Date: 2014-08-26
From: Galehead Hut

To: Ethan pond
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

In which I had another spectacular day.This morning I was awake at 0515. Since we slept on the dining room floor we had to be up and out of there by 0600, not a problem. I packed up my stuff and set it on the front porch. Next, I enjoyed the luxury of sipping hot coffee on the front porch of the hut watching the morning colors over the mountains as they awakened in the sun light. Spectacular is all I can muster to say. My protein shake and pop tarts tasted even better with this view.By 0700 I was walking with Hobbit and RW and the three of us pretty much hiked together today. It simply put was another beautiful day in the neighborhood even though we greeted the day with a 1500' climb in 0.8 mile! Phew! The views from South Mountain looking back to Franconia Ridge were fantastic! Then more ups and downs over rocks to Zealand Hut for a lunch break. We didn't take too many breaks this morning.For lunch I bought a bowl of soup to eat with my crackers washed down with a glass of lemonade and a brownie. Yum! It's turned out to be quite a warm day. My pack was sitting on the front porch in the sun and was able to dry off while I ate. The falls by the Hut were also beautiful and beckoning but I foolishly didn't go it.After lunch we made our final descent to a "flat" 5 mile walk. Unheard of out here in The Whites! But I'm not arguing, I'm rather enjoyed the stroll. It was amazing walking through the gap in the mountains just staring all around and taking it all in. It also was a well needed rest from all these climbs. My knees, ankles, toes and everything were screaming from the abuse I've put them through.We walked by the Ledges which was a huge boulder field from where the rocks fell off the mountain. I learned later this path used to be a railroad bed. We made really good time walking so we indulged in another snack break in the shade midway to our destination for the day. This was very enjoyable.From there it was one last push to Ethan Pond campsite. That was a beautiful pond. The sun light was dancing across the pond with the ripples of the waves. The darker clouds in the distance reflected on the water as well as the mirror image of the mountains. It was surreally gorgeous and looked like a postcard, too pretty to be real, but here it was in all its splendor. Beyond words once again. After I set up camp with Hobbit I went back down to the pond to collect water then sat for a little while basking in the warm sun with my feet dangling in the water. Tonight there is another group here from Bates College and I enjoyed talking with them while we sat around the pond.The best part of the night was the trail magic dinner we received! The caretaker at this campsite leaves on Friday. Therefore she was trying to use up food so she wouldn't have to pack it out, hence all you could eat Annie's mac and cheese dinner for us! There were 4 of us thru hikers tonight, me, Hobbit, RW and Forget-me-not and what a fun night it has turned out to be again. We all sat around talking and eating in the caretaker's private "kitchen". She even told us a few ghost stories of the haunted woods we were in. Ugh.One of the girls from Bates asked me earlier, "If I could have one thing right now what would it be?". At the moment I couldn't think of anything. I am 100% content, happy and grateful to be where I am, doing what I love, spending time which my Creator right here right now. What a beautiful place to be in life!Ok, really in hind sight I am dreaming of some Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk! That's what I want.