Date: 2014-08-17
From: Lakes of Clouds Hut Mile 334.2

To: Mizpah Spring Hut mile 339.0
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I had looked forward to hiking with Joe, but again his younger friends wanted to leave before breakfast. I opted for food over company. Today should have been an awful day. It misted or rained all day. Winds were pretty high in exposed areas making the damp feel even colder. The rocks were wet and slick. Unlike yesterday I did not feel apprehensive about starting out. I only had a short distance of less than five miles to go. The map did not show any step climbs or descents. I had a reservation at the hut with a dry roof and warm bed waiting for me.Although it rained, blew, and was cold almost all day, my gear worked well and kept me pretty dry and comfortable. The rocks were slick, but there was a secure, flat place to plant my foot for almost every step of the way. It was actually a rather pleasant day that happened to have miserable weather. My only serious problem was being able to see. The fog was so thick I could seldom see from cairn to cairn. The fog soon did not matter because the humidity fogged up my glasses and the blowing rain covered them with water. I gained increased appreciation for the extraordinary accomplishment of the handful of blind people who have through hiked the trail. When the water on my glasses was thick it caused a refraction so I saw two copies of the rock I was stepping on next and could not tell which was the real one that I needed to aim my foot for. I finally took my glasses off altogether and found that I felt safer relying on my poor unaided eyesight. I did not bother with putting on my sanitary napkin shoulder pads today. My shoulder strap wounds have healed enough that I made it through today's short hike without them hurting or becoming raw again. My rain pants repairs did not hold up. Within the first mile on the trail the ripped seam was flapping open again. Nevertheless my boots and feet stayed moderately dry. Water stood in all the flat places on the trail, but there were not many places where it was very deep Most of the day hikers that produced the large crowds yesterday disappeared today. I still met a half dozen AT through hikers heading to Maine for the last leg of their trek and a few intrepid weekend hikers bearing the elements including one brave family with three very young children. Although I monitored my map and compass carefully there were long sections of today's hike on New Hampshire's poorly marked trails where I was not certain that I was still on the Appalachian Trail and several of the north bound hikers I met asked me to confirm that they were on the correct path.Today May Louise was in New York attending our daughter-in-law's parent's 50th Anniversary celebration. I hope Barb & Jerry had better weather for their party than I had in New Hampshire. I got to the hut by three in the afternoon. Would have been thirty minutes earlier, but a faded sign sent me on an unnecessary detour. I had time to get warm, spread out my wet stuff to dry, and even take a nap before supper. I am in a room with members if a hiking club from Ohio who take annual hiking trips together. I have learned that wise hikers choose a seat near the food delivery end of the table when eating the family style meals at the huts. Evening entertainment included a lecture by the staff naturalist explaining how a "white nose fungus" decently imported from Europe on a caver's boots is killing US bats.