RockGirl: New Hampshire, Part I (Creepy Kid Parks and Shiny Objects)

New Hampshire is also a very beautiful place. The White Mountains are truly impressive (far more so than the Green Mountains). All of these tourist towns around here remind me of really small pigeon forges. Within my first 20 miles of NH I passed a Santa Land fun park. There are several of these creepy little children's Parks around the White Mountains. Not sure what thats all about, will have to ask my friend Matt when I get back - he is from NH.

I found my campsite at Dolly Copp Campground. Not too bad, but no island to myself... I set up camp and went exploring. First order of business - Mt. Washington. I wanted to drive my car up to the top (this is apparently some sort of feat for they have stickers you can put on your car as if to brag about it). But it was closed due to the weirdo weather (half rainy, dark and cloudy/half blue sky sunny and rainbows). probably not a good time to be at a high peak... So i settled for finding some waterfalls.

I stopped at a ranger station and bought a pass and the guy at the desk gave me some directions for a few of the trails. Again, I need to remind myself to stop listening to college boys when they say - oh its just a ...... he said i could take this trail and meet up with the other one so I didn't even have to move my car. It was "just a mile". okay. lets go. Trailhead says 1/2 mile to the pond and apparently it was another 1/2 mile to the falls, but there was no indication on the sign that this was to be the case..

Trail turned out to be super rocky and gnarly (especially when towing a dog on a string) -- it was more like a climb and all the rocks were wet from the rain so i wasn't exactly having fun. I comforted myself by saying we would just walk back along the highway to the car - thereby alleviating my having to repeat this less than enjoyable trail... I ran into another hiker going in the other direction - he had hiked up to the summit (which was beyond the magical waterfall). I asked if a waterfall were ahead and he said he didn't see one - but there was a trail that went out to the highway. okay. thats probably it. We discussed the gnarliness of the trail and he said he was almost tempted himself to take the highway back - but thought 1 more mile wouldn't be too bad. he was obviously one of those wirey dudes who hikes 15 miles a day -- but he was really nice. I got excited about the possiblity of being at the end until i got to the river and realized the trail CROSSED the river. Not creek, not stream, not gently flowing brook - a RIVER - one you would paddle. I tried to find a crossing place that was alittle more "calm" after having a little bit of a fit over the fact that dude failed to mention this part, I took off my shoes, folded up my pants and stepped down into the water - probably would have made it, too, but Oreo said "Ef a bunch of that" and took off away from the river. I tried to forge my way down the side of the river to find it, but fell twice in a small creek, banged up my shins and my elbows, cried like a 5 year old girl, pitched another fit and started huffing back toward the car via the trail from hell. I said screw it to the leash. if some ranger wanted to give me ahard time at this point - I dare him.

I was just thinking of how I was going to approach the youngin who led me down this path when BAM. Shiny object...I found mica coming out of the rocks along the trail. Huge chunks of it shining - muscovite. I am that much of a dork. I sat down and admired the rocks with the minerals eroding out - there was quartz, too. I took a few pictures and completely forgot about my banged up body, the fact that my clothes were soaked and it was getting colder. Nevermind the idiot boy back at the ranger station - I found mica. Thats it - case is closed - I am the worlds biggest nerd.

After this I had to go to the stupid falls - by car, that is, just out of pure principle. Turns out they were just below where we were supposed to cross the river. I'm kinda glad O refused to cross, if she had gotten swept up in the current - she would have gone right over them... So I am glad she put her tiny little nasty dirty foot down and refused to go in that river (she got a little muddy on the hike and is no longer white). But the falls were quite impressive. I was much happier traversing down the 475 hand cut stone steps the CCC had built to access the thing.

The actual falls were quite beautiful...

After this i headed to North Conway for some dinner and a much needed glass of wine (my treat for my heinous hike) . No sense in going back to camp when its rainy and cold.
So as i am typing this, I'm sitting in a nice Thai restaurant- sipping a glass of Merlot and listening to a douche bag try to impress some girl at the table next to me. I think they are on a first date - or early date. The kind where you ask lots of questions about your beliefs, philosophy, etc., feeling the other person out. Its these sorts of experiences that i dread as a single person. I guess I should secretly be wishing them well - but instead I'm wishing the guy would shut up because it really does sound like a douche. He just keeps going on and on about himself and barely lets her get a word in edgewise. Run girl run!