Date: 2013-07-13
From: Franconia Notch-Chet's in Lincoln, NH

To: Zealand Falls Hut, mi 1,832.6
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up at the ugly hour of 4:30am, after listening to talking in the early hours of the morning. It was silent at Chet's now. I wiped the condensation off my tent, got things packed, had breakfast, and tip toed past a hiker named Tempo, who I first met in Port Clinton. Tempo, I had latter learned, was a doctoral student in computer science, working in the field of computer security, the programming that protects your computer from hackers. To develop such code, likely requires substantial knowledge about how to develop the viruses capable of destroying corporations and leaving millions of clients vulnerable. Being that many hikers carried smart phones, essentially computers, it seemed that someone like Tempo could easily implant a virus into someone else's phone via a text message or email. I learned from Analog that he began stocking another hiker that I had hiked with earlier, sending her annoying text messages. Analog gave him an ultimatum and that was that! At 4 am, Tempo was sleeping on the back porch, likely because Analog let him know that he would not sleep in the same bunk room as him. I tip toed past him to exit through the side gate and out to the front of Chet's house. I hiked down the street at 4:45am, following the Google map on my phone to Hwy 3 which paralleled I-93, back to Franconia Notch. Connector Rd. bridged Main St. in Lincoln to Hwy 3. I knew that the probability of hitching at this ugly time in the morning was unlikely, so I didn't waist time waiting around. As I hiked a fast clip up the road, I stuck my thumb out hoping to hitch a ride and save an hour and a half of hiking. As expected, I had no such luck! I arrived to Franconia Notch by 6:30 am. I would at least be able to see the trail in the early light of dawn. The climb up to Franconia Ridge, past the Liberty Springs Campsite, was steep and rocky, but nothing unusual for being in the Whites. I spoke with the caretaker of Liberty Spring Campsite briefly and continued on my way up, stopping at a large rock on Little Haystack Mountain. The early morning sun warmed my soul, as I gazed out over the Cannon across Franconia Notch. The Cannon was a vertical rock wall, towering above a broad apron of talus that appeared well beyond the angle of repose (30 deg). I spoke with a young couple who where hiking a loop in the Whites. According to them, there were climbing routes on this face. It reminded me a lot of Lover's Leap in the town of Strawberry near South Lake Tahoe, California. I enjoyed a couple tortillas with peanut butter, shot a number of photos towards Mt Lincoln and Lafayette, and started hiking the rocky, exposed ridge towards Lafayette. The Whites are uniquely beautiful with exposed rocky ridges, lined with 5-6-ft tall cairns that pierce the low billowing cumulus. It seems surreal. I defended into an alpine forest of firs, past the edge of Garfield Pond and up the steep flank of Mt. Garfield. A large group of hikers were eating lunch and talking on cell phones when I arrived at the old masonry base of a lookout tower on the summit. I looked back to Mt Lafayette and pondered on the time it took to hike such a short distance. I passed the Galehead Hut on the steep ascent up South Twin Mountain. By late afternoon, I had summited Mt. Guyot. A dozen day hikers were hanging out at the summit. The terrain was difficult and the shadows of the late afternoon lengthening. I was not certain that I'd make it to the Zealand Falls Hut. It was nearly dark when I passed several tents set up a few tens of yards off the trail. I finally made it to Zealand Falls Hut just before dark. I searched for the person in charge and begged him for work for stay. I was lucky. I was allowed to stay, after two other hikers had been turned away earlier. I found a new tactic to possibly guaranteeing a spot in the huts...show up at dark and they're obligated to accommodate you. Sitting out front on the bench was a young woman named Magnet, and a guy named Night Walker (I think). They were south bounders who started in at the beginning of the month. I don't care what north bounders say about south bounders, both were fun to talk to and share experiences on the trail. All of us enjoyed a huge feast reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner, and washed dishes afterward. by 10:30pm, we began to claim our spots on the dining area floor. I slept under one of the tables to avoid being stepped on.