[at-l] Ready's Journal Aug 26 TD 74

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley)]

We once again got up later than planned and were not on
the trail till just after 8:00 AM. The first descent was a wicked,
rock and boulder piled, steep affair. I found it very scary,
especially with "morning legs" - not yet limber.
We made it through that section and I was grateful that it
had been a relatively short piece of trail.
The rest of the day was on comparatively easy treadway,
gentle slopes, and when there were rocks, they were angled
well for foot placement. I really enjoyed just walking today.
The views were less plentiful and certainly less dramatic than
those of the past 2 days. However, one lookout, atop South
Twin Mountain, was really magnificent. I think it was because
the mountain itself was small and the view 360*, that the ridges
and mountains in the distance seemed more pronounced. There
  were no ridges or mountain slope under us to "get in the way" of
the view. It felt as if we were floating atop the views.
I was excited about being able to discern the various mountain
peaks: the dual tops of Kinsman, Franconia Ridge, Garfield, and
Galehead.
We got to Galehead Hut in the late morning and saw that Patches
and Sticks (whom we hadn't seen since Boiling Springs), Bander,
Greensinger, Fletch, and Mr. Pink were there for breaks, as well.
In the hut library, I found books on birds and on flowers and rifled
quickly through the pages. What I'd thought had been Gentian was
a actually a variety known as Closed Gentian. I was able to learn
that the Towie that we had seen was in fact a juvenile bird, as
opposed to a mature adult. Fabulous to learn these things!
We chatted for a brief time with everyone and then were off hiking again.
When we got to Zealand Hut late in the afternoon, we were fortunate
enough to get a close look at the water pump for the hut. One of the
staff was servicing it and took the time to explain how it worked.
We were sorely disappointed to learn from Bander that we'd just
missed Homeless & Unemployed. They had slackpacked through
only an hour or so earlier.
We enjoyed bowls of vegetable/chicken soup, some fresh baked
bread, and lemonade for lunch, as we leafed through a book about
moose. It had been a very nice break, but then we were off hiking again.
We reached the entrance to Ethan Pond Campsites at 5 minutes
past 5:00 and discussed various options: hike to Crawford Notch
just 3 mils further and hitch into the hostel there, camp near Crawford
Notch, or camp right here at Ethan Pond.
We were both tired and decision-making was not easy. We opted to
stay here, thus preserving the opportunity to hike all day tomorrow to
the Lake of the Clouds Hut, or divy up that section into 2 days by using
the Nauman tentsite at the Mitpah shelter on the first night.
We opted to stay here. Spur pitched the tent while I got water. The pond
was absolutely beautiful.! The "possible showers" called for in the weather
forecast had not materialized, and so the evening was pleasant and dry.
We cooked supper and enjoyed our hot cocoa. We spent a leisurely evening
catching up on our journals.
The campsite was filled up pretty well for a Sunday night. A group of Yale
College students was here, along with Bander, 2 young women from Belgium,
a young German couple, and a southbound trhuhiker, Leap, who was wonderful
to talk with. When he had heard that we were Ready and Spur, he excitedly
told me that he had a message to give us from Sugarbear about Carolina Scout:
Unfortunately Carolina Scout was off the trail due to injury."
Tomorrow will be our 3-month anniversary. I've been reminding Spur that at
precisely midnight tomorrow, the 90-day warranty runs out. So far he shows
no signs of wanting to take advantage of that warranty. Nor do I! ;-)


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