Date: 2016-08-01
From: Galehead Hut

To: Crawford Notch / AMC Highland Center
Miles today: 14.7

Aug 1, 2016 - Breakfast at the Galehead Hut was served at 7 so the thru hikers had to be up and out of the hut by 6. Peach and I stuck around while we heard breakfast being served inside and hungrily waited until the leftovers were available. At around 8, Erica, the hut master, offered us leftover eggs, oatmeal, gingerbread cake, canned peaches and coffee. Following breakfast, the three of us (an older gentleman named Walkman was also doing work for stay) began doing our 'work'. The work consisted of sweeping all the floors and cleaning out the bunk beds. Erica had stated yesterday that the work would take about 2 hours, but we were finished in less than 45 minutes. The only downside to the work for stay in my opinion was that we had too much time to sit around. Otherwise, the work we had to do was most definitely worth the homemade food we were served even if it was just leftovers. Our actual hike began with a doozie this morning. We had a 0.8 mile hike up the side of South Twin Mountain (4,902 feet) that was literally more vertical than a staircase. I was just thankful it was at the beginning of the day rather than at the end. The views at the top were worth it as the Whites continued to dazzle. However, looking out, I could see some rain moving in. The rest of the day was mostly downhill into Crawford Notch, but it rained for about half of the hike down. The footing on the steep downhill slopes was insanely treacherous especially considering my shoes had zero traction on the wet rocks (My shoes have never had good traction, but they did solve all of my other foot problems after Damascus. I just dealt with it, but the Whites are less forgiving than the rest of the trail.) As I neared Zealand Falls Hut, I fell and tore up my left forearm on a rock. Peach and I took refuge at the hut and I washed off the blood that was dripping down my arm, which was enough to alarm the other hikers there. I beat Peach in consecutive games of cribbage (the student has overtaken the master) and we waited for the rain to stop. I treated myself to some coffee and slices of cake that were for sale. Napster bought the $2 bottomless soup and ate 11 bowlfuls.Peach and I got moving again and descended to Crawford Notch, the gap between the Franconia Ridge and the Presidential Range. Peach needed to pick up a package at the AMC Highland Center 3 miles off trail so we hitched a ride from a crabby old man that consistently complained about the challenging features of the Whites. Still, we arrived at the center and walked in cold and wet to pick up the package. As it turns out, the concierge told us the package was actually at the holding center 3 miles down the road at the Mt. Washington Resort. With hopes of returning to the trail and stealth camping near the road, we hitched again to the resort. This place was fancier than a resort you'd find in Bermuda - it looked like a white and red castle surrounded by a 9 hole golf course and a field full of horses. I can't tell you how odd it felt walking into a lobby where a woman was having her portrait painted while dripping wet and smelling like an asshole - I hadn't showered or laundered in about 6 days. While Peach was told that the post office was closed until 9 am the next morning, I sat on a cushioned couch and allowed it to soak up the water from my shorts. I inched down the couch periodically to allow a new, dry section of couch to soak up some more water. So, we had to walk all the way back to the road and hitch back to the Highland Center.It took about 20 minutes to get a hitch while we stood shivering in the windy rain. At this point, we decided we would cave and get bunks at the Highland Center for $75, which included the dinner and breakfast buffet. This way we would be able to shower, dry all our equipment, and reset a bit. Plus, we hadn't paid for lodging since Duncannon, PA. At the bunkhouse, I met Spielberg, Chili Pepper, El Alto, Spider, and Cookie, who I already knew. We all crushed the buffet and then I beat Peach again in cribbage before falling asleep. Tomorrow, the Presidentials! 14.7 Crawford Notch / AMC Highland Center