Date: 2005-08-21
From: Fanconia Notch

To: Lincoln, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

When morning came the hard rain let up, it was time to move and find an open restaurant. I left the tent standing and left the note from Barbara under the vestibule. I figured if any of the local law dogs would come knocking, they would eventually open the tent to see if I still had a pulse. There they would find the note and hopefully zip everything back up and make it water tight. I was glad I moved when I did, within a few minutes after I ordered my breakfast, the rain came down again (hard).    The book I was reading, Blue Highways, had an interesting note on local dining and a way to rate them. The author wrote how he would tell if the place had the potential for good food by the amount of calendars on the walls. A one calendar place meant that the food was so so. A four calendar place meant the food was outstanding. Also, there was a reference to the fact that there never existed a five calendar place, this was more mythical and mystical then to be of a fact. This morning, at first, I went to a "one calendar place". Set up mainly for tourists, the place came with pinball machines and video games as well as display cases of trinkets and souvenirs (this was not a place for me). I asked to use their bathroom and politely departed. Up the road back towards my tent, was a place that looked hopeful.   Again I cannot recall the name of the restaurant however, it was close to the pizza place where I slept the night before (it was closed when I walked by earlier). I read the hours when I walked by before so I knew it would now be open. My kind of place, and I personally would give it a three calendar rating for sure. Good coffee and good food, I ordered the "Lumber Jack Special" (eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, pancakes and toast). The rain was falling hard as I finished my meal. There were a few open tables left so I was not in the way. I asked the waitress if she would mind if I stayed till the rain let up, she poured me another cup of coffee and handed me a paper and said it wasn't a problem (I felt so comfortable that she didn't have to say a word). The place was inviting and a lot of locals were there, indeed my kind of place. I left a nice tip when I departed, I always believed in tipping well for good service. Besides, the way I look at it, if you bow your head in prayer to give thanks, you best tip in the same respect.   Afterwards I headed back to my camp and packed up all my gear. I had a lot of wet things and I recalled that there was a laundromat nearby so I headed that way (I was in town the day before). A local stopped me as I walked by his home and asked if I needed a ride. He was a former thru-hiker who moved to this town after completing his hike (I could not blame him in the least, it was a nice place). He dropped me off right where I needed to go.   I met a nice man at the laundry mat and we talked for a bit. He was all to familiar to me and, I believed I met him years before. We could not put it to a date however, he told me that he helped train my unit when we were in town years ago. His stories were believable and he puts truth to them by telling me the training that went on in the area, I quasi-believed him. Another man, a policeman from Rochester NY named Bob, asked me about my hike. He also asked if he could get a picture of the two of us, I said "why not". He wanted to hike the trail in the future and asked a lot of questions about my equipment. I gave him my e-mail address and I wished him luck as we shook hands and went on our separate ways .   Next to the laundromat there was a hotel called "The Autumn Breeze". The mezzanine advertised a vacancy so I went to check it out. Mad Chapper was sitting out front and he asked if I wanted to share a room and did so. Always good to share a room and Mad Chapper is a great guy to boot. We settled in and watched a little TV. The sun came out so I rinsed my backpack and trail shoes off and let them dry in the parking lot.   Soon after I walked to North Woodstock to see if I could replace my broken chair. I snapped the one I was carrying into two pieces unfortunately a few days ago back at the Trail to Gordon Pond. I was heart broken, no luck in finding a suitable replacement so, I went without. Looking back I should have ordered a second one and had it ready at home to mail if I needed it. Keeping your butt out of the mud was always a good thing, my light weight chair did just that hundred's of times. It was truly missed.   I ran in to Leviathan and Socks as well this day. Leviathan had a room (I believe) and was waiting for "Happy Hour" to start at one of the town pubs. I looked for him when I returned from North Woodstock however, I could not find him. Socks was heading out of town the last time we talked so I wished her luck. The sun was out but there were plenty of rain clouds to be seen. It did rain on and off and I was so glad to be warm and dry. A nearby deli had some excellent sandwich meat and salad selections so I bought my supper, a few beers, the supplies I needed for the trail and settled in for the night. The weather report broadcasting on the TV said it was going to clear up in the next day or two with only a slight chance of rain. The local news even gave a summit report from Mount Washington and it said there was a good chance for "views from the summit". It all looked favorable and it seemed that my gamble to zero may just pay off (it did indeed).