Day 19: First Day of New Hampshire

I am in love with New Hampshire already.  Today I was able to count 7 steps on flat ground that didn't contain a single rock, root, mud, or bog bridge.  Just flat dirt with pine needles.  I even got higher than that later and got up to 13 steps on nice ground!  I cannot emphasize how nice just taking those few steps on nice ground felt.  Today was easy sailing from the border to Gorham, New Hampshire where I had a reservation at the White Mountains Lodge & Hostel.  I think it was a total of 16.4 miles and the hostel is actually located right on the trail at a road crossing so I didn't have to hitch hike or get a shuttle!  I actually walked past it but I was really admiring the building as as walking past it I noticed the sign and was like ohh shoot thats where I am staying.  Its definitely the nicest/cleanest hostel I have ever seen.  For $33 plus tax a night you get linens, a comfortable bunk, a pillow, free hot shower with towel and soap, free laundry, community computer, and a big free breakfast.  It also has a flat screen HD tv which is the first I have seen yet.  Every tv I have seen so far in hostels are old 90's tv's.  I got to the hostel at 2:30pm so it was an easy day.  All the staff are awesome people and shuttled a few of us into town for dinner.  I went to a Chinese buffet and pigged out and AYCE (All you can eat) food.  It was soooo good.  While there a guy I met back at Sabbath Day pond lean-to; you remember that guy on my day 14 that was on his 22nd day... yeah it was him.  I asked him, "Dude how did you catch me?"  It ended up that we was still back in Andover and got really sick and had to go to the ER here in Gorham.  They did blood work on him and I think he has lyme disease or something like that.  He has all the nervous system problems, joint pains, and even a rash (not a bullseye but a rash) that some people get so I am praying for him because lyme is not cool.  I had to buy a new pair of shoes today.  I already have a pair back home broken in that I was going to have sent to the other side of New Hampshire but my current pair is falling apart way to fast I wouldn't make it.  I had about 900 miles on them before I came out here so I got my money's worth out of them.  My little and big toe on both shoes are sticking out and every day they rip more.  I would have to duck tape them together after another day and that would eliminate my tread grip on the front of the shoe which I do not want to do while in the white's so I bought a pair of Merrell trail runners at the outfitter in town.  I don't like Merrell's because they are narrow and I have really wide feet.  But when that is the only brand they carry I guess you have to do what you got to do.  The outfitter only had one type that was sort of wide enough for my feet and they were $120 which was actually the cheaper of the merrell's but ouch that hurt to pay that.  Today I checked the weather and I got bad news... tomorrow will be nice but the following day, Wednesday, will be rainy all day with flash flood warnings for the White Mountains of New Hampshire which is where I will be.  So I may be in Gorham a while.  I am actually attaching a picture to this post.  It will also be in the photo albums I have but just look at my feet.  That is what Maine does to you... there was so much mud I am glad that it is over for now.  I felt like I had Hobbit feet while in Maine (if you do not know what I am talking about watch Lord of the Rings movies).  Now they are so clean after a long hot shower you wouldn't recognize me.