Date: 2018-08-07
From: Lakes of the Clouds hut

To: Route 302 Crawford notch and Pinkam Notch
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Well that was a great sleep! I woke up once to use the restroom but was otherwise comfortable and well rested. I woke up at 6:30 to the hut croo serenading us with a guitar and singing Country Roads. I love this croo! Breakfast will be served at 7am. I was up, dressed and at the table right on time. I noticed again the bobbing hiker heads outside the windows. Nope, still not feeling badly! Breakfast was scrambled eggs, a GF muffin for me, oatmeal, sausage, juice, coffee, etc. Yummy! I filled up and River and I departed at 7:45. We had planned 2 days for the traverse but I'm certainly happy that we took the 3 and really enjoyed it. I'm so thankful that the people who couldn't make it to the hut asked that their accommodations be donated to us. How extremely thoughtful. I'm very blessed to have been the recipient of their generosity. Thank you, whoever you are!Today would be a longer day for me. When we reach Mizpah hut I will hike down the Webster Cliffs Trail for an 11 mile day to complete the piece I missed on Tuesday when Brian picked me up. River will take the Crawford Path to the Highland Center and the shuttle to Joe Dodge lodge where we have bunks reserved. From Lakes of the Clouds hut the trail was actually quite nice. Less rocky and still an amazing view everywhere. I kept looking back at Mt Washington and some of the others I'd climbed over. I'm amazed at myself sometimes. Seriously. I'm so pleased with my recovery also but I'm still tender and careful, trying to use my legs and not my back. River took my food bag for me to lighten my load. After soup at Mizpah hut and full water bottles I headed down to what I thought was the trail. I found myself at the campsite attached to the hut and turned around. I wandered down another trail but it didn't look right either so the campsite caretaker came over and set me down the right path. I must say that parts of NH are not blazed and there are many intersecting trails and wooden signs that are often hard to read. It's disappointing sometimes. While today's trail so far was fairly easy that was all changing. Webster Cliffs were miserable and steep rocks slabs and steep steps and roots. Ugh! I wished I was climbing this and not descending and I had 6 miles of it to go. I tried to distract myself by thinking about food rewards, shower and a bed at the end. I settled my thoughts on cold beer. Ice cold beer! I saw very few hikers. Food truck and an older hiker were visible down below me for several miles as we eached picked the best ways to personally navigate each rock slab and crevasse. There are generally 2 ways to navigate some of this stuff. The "sit and slide" or the "slip and fall". I choose the latter. Now, mind you I don't care who sees me either. If a good butt slide is my safest way to the next rock or root foothold then that's my choice. The older man down below me went down backwards a lot and marveled at the fact I could use my butt like a toboggan. Now, I may or may not have worn out the seat of my new comfy mesh boxers. But I did have a great conversation with flip a flopper Mrs T about a good butt slide. We agreed that if men want us to continue to wear there undies they should consider how rugged we can be, and perhaps stich some burlap or even leather into the seat!I tried really hard to make it to route 302 in time to hitch to the Highland Center where I could catch the 4pm shuttle to Joe Dodge lodge. It was 3:20 when I reached the road and tried hitching for 10 minutes. Not many people passed in my direction but there was a lot of traffic the other way, toward Pinkam Notch which is where I needed to go. I crossed the street and saw food truck and the older man sitting on their packs in the parking lot. I asked if they had a plan and they didn't seem to and the older man was very snappy with me so I told them I was going to see if I could hitch the 45 minute ride to Pinkam Notch. He suggested I call for a ride however there's no cell service here which clearly he didn't know until I asked if he had service. I walked out to the road and stuck out my thumb. The first car pulled over. AMC on the door and 3 dirty trail maintainers inside headed to Joe Dodge. I'm in! 45 minutes later I was picking up my room key dreaming of a hot shower and a beer. River was all checked in and showered when I arrived. She directed me to a veggie tray and coffee in the community room on the 1st floor where we hung out before dinner. At 6:30 the dinner bell rang and we were were the 1st ones there. Then I was quickly deflated. No beer. Seriously? Joe Dodge lodge is located inside the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) and therefore can't serve alcohol. Ugh! River worked her charm and within minutes the 2 women across the dining room were sharing a bottle of wine they'd brought in with us. Pinot isn't my first choice but it was tonight! We ate, has dessert and then ate again. But in a room with thru hikers there's no need to explain. When I got up to head back to the room I noticed my legs are sore. Really sore. I'm hoping they feel better in the morning. I washed my shirt and boxers in the shower earlier so we put the fan in the window and hung the wet items in front of it to dry overnight. Wet hikers smell way worse than dry hikers. Just remember that when you see one hitching and be prepared if you give them a ride. I plugged in my electronics and snuggled into my bunk. There are 4 bunks in this room and we expected at least one more hiker but so far it's just us two. Tomorrow morning I'll check my box back into storage here and we'll walk across the street to start the Wildcats. I've heard it's difficult. I think I'm ready.