Date: 2010-08-15
From: Lonesome Lake Hut

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: broken clouds

15 August Sunday ¢ 15.9 miles to Galehead HutLast night Stretcher and I talked about our fears and excitement of completing this journey. The end is quickly approaching. He doesn¢t want it to be over so he¢s inclined to slow down. Drag it out! He has nowhere to be afterwards. I feel similarly but I do have a goal of finishing in mind. Perhaps that¢s the better of the two choices. Having some time to soak it up rather than letting it overflow. The one thing Stretcher and I have in common is the question: ¢What now?¢ How do you go on with your life after completing such a tremendous goal as walking across the US? Will everything be less than normal? We were beneath the canopy of the heavens last night and I¢m thinking I couldn¢t live without seeing that every night. It¢s still on my mind this morning. I stared across the black reflection on the still waters of Lonesome Lake until it burned its way into my memory. This feeling of loss is crippling my heart. How will I move on with our life afterward? Will I always be stuck in the past? Stuck at this point in my life?¢I¢m afraid to go back.¢ I told Stretcher.¢I¢m scared the whole world will no longer have color!¢ I thought aloud.I have to hope that this is only raising the bar to higher expectation rather than disappointment.We both agreed to take full advantage of the pleasant weather today. It¢s amazing to see where the end of your day will be tomorrow! We did all of our work-for-stay chores last night so we were free to leave early this morning. We wake to the sounds of coffee being made. I can¢t find my black hat and I¢m afraid I¢ve lost it! Darn you bag of wine!The air outside is chilly and the wind is completely still. The lake was like glass this morning! Smooth water for that perfect reflection picture I¢d been dreaming of last night. I finally got a picture of chipmunk last night by the docks. There¢s one by the shore that¢s acclimated to humans so he comes out and begs for food. PA chipmunks suck!The trail leaving the hut ran straight along the creek and brook. We were practically rock hopping down the stream the whole way. Stretcher would later complain to me about all the spider webs he¢d eaten along the way. I¢m sure the webs contain some form of protein content. The approaching sound of traffic signified our proximity to US3/93. A day hiker alerted us of the nearby trail magic under the bridge. There were Pringles, nuts, Dove chocolate and a Snickers bar. Junk foood! Umm. There were 3 moldy strawberries. Stretcher opted to eat a pack of Ramen noodles for breakfast as I ate handfuls of salty peanuts from the trail magic cooler.It was a whopper of a climb to the first AMC campsite. It was actually tame after passing that point but it was no harder than South Kinsman yesterday. Getting to Liberty Spring campsite didn¢t involve much hand usage at all. We arrived to find Rock¢n¢Roll, Cowgirl and Trinkette discussing their plans and what to do. Cowgirl has a urinary tract infection that¢s flaring back up because she didn¢t finish taking her prescribed antibiotics. Cowgirl is going to have to walk back to Franconia Notch to hitch to a RiteAid pharmacy in Lincoln. The problem is compounded by the fact that today is Sunday and we¢re not sure if the pharmacy will even be open. That and she¢s got to hike this section twice! Ouch!While the group is discussing what she should do, I¢m distracted by a crazy intelligent Gray Jay. It¢s harassing me for food. Buzzing my head and looking directly at me from various nearby trees. I¢m chugging ice cold spring water straight from the mountain and out of a metal pipe! I¢m in heaven! I love spring water for breakfast! I miss water that tastes this pure!I lead the way up increasingly shorter trees until we¢re at the junction for Liberty Mountain¢s summit. Thank God I wasn¢t lazy and bypassed that beautiful location. My meager writing ability can¢t even begin to compare to the sight of Franconia ridge in the glow of the morning sun. Franconia ridge in all her glory! This is the part of the trail I¢d come all this way for! This completely exposed railway straight up the side of 5 gigantic mountains. I could see the blue memory of Moosilauke, Kinsman and the sheer rock face of Cannon Mountain. Cannon Mtn. was reflecting the sunlight like someone holding a magnifying glass and pointing into my retinas. It looks like a huge spot light glowing on the edge of the ridge like a reflective umbrella used by a photographer.The false summit of Liberty Mountain left me in quivery exasperation! There was another large rock pile just behind what I thought was the top. The one I¢m currently standing on is a lot smaller. Maybe this is how Australia looks? The top of Liberty looked like it could fall right off the side and into the abyss of a valley below. When I ran up the last smooth rock hanging to the cliff I wanted to leap off the side and fly away. There¢s nothing in this world that could make me feel more free and peaceful than being here. Perfectly clear weather. Not a cloud to obscure my view! I wanted to stay there until I starved and left the earth with a stomach full of freedom! The trail looked like it ran straight along the spine contour of the ridge. The trail is like a zig-zag tattoo down the back of a brontosaurus. I didn¢t realize it at the time, but I couldn¢t see Lafayette yet! It was hidden by Lincoln!We ran from mountain top to mountain top thinking of how incredible it was to have such wonderfully calm weather. If I fell and broke my leg now, it¢d be an acceptable ending for me. I¢m satisfied! People laugh at our gapping wide mouths and tell us that we¢ve seen nothing yet?! They say wait until you see Maine! People in brand new hiking clothes see our spurting bulging eyes and tell us that we¢ve seen nothing yet? How¢s that possible? How does this earth have anything better than Franconia ridge? Rock¢n¢Roll says it reminds him of New Zealand.We take another