Sunday River Ski Resort on the right with Mount Washington behind it.
Well after lunch on Sunday, we hit Whitecap Mountain yet again. The trail is firm with hard-packed snow and an icy base in spots.
When we arrived at the trailhead, I parked in the soft shoulder on the right-hand side of the road because the parking lot looked full. A Prius drove up a few moments later and wedged into the parking lot. As the car began to back up toward the road, a maroon van sped toward the lot. I began picturing the Prius backing out into the path of the van, so I held up my hand signaling the hybrid car to stop and waved my other hand toward the van gesturing downward for it to slow down. The van driver floored it and sped past... I guess the driver didn't like being told what to do. What an absolute fool. Fortunately, the Prius driver slowed to a stop and ended up parking in a small drift just off the parking lot.
I thought a lot about the van driver as I climbed up Whitecap. Perhaps the driver lives down this rural road and is angered by hikers who crowd the road and spend their days on mountain trails. Perhaps the van driver is busy doing yard work or watching TV--maybe the person is ill and finds it frustrating not being able to hike. But to speed up and risk t-boning a carload of 4 kids who love hiking? Maybe I'm making too much of this incident. Can't get it off my mind, however. Maybe these photos will help.
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