Date: 2006-07-28
From: Grafton Notch- Northern Peaks- Gorham, NH

To: Grafton Notch- Northern Peaks- Gorham, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: fog

When I woke up, I turned on the Weather Channel and there was lots of rain heading this way.I told Mrs Gorp that I had no problem taking a zero and staying dry today. :-)))I never mind walking in the rain once I'm in it, but it just didn't seem too inviting today.I had a bowl of cereal and made a pot of coffee with my new electric coffee brewing machine thingie.Mrs Gorp finally decided that it would indeed be a good day to take a zero.We drove up to Dodge Camp and told Dingle '04 that we wouldn't need the ride out to the trailhead today.We then drove up to Pinkham Notch and I ran into Artful Dodger.While I was talking to him, Dingle showed up, then a friend of mine that I hiked around in '04 by the name of Caveman came over.Turns out Caveman is the caretaker at Liberty Springs Tentsite.We got into a discussion with Dingle about why thru hikers have problems in the Whites.Dingle made my point for me even though he was talking from AMC's point of view when we had discussed numbers of the thru hikers walking through the Whites which was around 400 hikers a year when there are thousands and thousands of other hikers. Out of the 400 or so thru hikers, probably not more than 100 stealth tent...which IS legal.He was saying that the impact of the thru hikers is going to require further regulations and maybe permit fees for them to walk through the Whites........blah, blah, blah....just what's needed, more regulations and AMC taking your money.Mr K, who I'd hiked with for a short while near the north end of Grayson Highlands came out from having breakfast. He had a friend with him he's been walking with by the name of Mercury.I gave Artful Dodger a ride into town so he could get a motel room.He's been walking with a hiker I met back in January at Neel's Gap by the name of Red Dane and she was expected to be in at the Gorham trailhead later today.I sent in my journal and posted it, then checked a few things on the internet and called my brother and then my father on Skype.I am really enjoying Skype right now because it's totally free long distance calling anywhere in the USA. All I need is a computer and a headset now that I've downloaded Skype.I ate my sandwich I had bought for tonight's dinner on the trail.Mrs Gorp and I drove over to Berlin, NH to see what that town was like, but drove right back to Gorham and ate a late lunch.At 3pm, we picked up Artful Dodger and drove out to the trailhead to wait on Red Dane.It's been raining most of the day...sure am glad I decided to stay in town one more day. :-)))We waited 2 hours and Red Dane hadn't showed up. We thought that just maybe she walked faster and was already in town, so Mrs Gorp and I went in and checked at the 2 hostels.She wasn't there, but I did run into a friend by the name of Meanderthal who thru hiked a couple years ago.Artful Dodger said they'd hitch into town when she showed up, so Mrs Gorp and I went across the street and ate Japanese food.The only bad bad thing about that was that they don't give you a fortune cookie after dinner. :-(((Red Dane made it to the trailhead about 5 minutes after we left and she was in the motel room taking a hot shower after walking in the rain all day.Mrs Gorp and I went over later and talked to her about 45 minutes before it was getting late and I was getting tired.Red Dane said she's had a good hike this year.I checked the Weather Channel and called Mother Nature before turning in for the night.