Monday, October 7, 2024

FINALLY CAUGHT UP!!

I have officially completed one of my longest "backlogged spells" to date! I don't think this collection of writings has been up-to-date since June... but it is now! (for now...).

I've gone on some awesome hikes in the summer/early fall, and now that I'm forced to slow down (thanks marching band...) I was able to edit my photos and get everything posted. This is also a great time for a check-in with my goals and think about how I want the rest of the year to go.

As of October 6th, 2024...
87 hikes. 
540.40 miles.
123,824 feet.
I find the stats interesting compared to last years'. I finished last year at 113 hikes, which is 26 more than I currently have done. I finished last year with 667.06 miles, which is 126.66 more than I currently have done. I finished last year with 127,353 feet, which is only 3,529 feet more than I currently have done. I think there is a chance that I get close to matching the number of hikes, very small chance I meet the miles, and a very high chance I surpass the elevation. It definitely validates that I've been hiking more difficult peaks this year! I am in a very good place for my overall yearly goal (100 hikes, 500 miles, 100,000 feet), seeing as I only need to hit 13 more hikes to complete the goal. Yay!

Now looking back at my last goal setting post from May...

Reviewing the main goals:
1. Hike 100 hikes; 500 miles; 100,000 feet. [ALMOST COMPLETE] 
2. Continue progress on NH48 and 52WAV - let's say 10 hikes devoted to these lists. [COMPLETE - 14 SO FAR] 
3. Complete the VT5. (Pushing this to next year - I hyper-focused on NH48, and that is great!)
4. 52 Hike Challenge 2024. [ON TRACK] 
5. Complete the Sunrise Six Challenge. [COMPLETE] 
6. Hike Mt. Monadnock at least one time. [COMPLETE] 
7. Commit to some summer challenge when in NJ - [COMPLETE]
8. Complete Castle in the Clouds Patch. [COMPLETE]

Completed goals/challenges in 2024: 
1. Blue Hills 500 Miles 
2. Blue Hills 125 Mile Club (2nd time) 
3. Blue Hills Winter Trace 
4. Sunrise Six 
5. Castle in the Clouds 
6. Wapack Trail (this was a last-minute addition)
7. Mt. Washington To the Top Award (I forgot I bought this patch off eBay forever ago)

Specific goals for June: 
1. Hike at least one 52 [DONE]
2. Hike at least one 4k [DONE]
3. Be out in the woods as much as possible. [DONE]
4. Maybe get a cheap tent and overnight at a campground? [Medium! I ended up getting a room at the Days Inn Lincoln for a few nights in June, car camped before my Mt. Success hike, and finally tent camped before my Roger's Ledge hike! Still no multi-night, and still no backpacking]

New Jersey Challenge - While I don't think I'll complete it, I want to make an effort to get to Harimann State Park at least once a week in July, doing one shelter hike a week. [DONE - I didn't finish the challenge, but I hit 7/10 shelters!]

Now looking forward...

I have completed 51 out of the 52 With-a-View and 42 out of the New Hampshire 48. I am pausing my work on the 52 to continue work on the 48, hoping to end with Mt. Moriah and Shelburne Moriah in one hike. I also want to hit Mt. Garfield and the Kinsmans again, hopefully sooner this fall? I have a weird mental thing where I don't want to double-dip 4000-footer lists (i.e., I hiked those two in winter, but I want those two specific hikes to only count for either the normal 48 or the winter 48, so I need to hike them again...). Before I finish these lists, I also need to finish my "vault" posts for my early 52s. When I finish, I want to compile all of my write-ups to a big document, like a mini-book.

I only have one hike left for the Ossipee 10, so I'd love to bang that out before the end of the year!

It would be nice to get another Friends of the Watatic hike in before the end of the year, too.

Looking further, I'd also like to get back into the Belknaps - either gridding or redlining.


Finally, my updated goal list for the remainder of 2024...
1. Hike 100 hikes; 500 miles; 100,000 feet.
2. 52 Hike Challenge 2024.
3. Finish the Ossipee 10. 
4. At least one more Friends of Wapack Hike.

I think that's all I got for now! It's been a great year full of achievement, so I'm really happy with my progress. Here's to more!

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