trail fact: Oldest female section hiker. The oldest female section-hiker completed the Trail in 1998 at the age of 77, after 8 years of section-hiking.
New Hampshire
Hanover
"It is better to fail in originality
than to succeed in imitation."
July 2000.
In the days before Hanover, No Whey had been having problems from her hip belt rubbing on her lower back. By the time we got to town it had developed in to an abscess on the skin. She was in a lot of pain and decided to go to the hospital. They had to cut open and drain the abscess to allow the infection to try to heal. (Luckily she couldn't see the open wound because it was pretty bad.) We all felt terrible knowing that she was going to have to get off the trail to let it heal. The next day her dad drove up from Boston and I said goodbye, not knowing when or if she was going to be able to return and finish the trail. It was hard to see her go after we had all been hiking together for the last 2 weeks. I cannot imagine how hard it was for her to leave, knowing that she made it to New Hampshire and was so close to Maine. It's your biggest fear as a thru-hiker, getting injured, especially when you become mentally strong. Then to get injured, you feel so helpless. Your mind wants you to keep going but you can't. I could relate easily when I thought back to the foot pain I had in the beginning of my hike.
The AT goes right through the town of Hanover, NH and the campus of Dartmouth College. There are 3 fraternities at the college which allow thru-hikers to stay in their house for free. I stayed at the Tabbard House with about 12 other thru-hikers.
Journal Entry 7.12.00
"8:45pm at Moose Mountain Shelter. A mere 11 miles out of town, but at least I made the break. It's always so tempting to stay, especially in a town like Hanover. Lots of people in town - Red Forest, Two Stepper, L'Escargot, Horses Trot, Goodwheels, No Whey and Good Vibe. The trail out of town was easy and I got here to find Forbin and Mable and Elderberry (section hiker). It feels so wonderful to be in New Hampshire!"
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