Date: 2005-07-17
From: Stealth camp north of Mr. Guyot

To: NH 302 (North Conway)
Miles today: 10.4

start: Stealth camp north of Mt. Guyotfinish: NH 302 (North Conway) miles: 10.4day: 132It spattered rain early last night, but never developed into anything. My "flat spot" wasn't that flat, so I slept a bit fitfully, but not too bad. I think the hard day helped me - I was pretty tired after all that climbing.I drank all of my water during the night, so just packed up and hiked without breakfast, as I only had an hour or so to Zealand hut and water. There was one nice viewpoint along the way, but it was full of clouds and fog and I was thirsty so I didn't stay.Prior to reaching the hut I came to the stream that flows down by the hut - a beautiful thing, all slickrock, waterfalls and pools. Time for a Moosie bath. Mooses love water, you know. I washed out my shirt and the new running shorts I picked up in Lincoln, as well as some bandannas and socks. Then I found a small, deep pool where the water rushed in and made jacuzzi bubbles. I sat right down in it up to my neck. Aah, it's so refreshing and it feels so good to get clean. The only problem is breathing after getting in that cold water.I fooled around there a while, then went down to the hut where I ran into Colonel Forbin and Captain Crunch who had done work-for-stay here last night. August was here last night, too, but moved out early. I also met a southbounder named Peanut Butter.The cook fed me 2 bowls of "day soup", and I drank some lemonade while talking to the other hikers. I ate the last of my food, so all I have now is one dinner and 2 Snickers.Now I'm back up here at the waterfalls with my feet in the cold water, journalling, and generally waiting, hoping that Goldilocks and Tea Break will show up. It's an easy 8 miles to Crawford Notch, and from there a hitch to resupply. I'm also hoping to go to the Red Parka Pub for an early dinner, and I know Goldilocks likes that place. At this point my plan is to just do that today, and in the evening hike the 3 miles up to Webster where there are a few stealth spots.Well, Bars and Goldilocks showed up at the stream, and Chairman followed, but they hadn't seen Tea Break since Lonesome Lake. I declared it was bath time for all of them, and lied and said the water was warm. What do you call a bunch of hikers playing in a stream? Water pollution! Hah. We all went down to the hut and had some soup, then I set out for Crawford Notch ahead of the rest, thinking I could hike more slowly.Well, the trail was so easy I did better than 3 mph, and am now here waiting for Goldilocks to show up. First I walked a tenth north across the road and cleaned up in the stream, and on the way back to the road saw Bars, who said he was gonna move on. It's very pleasant sitting here in the grass by the road, except for a few pesky black flies. I have eaten the Snickers and now have only 1 dinner, and absolutely nothing else. I'm starved!Goldilocks and Chairman showed up pretty soon and we yogied a ride from some dayhikers returning to their car. All the way to Glen and the restaurant.We had a good meal, except that Goldilocks wasn't feeling very well, so we ended up all sharing a cheap motel in town. What luck, we turned on the TV and the Austin Powers movies were on! Just the kind of intellectual stuff we like at the end of the day.I hope Goldilocks feels better in the morning...