United stats is a very beautiful country, may be it looks more beautiful because it give you easy access to the natural beauties, whereas in India you'll need little pain to go to a scenic place. Here I travel on I93 in NH and all around me is greenery, they have such a great infrastructure that u can reach 100 miles (more than 160KM) in 1.5 hours, the second thing I am inpressed by U.S. is their infrastructure. I dream the same thing for India.
So let's come to main point, I am planed for a day long trek and since there is not partener, I decided to go alone. I know it's little crazy but I think I'll enjoy alot in this trek. Even when I go with my friends many times I just trek little seperated from them enjoying the beautiful nature, and sound of water or birds,, or my ipod is allways with me. So going alone was not a big prob with me. I found a great 8.9mile trek called
franconia ridge which is said to be one of the most dramatic hikes of new england area. I think I am gonna enjoy it. So I just packed my backpack and started at early morning 7-7:15 at my
Azera. Weather is cool, I am driving at around 75mph, ya I know it's little higher than the limit(65), but I want to start early. But on the way when I was trying to overtake a car, I realized that that is Police car, oh my, now I am at 70 and I am on the left lane, where I am suppose to go when I have to overtake, somehow I tried to overtake them being under the 70. Now I was leading them at 70, after some time the car overtook me. I was just follwing them at normal speed. After 15-20 minuts they went somewhere else hfff.
So I reached there at 9am. The good thing about this place was, the trail starts at highway only, so I had no problem in looking for the way to go. I remember when last time Me and Bharat went to Mt. washington, we got very late because more than half of the way was not the highway and we had difficuly to find the way too.
I parked the car lookeed here and there, reduced some weight, took some snaps and started. At the starting only I started hearing souund of flowing water. Oh man, I love this sound. The very beautiful music of water removes all the tiredness out of you. Starting part was very nice. The trek is around 3 + 3 + 3. First 3 to Mt lincoln then other 3 from Mt. Lincoln to Mt. Hafayette and other 3 from there to down again. There was a wood bridge over the flowing water so I took right and went over the bridge. There I found a very nice thing. I saw a box containing a register where you are requested to register yourself, like which trail u r fololowing (there were more than one trails starting from there), and how much big is the group, and how much time u r gonna take. I wrote 7 hrs. I was going beside the water stream, and enjoying with the extreme. There were few very nice water falls on the way. Near one water fall I thought let me take pic from the front so I started going to the front over the water, but my shoe slipped, I lost balance and I was lying on the ground. Now I saw the camera which was lying on the water. I carefully went there and picked it up. I got good design on the front side. That's OK. Not a great damage to me and to my cam.
One good thing about this incident/exident was I was extra careful now. there were many more dangarous places later I went thru, where If I would have slipped as earlier, it would have given me more trouble. So whatever happens, it happens for good ;). Later I found a nice group. a tall water fall (see the pix).
Then the trail entered the jungle. It was a dence jungle, as the pix taken inside were also dark. I was hearing romantic songs on my ipod. suddenly I realized that there is no sound coming from outside. I paused the song, and there was no sound. In India u'll listen to many birds and all but It was totally silence there, strange.
When the jungle finished I was rocks where we were climbing. Later I realized I am not on the right trek. Actually I took the round anticlockwise whereas I palnned for clockwise. Actually I was not supposed to take the wood brodge. That's OK. Now after some time I was over the jungle, and big rocks. Now it was totally open area. After half a mile I reached on top of a hill, I think it ws little haystack. Then after some more trek I reached the
My Lincoln. wow what a great place. I took some rest there.
Then after going thru the real trek I reached socond big mountain,
Mt Lafayette. A 5260 ft highmountain. The view from there was very very beautiful. I was totally enjoying the place, and I was glade that I came here. Really This trek is worth doing. I was stayed there for around 15-20 minuts.
Now the next target was greenleaf hut, around 1.2mile from there. But it took so much time to reach there. When I reached there the other group which was trekking with me was there. A girl asked that 'r u follwing us; just kidding', I told 'earlier u were follwing me ;)'. It was very nice hut. Had the facility to stay also. the hut was totally green in terms of energy. There is no energy supply from down. it generates the energy from solar panels and wind fan. If it's cludy and no wind then they burn some propene to get the work done. I like the concept very much. There on a table there were tea, coffee, donuts and cold drink. and a plate contained some dollars and coins. Price list was pasted on the wall. U r supposed to put the money and take what u want by yourself. Good. There were few books also. I stayed there for around 10 minuts.
Now I had to reach down. It was 3:30 or 4, so I was allready legging on time. I thought I'll go down quickly, but no it was a teepy climb down, and I was very tired so it was taking much longer than my expectation. This part of the trek was most tiring.
When I was totally tired, I heard flowing water sound, so I knew I am near the end. At last, I reached at the same wood bridge. I thought let's take a snap by self timer on the bridge. I sted the camera I never used the self timer earlier successfully. I was standing on a pose, but nothing happend I reached to camera to set it again, but it started raining, so I sterted going towards the trail's end. the rain was heavy so I took my IISc jacket out. And in 100 meters I my jackat was totally wet. I thank god that the rain didn't start earlier. If the rain would have started on the way down. I was totally screwed.
So here my trek was completed. Wow very nice but tiring trek. I enjoyed it toooooooooo much. My 9.5 pts to Franconia Ridge.
On the way back to home, it was a worst thunder storm I have ever seen in my life. On the hight way where min speed is 45, cars were going at the speed of 30. after some time I took exit to fill the car. and then it was not that much rain. It's good that it was not dark other wise driving would have become more difficult. When it was dark, rain was no longer there. Good. I think GOD is with me today. Thnks my friend.
