Date: 2011-09-12
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Crawford Notch
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: fog

It was a very looong day today wth a glorious moment in the beginning, lots of descent with a mountain or two thrown in, a bit of scary stuff, ending in the dark and a lonely road walk.. Before today's events: last night I went up from the dungeon to use the facilities and found Knitty and Gritty there. Cool. But I failed to get their picture as my camera was in the dungeon. They are concerned because their food drop is in a town with the road out. But they did get a work for stay in the hut even if it was closed. I got up early and tried to be very quiet and just use red light getting my breakfast and using the facilities. I did get a good night's sleep in the dungeon and it was a good thing considering the length of this day. The glorious moment happened not long after I left the hut into the middle of a cloud with high winds. (BTW, the winds on Mt Washington yesterday were 40-60 mile an hour gusts.) Anyway, suddenly and not for very long, I was in a pocket of sun with clouds skirling all around me, the immediate high country surrounding me beautiful and blue sky in a patch allowing the sun to shine. It was truly delightful and special. Most of the rest of the morning I was in a cloud with winds trying to knock me over. The afternoon though, was lower and sunny and clear. The descent goes by a number of peaks including Monroe, Eisenhower, and Clinton and went over Jackson, where I had my lunch. A number of day and thru hikers passed me including a couple of senior citizens who might have been in my age bracket, Hot Drinks and Dude. The scary part was coming down Webster Cliffs. It was a steep and long descent with the worst rock climbing near the top by a pretty straight drop of a couple thousand feet. I stowed my poles and back climbed down very carefully. The total descent was 3 miles and 3 thousand feet, some parts very steep. I did not finish in daylight. Darkness is coming earlier now. I had to use the headlamp by 7:10. I came out at the road about 8. No traffic. This is the road that is washed out to the east. No cell reception either. I started walking the 3.7 miles to my lodging and food drop. I got almost half way there before getting cell reception to verify they had room for me but no one could get me. Finally a car came by going the wrong way but they were kind enough to pick me up and take me to the Highland Center. The girl at the front desk was Turkish. I talked to her using s little of my old Peace Corps Turkish. She was very surprized - a cute kid. So she got me checked into the bunkhouse, I got my shower, and she even found me dinner but told me not to tell anyone or she might get in trouble - so all you readers, don't tell anyone. She took pity on an exhausted old lady who happened to speak her language. She left a very good impression of the Highland Center. That is also good business practice and I hope she does not get in trouble. I almost fell asleep while eating the huge platefull of porkchops, potatoes, stuffed pepper and brocolli. It was delicious. The day was exhausting, too long, too late, but I am clean and fed and in bed and life is good. Sent on the go from my Peek