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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
THE WEST END NEWS | OCTOBER 2021
‘Trail folks are the nicest people I think you can meet…’ By Nancy Dorrans
ular in every direction.
Recently a friend from New Hampshire shared a post from Representative Timothy Lang from Belknap, New Hampshire, about factual versus fake information regarding Covid hospitalization numbers in all the New England states. This was a few weeks ago and I don’t know where he got his numbers, so I won’t share them. But he ended his rant on a few positive facts that I can share:
“G
o outside, actually talk to your neighbors, if you really want to meet nice people go for a hike, trail folks are the nicest people I think you can meet. The world is not ending, the sky is not falling, and your neighbors are not monsters who don’t care about you….” -Rep. Timothy Lang (R), NH
While resting and having lunch on top of Middle Moat I met a lovely couple from Pennsylvania. Two years ago, they quit their day jobs, traded their house in the suburbs for a dually pickup and a fifth wheel camper, and are now migrant workers of sort. We hiked back down together and listened to their adventurous tales… Since April they have been campground hosts at Saco River Camping Area in North Conway. They find their jobs online through Workamper News. In October they’re heading to the town of Ruth, Michigan, a rural area in the thumb. For the second year in a row they’ll help with the sugar beet harvest. She works in the scale house, and he drives a loader.
I concur. I’ve met some of the nicest people while hiking. This past month I’ve run across several of these nice “Trail Folk”.
Sugar Beet Harvest Pays Great A few weeks ago, my friend Kate and I headed over to hike “The Moats” just outside of North Conway, New Hampshire. The Moat Mountain Traverse is usually hiked from south to north. Follow the Moat Mountain Trail for 9.7 miles, beginning at the South Moat Mountain Trailhead and ending at the Diana’s Baths Trailhead on West Side Road, near Cathedral Ledge. We didn’t have two vehicles, so we opted for an out/back from South to Middle. The total hike was about 6.5 miles with 2800 feet of elevation gain. It was a bluebird day, and the views were spectac-
“Shoe Repair Gives Extra Wear”
of America’s sugar comes from a sugar beet not from sugar cane… Five to seven pounds of beets equals one pound of sugar… Michigan Sugar founded in 1906 produced 4.4 million tons of sugar last year… The Red River Valley of Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota are the big business sugar states where American Sugar and Crystal Sugar harvest ten times that.”
MOAC hikers on Old Speck Mtn. (L-R) Atticus Ford, Elaine Vadeboncoeur, Nancy Dorrans, Kate O'Rourke, and Vanessa Davy. -All photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans
passed several thru hikers on their way to Baxter Peak. Two of them, calling themThey meet a lot of folks from all of selves the “Wandering Dames” were walks of life during the harvest. Not all in more than happy to stop and share a few campers. Some are living in vans, convert- tales with us. ed ambulances, and schoolies (converted They started in Georgia in February. school buses). “It is an interesting meltThe White Mountains were humbling and ing pot, and the sugar beet harvest pays the trail in Pennsylvania is “just rocks, no great!” dirt!” Due to slight injuries on said rocks, Their plans are to head south to the they had to take some time “off trail” and Florida panhandle after the holidays and admitted they were running a bit behind. Colorado next spring through the sum- Their plan is to get off the trail before the mer. Such a sweet tale from these active 100-mile wilderness, shuttle to Baxter and interesting trail folks! State Park, summit Katahdin first, and then head south to finish where they left off. What? That’s a lot of sugar!!
Wandering Dames Full of Moxie
I have no doubt these wandering trail dames will make it! These two are advenThe following weekend I returned to turous trail folks full of courage, grit, and Old Speck Mountain in Grafton Notch Moxie! with a group of hiker friends from the So, Rep. Lang is right. If you want to Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. Dependmeet some nice people, take a hike! If you ing on the device, we either hiked 7.6 or don’t know which way to go, I’ll be happy 8.7 miles! to point you in the right direction, share Sugar beet RVers, Shella and Mike from The way up Old Speck is quite chalthe trail with you and the other trail folk! PA, chatting on the trail with Kate lenging and is also part the Appalachian O'Rourke. Trail. At the summit there is an old fire tower with a round (straight up) wrung Nancy Dorrans is currently working They shared so many sweet facts ladder. Unless you’re afraid of heights, as a Dedicated (in school) Substitute about sugar: I recommend the climb for the best Teacher at Deering High School. She figured she could do something mean360° views and photo opts! ingful while we wait for travel to be “Sugar beets grow from a softball size to a small football size… Sixty percent We followed the white blazes and safe again.
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