[at-l] MWRR, Hikers paradise, and black flies

["Mara Factor" <m_factor@hotmail.com>]

Hi all,

On Saturday, I got up early to go cheer MonadnockDee on in the Mount 
Washington Road Race.  Got there around 9:00, an hour before the race 
started.  Couldn't find MonadnockDee or her husband but heard the 
announcement that they needed drivers with or without cars to drive up and 
bring racers down.  So I volunteered and ended up driving up Mt. Washington 
in a 1999 Camry with gear for four different runners.

It was hazy, hot (in the 80s) and humid at the bottom - not the best 
conditions for running.  At the top, it was 50 degrees, with 50 foot 
visibility in dense fog, and 50mph wind - also not the best conditions for 
the race.

The runners in my car came in everywhere from 1:23 to ~2:30.  I was able to 
hand them their stuff at the finish so they could get warm and dry as soon 
as they needed to.  I surprised Dee by cheering as she came across the 
finish.  It was raining and foggy as we drove down.  We marvelled at all the 
motorcyclists riding up the mountain in the rain.  (This was the weekend of 
the rally in Laconia).

Went to lunch in Gorham and then back to Hikers Paradise to see if there was 
anything I could do to help out the thruhikers there.  There, I met Single 
Track (from 1999), this year NOBO from Harper's Ferry; Gandalf, Keel (sp?), 
and Lonesome Road/Dove/something like that.  Two were headed NOBO and two 
SOBO.  All in good spirits and doing well.

Slept out under the stars and full moon at a friend's condo in North Conway.

On Sunday, attempted to hike up Kearsarge but got chased down by the 
swarming black flies.  Blech! and Ptooey!  Inhaled more protein than I 
bargained for.  :-P  Cough, cough.

Next weekend, the search for Ma and Pa...

Mara
Stitches, GAME99



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