We loaded up on bug spray and left at 8:45. The forecast was calling for hot muggy weather so we brought a lot of water and I asked Gwen to bring her water filter in case we needed it (we ended up needing it). We were taking the Dicey’s Mill Trail which is the same trail we took back from Whiteface so I was able to see that house by the river again that I fell in love with. (see pic)
We also walked up that driveway that’s part of the trail. 
The AMC guide said this was once a logging road. We crossed a river that had logs laying over it to make the crossing easier. Once you get to the other side you go by this enormous boulder that’s like the size of a whale! The AMC guide even mentions it. It didn’t take long to start feeling the heat and the bugs were out in full force. Even though we used OFF they were going in our eyes and ears.Sometimes we would walk through a pocket of cool air that would make me think “but sometimes there’s hot pockets” which made me think about “Hot Pockets” which made me think about that new Hot Pockets commercial where this guy is pulling a stack of Hot Pockets out a freezer and he looks at his friend and sings “Hot Pockets” in a kind of high voice and that made me laugh and I had to explain the whole thing to Gwen. Sad to say, but, if someone had asked me “whaddya gonna pick!?” I’d have to say, Cold Pockets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovFhEgNXBp4
We stopped often for water. I brought 2 big bottles and Gwen had a North Face hydration system but we ended up needing to stop to filter more near the top. I was pretty miserable from the heat but tried to not think about it. Gwen and I never complain to each other which I think is what makes us such good hiking companions. We might mention something that’s hurting but we never whine!
I couldn’t figure out where we were on the map because one of the trails that intersected with ours wasn’t marked (at least I didn’t see a sign). It started getting cooler and less humid the higher we went. Gwen spotted a patch of snow! It was in the 80’s and we were wiping our heads off with snow balls. Crazy... man.
When we got to the intersection of the Rollins trail which is the trail to Whiteface, we realized we were close to the summit and surprised we made it so quickly. There was a part of the trail that was like walking up a Zen fountain. It was like a rock path lined with moss with water gently trickling down. It was gorgeous and it energized me.
We found the sign that pointed the way to the summit and were on the trail for not very long when we came across a cairn and the trail split. We each took a path to try to find the way but they both dead ended. We realized we must be at the summit. It just seemed too easy. Summiting is usually more of a battle. It was so easy, it was a bit anti-climatic. We summited at 12:45.
The way back down was pretty easy because there weren’t a lot of big rocks to negotiate. We stopped at that river again and cooled off a bit. We were both covered in bug bites. Got back to the cars at 4:20 and stopped at the Yankee Smoke House for dinner. Not a great choice for a vegetarian but there’s not much else around there. The drive home was awesome. It was really hot but I had all the windows down and by the time I reached Dover, the sea breeze knocked the temperature down by at least 10 degrees.Yay Us! Next Mountain/s will be Wilcat probably and hopefully before June is over.
