Date: 2012-08-19
From: Mt. Washington - top

To: Crawford Notch - US 302
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a beautiful day for SOS to go hiking down Mt. Washington. It can be a very dangerous, cold and windy place but today it was clear and sunny. The climb down is brutal according to SOS but he made it!! I also found him and was waiting although he came down 3.7 miles from where the GPS was set. SOS drove us up the auto road after paying our $33.00 ($25 for the car and 1 person + $8 more for another person). It was early so we didn't have to contend with traffic. It was cold at the top but not windy...it was sunny and clear. SOS got out, got his things and waved goodbye and then it was my turn to drive on the auto road...this time going down..of course! I started down immediately because I didn't want to run into traffic either. This was a real test of my comfort zone...and I was way,way,way far out of it!!!!!!!!! (so I sang a chorus of "what I did for love"). I met 7 motorcycles, 6 cars and 1 truck on the way down all 7+ miles of the road...but none of them on curves or skinny parts..thank you Lord! When I arrived at the bottom, I decided to go across the road to the visitor's center to collect my nerves before driving the 18 miles back to the room. One coffee with 2 creams and an oatmeal cookie later...eaten while watching the hummingbirds outside the window...I felt better! On to the gift shop for more postcards and a new book to read to the grandkids...a true story about the cats who live at the top of the mountain. On the way back, I looked for a church or a sign for a church and found none..anywhere along my route. This is a very touristy part of the state and the tourists were out in droves again today...at the tourist spots...not in church...but then neither was I. The afternoon was spent working on the computer and knitting. I tried baking in the microwave and it actually worked...I made a cranberry cake that I had packaged at home before we came.SOS called to say that the pick up spot was wrong and he wasn't sure where it was but suggested I use the coordinates...and thanks to ATM...I know how to do that so I found the spot with no trouble. When SOS came out of the woods, he suggested that we go to the Highland Center to eat. They were having a BBQ buffet which was set up outside. After dinner, we came back to the room to write the journal and do tomorrow's plan. Road Name of the Day: MT. WASHINGTON AUTO ROAD .... and to think I have to drive it again tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!SOS here:It was an incredible day to hike from the top of New England/Mount Washington. (Mount Washington is the highest peak in New England) Any day the sun is shining and the temperature is mild and the wind is non-existant is an incredible day for Mount Washington. It is known for the worst weather in the world.It was also incredible today, because not only did Trail Mama, at the start of the day, drive all the way down the Mountain Washington Auto Road 7+ miles by herself and as she said way out of her comfort zone; she was able to find the trail to pick me up at the end of the day even though I was off by 3+ miles as to the spot of the pick up. She's amazing!I hiked the day in honor of my dad - Jim Summers. I honored him today, because today I am exactly one day older than he got to live. For that reason I wanted it to be a memorable day on the AT. It was. Besides the fantastic weather I will never forget how difficult the descent off Mount Webster was and how difficult it was to get to the Crawford Notch pickup. It took four hours to traverse 2.8 miles. I found myself many times sitting down to descend a paticular difficult down and sliding to the next level. Dad would have been proud of my persistence. It was a MEMORABLE day. I still miss him tremendously.I wish my Dad would have lived longer not only for me but for my Mom, my siblings, and my family. I regret that my children did not know him for a longer time and my grandchildren did not get to see what a wonderful person he was. I also regret that my Dad did not get to see his grandchildren become young adults, get married and see their children. I know he would have loved being a part of my grandchildren's' lives. They would have loved him and his smile. He not only could smile with his lips but with his eyes. I am blessed to have had such a great Dad.Today, I spent a lot of time thinking about my section hike in 2009 with my hiking buddies because we section hiked in the White Mountains. On the forth day of that section hike, I hiked off the trail from the Zeeland Falls Hut, because I was bruised, exhausted and suffered from blisters on both big toes that hurt with every step. As I descended Mount Webster snd Mountain Webster's Cliffs I now believe it was a good decision to hike off the AT. This section of the trail is unbelieveably difficult to traverse. In fact, I met a fellow NoBo, Count Chocola, hiking up Mount Webster near the top as I was hiking down. He looked worn out and ready to quit his thru hike. The Whites can be demoralizing even to a seasoned hiker. I believe the White Mountains was an excellent place to be introduced to the AT. It prepared me for how tough a thru hike would be and I have my fellow section hikers to thank for that experience. I tried to call each one of them at the end of the day and excitedly tell them how tough and exhilarating today was. I am pleased with how I have handled the White Mountains so far. I will even be more pleased when they are in the past.Today is over - tomorrow brings a new challenge. The challenge is to hike down Mount Washington a second time. Only this time I will hike going North and East. Keep praying for me! Thanks.