[at-l] new england hike - day 5

["richard mann" <hike-usa@email.msn.com>]

new england hike - day 5 - zealand falls hut to crawford notch (route 302)

eye awoke with a critter, probably a mouse, nuzzling the apex of my cranium.
if a person wishes to awaken quickly, this is an excellent manner.  good
thing the bottom bunk had enough head room for a person of my stature to sit
bolt upright.  in all fairness, this was the first mouse reported by anyone
after three nights in the huts.  the AMC apparently does not consider the
little meeses endemic (this is a good word for the day), so traps are set...

breakfast was what we were getting used to: hot cereal (oatmeal) with
accoutrements, pancakes, sausage, juice.  we were hiking by 7:45am, by now
our usual time of departure (things are getting habitual after a few days on
the trail).  there were no ups today, or, eye should say, nothing
appreciable (there were ups related to creek beds, but these are only
considered ups if you are hiking the florida trail).  we descended early
into a valley between ridglines and walked for miles on level ground (we
figured that whoever screwed up and blazed the trail in this gawd awful flat
place must have been run out of the AMC long ago).  there were many muddy
spots, and many, many bog bridges (puncheons eye think that they are
called)...

eye took my first break after 5 miles, at the ethan pond shelter.  the
shelter was standard fare.  the caretaker was out behind the privy
composting the human waste (eye hope these guys get paid well).  the pen
that was with the register was not working, so eye asked the caretaker for
another one, and he went to his tent and got one.  he was wearing a surgical
mask, and rubber gloves that extended above his elbows (apparently, this is
the AMC uniform for shoveling shit).  eye washed off the pen...

the rest of the day was a cakewalk, and the weather was perfect.  descending
near the end of the hike, eye had the pleasure of glimpsing the tourist
train zipping by, then the tourists came hiking by.  for some reason they
were all keeping their distance.  i'm sure i was quite a sight after 4 days
in the mountains, with mud caked on my clothes and legs, and my hair looking
frightful, and with this crazed "almost at the end of the journey" look.
the last half mile was a road walk, and a welcome one at that.  it was a
pleasure to hike without having to look down to see where the hell to place
your feet.  timmy, shamrock, peter pan, and richard were waiting...

pittsburgh



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