Sure on the Sherb
For years, at least two, my buddies Kenz and Dan have been encouraging me to come with them on the Sherb trail in the Whites.
After my experience with Friday Night Lights, I was all aflutter about back country and eager to finally jump on the bandwagon. I rented gear through the same shop I was able to use for Friday Night Lights, Kenz being kind enough to pick it up for me Saturday AM.
It ended up just bein’ me and Kenz as Nick was sick and Dan was traveling at a conference for work. We hit Moat on Saturday night, which was packed (we lurked around tables until we got one, making friends with another couple who was also lurking, and we all shared a 4-seat high-top) and we had a leisurely AM with a 9am move-out to the Sherb.
“ There’s no place for pride or ego in the backcountry.”
It was a bluebird day, and warm, unlike the previous day, and for that, I was so grateful. The parking lot was jammed. I realized quickly I forgot my water bottle, a rookie move, but Kenz offered to share, that gem. She explained on any other trail, she’d make us go get some but she wasn’t concerned for this one. We double and triple checked our other gear and got a move on. It was nice gearing up in the light this time as opposed to the dark, as FNL had been.
The trail was fairly busy. We adopted a mellow pace going up and chatted the whole way, talking about how the sport had gotten more popular.
I’d spent a couple weeks running Mount A, the most elevation nearby to me, to try to prepare for this day and though I’d taken a couple weeks off because of a tweaked knee, I still think it helped. I could see why Kenz and Dan’s fitness level is through the roof doing their Sherb laps, and why they in the past historically trained for the winter season by doing the Harvard stadium stairs. It’s 2.5 miles of ass kick, though I spent most of my time in first tier riser rather than the max.
We got up to the top, tried to do a quick transition and we were off. Kenz explained there’d be mogul-type parts, which is a challenge for me. The plus side? The snow was amazing. Fresh and perfect texture. I just kept shouting as we went down.
I’m a huge fan of human-powered activity rather than motorized. And knowing we’d gotten our asses up the hill ourselves for the run just felt like such a victory.
I was so grateful to Kenz for bringing me that day, and for being patient with me. I also had the words of my bud Steph F in mind as I went down, a Sherb veteran: Just take it slow and use all your tools and be honest with your group about how you’re feeling-don’t be ashamed or afraid to the be conservative one and ask folks to slow down. There’s no place for pride or ego in the backcountry.
Going out with a friend who knew my level, and having had a pep talk with Steph F and friends, gave me the confidence I needed to go into the day, take it slow and have fun. I was wooping and hollering and so so happy.