break on Lincoln to eat and admire the center of the ridge. One would think that they could get across the back of this thing quickly but it tricks your eyes. It¢s a long ways from one side to the other even though it¢s flat in profile. There¢s a crow soaring in the cool wind above our heads like a vulture. He turns by moving his tail feathers. We earthbound misfits all admire him and wish we could fly over this place with such gracefulness! We need cars and money to get here. We have to walk. He lives here!It takes a while to get from one summit to the next. The effort required to make progress here is deceiving! It takes a while to arrive at Lafayette. Making miles is tricky because I¢m taking videos of the whole ridgeline. I tell myself I¢ll watch it later and remember how awesome I once was. I¢m making the video to show the unfortunate majority what they missed when they cross this place in bad weather. This place looks like it spends quality time by being engulfed in clouds. It¢s getting windy and cold by the time we¢re on Lafayette. Jackets and hats are on to cover our sweaty skin and clothes. Clouds form in the valleys as we gawk at the views for an hour. Lots of tourists are crawling all over this place like ants today. Various nationalities are represented here today! There¢s even the occasional jogger running with nothing but shorts and earphones. A few military types seem to be in hurry to get away from what they came up here for. Where do people have to go so soon? Didn¢t they come here for this? What¢s the rush?Tree, Hot Foot, Kumquat, Tour Guide arrive on the summit while Stretcher and I are still there. Yet again, the clouds start forming after lunch to block their view. I¢m thankful I got what I¢d came for today. I have the urge to keep going before the clouds roll in. Stretcher wants to go to Greenleaf Hut. I feel the need to see the whole ridge line while it¢s still possible. From the looks of the thickening creamy clouds it¢s only a matter of time before it¢s taken away from us all. Rain is predicted for tonight. I have to see Garfield at the very least! I can see the disappointment in Stretchers face when I tell him I¢ve got to keep going. Trinkette yogi¢s some wine and cheese for us before I leave Lafayette¢s beautiful summit.Hot Foot comes along. He¢s the third wheel today because Tree is hiking with Jenn (the girl he met in Lincoln). I tell Hot Foot that I¢ll be his date today. Hot Foot asks if I¢m ¢easy¢. I tell him I play hard to get and I¢m expensive as hell. It¢s not long before I lose him in the long hard climb down. I try not to get to close to Tree and Jenn but when she starts talking on the cell phone I have to pass them. They¢re all stealth camping down by Garfield pond tonight. It¢s already been clear to me that today might be the end of the Worx hiking team. I¢m not sure how far I¢ll go yet, but I¢m tired!The Whites work you HARD. The miles do not come easy! The summit of Garfield has an old Rangers station foundation. It¢s what Grommet described as a shelter with no ceiling. The views already obscured by the clouds. I¢m shivering as I sit behind the wall to block the wind. It¢d be foolish to sleep here in this place. I¢d die of hypothermia.The climb down Garfield was as dangerous as any part of the trail I¢ve encountered. It drops straight down a waterfall. Insane and dangerous is how I¢d describe that decent. It¢s crazy for someone with a backpack that¢s for sure! There¢s a group of yuppie weekenders right below me and I expect them to take until dark to get down this thing. I met a southbound yuppie couple in Coleman camping equipment. They looked terrified as they climbed up the waterfall. They have reason to be terrified I think to myself. If they¢re planning on going to Greenleaf Hut, they¢ll freeze to death in the approaching rainstorm. I don¢t feel like dealing anyone¢s broken leg today!Rock¢n¢Roll was slowly chipping away at the last 0.8 miles to the hut when I caught him. I¢d already passed Trinkette earlier so I guess me and Rock¢n¢Roll will get spots at the hut tonight. I feel bad for putting Trinkette out in the cold, but I¢m sure everything will work out for us all. We¢re all fighting for a place to stay tonight in this cold rain. I really don¢t like the competitive spirit these huts bring out in us. I¢m capable of burning past anyone left on the AT but I feel heartless to deprive someone of shelter and free food. Rock¢n¢Roll is still feeling the effects of his recent Guardia episode. He¢s stumbling and swaying between steps. I¢m afraid he might collapse right in front of me.When we arrive at the hut, SnowFox is already sitting on the porch. The way Rock¢n¢Roll looks back there told me to let him have the second spot in the hut. That and I don¢t care. Bottom line is I¢m staying here tonight regardless of what they say. I¢m staying inside one way or another. I actually sat down on the porch and started eating before checking in. I¢m unconcerned I think to myself. I eat and then go in and ask if they have room for another hiker despite their ¢two hiker¢ rule. I keep my poker face on even though I¢m willing to stay without being fed. I don¢t tell him that of course. The Hut Masters Assistant makes and exception and I¢m in! I think of Trinkette just as he walks in the door. He¢s soaking wet and he looks heartbroken that there¢s three hikers already in front of him. I motion for him to ask to stay. He asks and gets a spot also.We ate black bean soup, manicotti and bread for setting tables and sweeping. Rock¢n¢Roll gives a great presentation to the entertainment of the entire hut attendees. In his speech he described how he¢s dreading the day he finishes and has to go by his real name again. In society we¢ll have to go by our Christian names. He concluded his speech with how he¢d feel about reaching Katahdin.¢My name was Rock¢n¢Roll, but now it¢s just Jeff¢I could almost here his voice crackle with emotion when he realized what he¢d just described. It¢s almost time to wake up from this dream. It¢s almost time to grow up!