Date: 2007-07-28
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Miles today: 14.0

Today we made it to lakes of the clouds hut. Just under the summit of mt. Washington, it is well up into the alpine region. We had a smooth day getting up here, with some spectacular views. The interesting clouds were some of the best parts. We were up in the thick of them, so we watched as tendrils flew past our heads, rain clouds dumped on the valley, and yet another layer moved in the blue sky above us. Jocelyn got some pictures, they may have come out. The most dramatic moment was when the trail to mt. Washington, previously completely covered, was revealed all the way to the summit like pulling back a blanket.I swam in one of the lakes in true polar bear form, and am delightfully clean for my efforts. Other highlights include an enormous soup lunch at mizpah hut and sleeping tonight in "the dungeon", an appropriately named bomb shelter under the hut. We are sleeping in top bunks because the bottom ones are drippy from the stone walls.Jocelyn's knees are bugging her, but we're still going to try for 15 tomorrow for pinkham notch, gorham and a hot shower. I am hoping the concession stand on mt. Washington serves hot dogs when they open at 8, because I am planning to eat them two at a time like kobiyashi. We are actually very well fed from the huts, which is much of the reason I don't rant about the amc. Actually I would have piercing insight into the differing perceptions of each other that has led to the historically contentious relationship between the two groups, thrus and the amc. There are also some lousy examples from both sides that give the other a bad name. But the point is that this is another example of how a thru-hike is about getting what you need by playing by other peoples' rules. Hikers are mostly helpless, and people are people. Your job is to get your ride, your meal, or your laundry done in the most efficient way possible... Getting pissed off at tyranny or incompetence does nothing but make your tummy hurt, which means you can't eat as much. Um, that said, remembering totally asinine comments people make is great for helping to find your pace walking uphill, then they can flutter away like butterflies. But anyway. The other thing I have learned is not to worry when things don't go according to plan, they always work out. I don't even get that momentary "oh no!" anymore, I just wonder to myself "interesting, I wonder what will happen next?" it's a cool feeling. I hope I can take some of that stress-proof attitude back to civilization with me. It seems reasonable, often problems I encounter affect my food or where I am going to sleep that night, so you'd think making sure testers submit their status reports would be less stressful. If you keep an open mind things really do always work out, and nothing is worth stressing about. Except maybe loved ones. I am always worried Jocelyn is going to fall and bump her head. There are some slippery, treacherous rock walls which must be negotiated out here.Which is the other thing. Climbing and descending is not a good way to measure difficulty out here... We aren't doing 14 mile days because we have 6000 feet of elevation change, but because of all the rock walls and rock fields we have to maneuver across. This is some really, really, rugged terrain.