Date: 2016-07-31
From: Ethan Pond Campsite 

To: Lake of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Radar and I were the last people to leave the campsite this morning at 9. It's our gift. I talked to the caretaker on my way out, a young man probably in college or maybe just finished with. He said for the first time ever, someone pooped near his caretaker tent, and also in plain view of the privy. Ha! So that's something.Juna Durer saw a moose on his way out of Ethan Pond, but he was gone two and a half hours later by the time Radar and I left.We started the day with a drastic downhill, which brought us into Crawford Notch. We met the wives of thruhikers Chopper and Mountain Goat, and they graciously gave us sodas.Radar and I caught up to everyone at the Mizpah Hut. We all got free leftover teriyaki chicken there! Incredible! Everything I heard about the Whites from people before I started this trail, and even during, was negative. That the workers in the huts aren't nice to thru hikers and will send you away and everything is expensive and people are rude, etc. None of that is true in my experience. The caretakers and AMC Hut workers have all been young, enthusiastic, easy going and very gracious. All that worrying was for nothing. This is the most amazing part of the trail yet. Also the hardest.I cracked everyone up with my trashfloss story, which is in a previous journal entry. Now my alternate trail name is Trashfloss.The rest of the hiking today was difficult and almost exclusively uphill. Up and over Mt Eisenhower, Mt Franklin and Mt Monroe, but the views were just stunning. Hard to complain when you're looking out over what looks like half of the world.After a great day of difficult hiking and good group chats, we reached Lake of the Clouds Hut. The weather held out for us. When we went in, the dining room was incredibly packed with weekenders. We spoke with someone about our options, and they were as such. 3 bunks remained in "The Dungeon", 2 could work for stay or we could push on to farther campsites. The Dungeon is a small stone room under the Hut that has old wooden bunks for 6 hikers. It's $10, but you don't have to work. Crasher, Rocky and Juan wanted this option, but so did I. I played Juan in Rock Paper Scissors best out of 3 and just barely beat him. Him and Radar worked for stay. But Rocky and Crasher have a double sleeping bag, which is too wide for the bunks, so all 4 of them are upstairs sleeping in the dining area tonight. Unfortunately they have to wait for people to clear out.I watched the sunset with Crasher and Rocky and we had a nice discussion about how far we've come and where we're going.This trail has been a wild ride. It's hard not to feel it coming to an end, and hard not to feel a little sad about that. I've met great people and seen amazing things. But, honestly, I am ready to be done. I've been out on the trail a very long time. I'm ready to be back with my wife and my cats. To spend time with my brother again. To take showers whenever I want, and maybe even for no reason. To cook actual healthy food. To take my life off of whatever kind of long but incredible pause this has been. It can't last forever, and, frankly, I'm sick of walking. Haha. At least for now.