FKT: Rich Gambale - Presidential Traverse (NH) - 2016-06-27

Triple trans presi done in 40 hours, 58 miles and 27k vertical climbed. Its quite possible that this is the first time that 3 trans presis were hiked back to back. I started at Appalachia at 3 am on Saturday morning. I reached the hut at 5 which was quick.. I met a hiked named Jeff List on Madison he was doing a double trans presi. I told him I was doing a double. As usual I was in slow mode till mile 10 which was Washington. It usually takes 10 -15 miles till I get in cruise mode. I have yet to find a solution to that challenge. While at Washington I and snapped a photo, without a line and I bought three Sprites. I stored two in the rocks for the other two passes. Now that I was in cruise mode I dodged tourists and made it to the lakes of the clouds hut in 40 minutes. I ate yummy baked goods and I was off for a hot hike down hill to Clinton. I cook in the sun and that's part of the reason that I love night hiking. I made it to Clinton at 1pm then Crawford at 2:20. The first lap was done at 11.5 hours. I felt good, I ate Ben and Jerry's ice cream and potato salad. As I was heading up to Clinton I met Jeff again. He had done the double presi traverse in 16 hours. I thought that is a super fast time, later he posted on Facebook that he was now the record holder for the double trans presi. Real nice work Jeff!!! Now I was going through my water very quickly and thankfully I found two springs to ease the thirst. At lakes of the clouds I met a thru hiker and we were instant friends. As I was leaving he said" this guy is hiking till 2 :30 am and he is in Beast Mode". That made me hike faster with an inner glow. At Washington it was at now quite at 8pm. I love it when it's a ghost town there. I arrived at Madison hut at midnight. One of my secrets is to carry two v8's , a smoothie and NUUN hydration tablets. The v8 is an instant energizer and stops the shakes when negotiating rocks at night. On this hike I carried rain pants, two black diamond head lamps, rain jacket, gloves, a hat and a light weight jacket. I see runners who carry just water. I hike about the same speed as if I had a back pack. So I don't mind caring the cold rain gear. Madison and Adams were tough to navigate this time since I was tired and wanting to sleep. I arrived at Appalachia at 2:30 am . It was a struggle to find a site to nap for a few hours. I was tired and just wanted to crash so I picked a poor campsite near a calming stream. I set the alarm for 8am but my body was ready to get this job done starting at 5. I thought really body, 5 am??? I got up and packed my bag. I met Nate Weeks as I was hiking up Jefferson. He was hiking a crazy route and I was happy to finally meet him. I was about a hour slower than the first loop as I went by crazy busy Washington. I pulled out the last Sprite from the rocks and sat down on the observatory cement. I thought I am really tired. Now I could say I had completed the hard part and I have it nearly done. At Lakes I randomly met a friend, named Caitlin she gave me a high 5. I crushed the rest of the hike and made it to Crawford in 4.5 hours, 39.5 hours since I started Saturday morning at 3am. To keep my dad and my wife Arlette Laan up to date on my progress I use an Inreach made by delorum. It can send text messages anywhere in the world with a clear view of the sky. Arlette picked me up at Crawford and we went out for pizza to celebrate where we met Caitlin. . During the hike I was slightly nauseous the whole time. Now due to lack of sleep I was barely able to make out how to screw the cap on a bottle, my brain wasn't working quite right. I needed was sleep. I learned that doubles are easiest by starting at Crawford so that I'm not negotiating Adams and Madison rocky summits at midnight while being tired.? A big thank u goes out in order or importance to Disturbed, Godsmack, ACDC and Rush to urge me climbing up over the summits.