Laraway Mountain beat me - but did not defeat me. Saturday rain and fog kept me from my appointed climb, but Sunday dawned clear and cold so the solo hike ensued. 30 degrees in Waterville, colder and snowy on the mountain. After traversing a heck of a "road" to the trailhead in my all-terrain Echo, I made three rookie mistakes: took the wrong logging road out of the lot so was never on the trail, unknowingly dropped my map, and muddied my feet as I hiked 25 mins the wrong way into a scene from Deliverance. Realized, retraced, regained the map, and found the trail - but the downhill back killed my knees. So, damp and aching, I mulled going home but wouldn't, as I'm supposed to be relentless. Sooo, I strapped on my braces and began the ascent. Beautiful trek up a snowy path with streams and massive boulders on the way to a tiny rocky outcropping with a pretty view. I admittedly limped the 2 miles back down as my knees were not amused, but I persevered, which in itself entertains so it was worth it.