Date: 2014-09-06
From: Galehead Hut, Mile 1825.2

To: Ethan Pond Campsite, Mile 1837.0
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

At the huts, the crew wakes everyone up at 6:30 and breakfast is served at 7:00 sharp. Swede and I were up earlier since we wanted to start hiking as soon as breakfast is over. Today is the shortest and should be the easiest... er... I mean, least difficult hiking of our four planned days from Franconia Notch to Pinkham Notch. It's also the only day with rain in the forecast and the day with the fewest majestic views. The original forecast of chance of rain throughout the day changed to thunderstorms late in the day. We're blessed! Breakfast at Galehead Hut How Many Shades of Grey?We stopped at Zealand Falls Hut for lunch and picked a scenic spot out on the rocky slope that comprise the falls. The weather cooperated all day and we only had a couple of drip-drops until we got to the Ethan Pond Campsite. Although the trail difficulty was less, it was still tough, with a lot of downhill, so I was whupped, especially my feet and knees when we got there. Good Spot for Lunch! Having Fun Being Exhausted! Balancing Act!We were planning to sleep in the shelter there, Swede didn't even bring a tent, but the shelter was full of a group of boys from a private school plus Kinder, an older woman who had squeezed herself in amongst them. One of the reasons I got my SoLong6 tent was that I could squeeze two people in it if necessary, as Sarah and I did on my first night out from Springer. So we set up my tent on one of the tent platforms, using one of Swede's hiking poles in place of my broken one. Making my Bed!As we started to fix dinner the rain started. So we went to the shelter and ate under the overhang, thus getting to meet some of the folks. Kinder and I had a great time talking. She's a former teacher, who spent her life teaching in American Schools in South and Central America, as well as her last assignment in Africa. She had a stroke that affected her ability to talk (Expressive Aphasia), which is what Linda's Mom had a year ago. Kinder has regained most of her speaking ability, only pausing briefly occasionally to find the right word. She had to retire from teaching and has spent the last few years section hiking the AT, starting with "the most difficult parts first" of GA, ME and now NH. I had a great time talking about teaching and Aphasia with her, and got some ideas to pass on to Linda's mom. I also chatted some with John, one of the adult leaders of the group. Interestingly, he's the CFO of the school and likes to spend time outdoors, just like Greg, the CFO at Williamson. The boys were great, too, having fun and being polite to us old folks. John, Kinder and Me at ShelterDuring the day I discovered that I left my spoon at home along with my small pocket knife. So I borrowed Swede's knife to fashion a stick to hold the two sections of broken pole together in case I needed to pitch my tent before I get to the White Mountains Hostel, where Linda is sending a replacement section. I'll get a replacement spoon when I get to Pinkham Notch.The rain stopped and Swede and I squeezed into my tent for the night. Since the tent is longer than one person, it worked well with our heads at opposite ends of the tent so our shoulders were overlapping with the other's feet. The two doors were great so either of us could exit during the night without disturbing the other.Another wonderful, tiring day on the AT in the Whites! :-)