- New Hampshire state motto
Miles today: 10.3
Total miles: 1,821.4
Miles remaining: 362.8
One of my hardest days on the trail so far, both mentally and physically. Climbed Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Lafayette, and Mount Garfield. Demanding climbs and brutal weather. Once we were up on Franconia Ridge, an above-treeline exposed section with awe-inspiring views, we hit high winds and a thunderstorm that killed any hope of a view from the ridgeline. We did have brief windows of visibility on Lincoln and Garfield so I took what photos I could. The rest of the day was cold wind and rain and slippery rock climbs.
Mentally I was beaten by the weather and sorely disappointed by the missed views, but by the end of the day I'd decided to move on and forget all that. Sometimes freedom means letting go and letting the chips fall where they may. To free yourself from what you want and instead to embrace what you get. Not as an act of defeat, but to take solace in knowing that which matters most: after all the adversity of a day like today, I am still standing. Live free or die. And I'm alive and well.
Staying at Garfield Ridge shelter.
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