Date: 2014-08-25
From: Crawford Notch (Highland Lodge)

To: Nauman Tentsite
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: few clouds

I ate breakfast (eggs, bacon, pancakes and fruit) with Margaret and AMC volunteers, Janice and Martha, whom I had met the evening before. Both were interested in my hike. And when I said Lee is an Episcopal priest, Martha said her father had been also. It turns out she is Martha Back, who was in Leigh's class at DHS and daughter of the then rector at St. Luke's, Darien, Bob Back. Tiny world. The young woman at the desk said when her supervisor arrived at 9:30, she could go to the Post Office to get the mail and with luck, my package. It meant a late start, but I had not planned a long day. I went back to the room and when I went to leave some money for the housekeeping person could not find my wallet. I looked all over and emptied all of my pack but the sleeping bag. No one had turned it in, and I began to wonder if Margaret or Carolyn had accidentally picked it up with their stuff. Janice was a real trail angel -- she brought me a box of leftover food from an AMC hike yesterday in case my box did not come. I took a few tortillas and a couple of breakfast bars.I called Leigh and learned that Dad is back in the hospital. They are not sure what the issue is, but a blood transfusion perked him up. I hope they figure it out!My box did come, and I decided to hike on. I left my cell number at the Lodge, and they said Mizpah could radio Galehead, where Margaret and Carolyn went, to see if they had found the wallet.I walked out to 302 and stuck out my thumb. There was not much traffic, but after only about five minutes, a Toyota pick-up pulled over. Marilyn was on her way to hike Mt. Carrigan. She lives not far away, and when she saw the weather report, she said she dropped everything and headed out. We wished each other well, and I started up the Webster Cliffs Trail at 10:50. It was a long, slow, and often steep climb of 2650 feet to the top of Mt. Webster. The views to the west from places along the cliffs were stunning, and I stopped frequently to take pictures.I met Smasher and Spirit, two 64 year-old women doing Maine, NH, and VT. Spirit gave me a tiny dove of peace. Also Todd and Audrey from southern NH, whom I had seen earlier when they were day hiking, and Long Horn and Stylz, NOBOs from Texas. All were headed to Mizpah Spring. Audrey gave me some chocolate, and we took each other's pictures in a couple of places.The wallet issue preoccupied me and no doubt slowed me down. I did not reach the tentsite near Mizpah until around 6:30. The caretaker, Amanda, was quick to agree to work for stay when I told my missing wallet story. She was on the deck of her tent talking with Rod & Reel, whom I had heard about and seen once before. We chatted for a while about her 2010 thru-hike and his 1976 hike, and then I left to set up at a platform. As I was beginning to set up, Amanda brought Evan and his sons, Brock and Brandon, by to see how their hammocks would work at the platform. I switched ends so they could set up next to the platform and use the other end for their cooking, etc. He and the boys had done ten miles, up Tuckerman's Ravine and all the way to Mizpah. I told them they had out hiked me, but Evan said I am an inspiration.When I got out my sleeping bag and pulled out the pack liner, lo and behold, there was the wallet. What a huge relief. I found Amanda and paid for my site.After I ate, I used the red light on the headlamp to keep night vision. The stars were amazing and even better when I got up about 2. A rare night in he Whites.