that his option at this time was to make it to Madison Hut (closed) and just camp somewhere there. I told him the weather tonight and tomorrow was going to be terrible and to make no attempt to go across the Gulf Side Trail, which he intended and camp his 2nd nite in Edmunds Col which is Hurricane Alley. I told him bad choice...I told him go to Madison stay there all tomorrow or go back down Valley way and maybe try Monday. There is a significant chance he will get lost or be missing...but I made every attempt to warn him NOT to try for Crag Camp or Gray Knob...
Anyway...after I talked to him I got to thinking if I ruined his day or did the right thing...I tried setting him straight and making it realistic for him...I guess it is that fine line similar to winter hiking when you wonder if you should tell someone...don't attempt to go above tree line.
Anyway it was a great day...89 total peaks completed on the grid total time today was 5 hours 25 minutes...including the convo with Japanese guy...