Date: 2008-07-01
From: Kinsman Pond Shelter

To: Liberty Springs Tentsite
Miles today: 6.0

So, a night of snacking to regain some ju-ju and a lot of sleep was just what the doctor wanted¢¦.and a bath! It¢s early, very early, and I figured I could get in a stealth dip in Kinsman Pond. The pond is a gem tucked in the valley between North Kinsman and Kinsman Ridge Trail. Always in the sun, always cold, always refreshing. Usually due to the location its somewhat private, not today.I build a small rock holding area for the clothes, shed them, and do a few rinses to get the smell out. After 5 full days they stink horribly. But then so do we all but you never notice until first thing in the morning. I leave them to soak and dive in. I swim to the center of the pond and get a view I¢ve only seen before in the winter. Since it¢s early I decide to swim back, get dressed, grab the camera and get a shot there. So, I start back to shore to get it done. Guess what¢¦5:30 am and a woman is out of bed! (jokes going to fly here¢¦) Seriously, what woman EVER gets out of bed on vacation at 5:30am! So, I swim to shore wondering how Mr. Genius is going to get out of this¢¦not many 47 year olds look too good in the birthday suit, none look good emerging from 55 degree water looking good right? So, I innocently ask as I¢m standing in waist deep water if one of the Crash/Flash sisters, which one this is I¢m not sure (the crew-cutted lesbian looking one, the other still sleeping) if she would pass me my soaking boxers or turn around while I get out and put them on. Well, the look was priceless. ¢Your skinny-dipping in the same pond we get our water from?¢ I just couldn¢t resist¢¦¢Well, if you prefer I¢ll wear the 5 day old boxers, not sure it really matters now does it???¢I didn¢t get my boxers nor did she turn around for me. Better yet, she just walked back to her tent. At this point the urge to snap that pic had faded and it was time to leave this lovely spot.So, passing the caretakers tent I stop to say goodbye, get the weather report, talk about the swim (I¢m not the only swimmer wearing birthday suits!) and receive a note of caution¢¦get over the Franconia Ridge by 4 pm or camp at Liberty Springs, big storm coming! I¢m off to the hut for some soup and decision time¢¦a 4 mile stroll to Liberty Springs tent site or a 10+ mile sprint over the ridge to Garfield Shelter without views. My mind was 90% made up, I needed to get through to make my rendezvous with shelter-girl Beth for a marathon night of cribbage and the day after with Cindy. I¢m off!A stop for early soup and sweets at Lonesome Lake hut. I love the soup at the huts, always hearty and usually full of last night¢s leftover veggies. No exception here. As I¢m ready to leave comes old trail bud Glider after a night in town getting laundry and food. We talk about the climb and he decides to go for the crossing also. We are off. Since I¢ve done this traverse a few times he¢s asking me all the questions. Not often the local hiker gets to fill in the thru-hiker but it¢s nice. As we near the summit a few hours later (3 pm) the clouds are locked in and we can hear the roar of the wind up top. My 90% certainty of getting over is now nil. I am very cognizant of the dangers of the high summits. I love my solo hiking in the winter for specifically this reason, it breeds a very healthy dose of caution in you. So, we are discussing it and knowing the next day is supposed to be awesome Glider also decides to take the short day and camp at the tent site a few hundred feet below the ridgeline and wait for tomorrow. Just then a hiker chased off the ridgeline by high winds arrives to tell us that he was standing at a 45 degree tilt against the wind and didn¢t fall over, very cool though! We are all off to our respective platforms and tie in for the night. Just as soon as I get everything bolted down and my water collected the rain starts, then the wind. The rest of the night is filled with tent buffeting wind and torrential rain. Quite OK though knowing that tomorrow I finally, FINALLY get over the ridgeline with views. It will be the first in 3 trips. I am psyched! Off to sleep¢¦goodnight all!