Date: 2004-06-28
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Franconia Notch Bike Path
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Weather: Starting to see a pattern here...clear and cool in the morning with increasing clouds throughout the day and rain overnight. Good hiking and climbing weather.Hike-O-Meter: 8.9 The miles were lower today as we got off for a break at N. Woodstock. I had forgotten about the steep climb on the "rockslide" trail up South Kinsman. It seems I remember the easier stretches and forget many of the harder ones, perhaps because there are not many easy sections up north.We tried something new today. Since Wounded Knee has to be very careful, he took off early while I broke camp later and caught up. Since we were stopping at Lonesome Lake Hut for a break, I passed WK and waited there for him to arrive. I have a certain forward pace or rhytm that I'm most comfortable with. Mellow did the same thing...left camp later and passed us on the Trail.Nick, Mellow and I arrived at the hut around 11:00. They sell hikers left over cake AYCE for a buck, unlimited soup for 2 bucks and left over pancakes for free. The 3 of us devoured what was left of the cake, pancakes and the lentle soup before WK showed. We almost felt guilty...almost.The last 2 miles was a "glide" to the Whitehouse Trail which we took .8 mile to the parking lot where we had parked the car. BTW, if any of you know of safe parking and reasonable shuttles anywhere between Gorham and Katahdin please send me an email...thanks.People Met: Met 3 NOBO thru's today. All young men. The first was Cobol who really seemed to be enjoying himself. He said he didn't like "hiking with a posse" and enjoyed the solitude of the Trail as a southbounder. We later met Dances with Moose. He seemed a little down about leaving the majestic Whites and Maine.Talked briefly with a young man named Nick (not the other Nick) coming out of town.Rest of th day: We ran Mellow around N Woodstock. First to the P.O. and and then to the outfitters since we all needed one piece of gear or another. I couldn't find the replacement bag for my Platypus 1.9 litre hydrator and ended up buying a Camelback system...we'll see...I really liked my Platypus.We all went to McDonalds for the $1 cheeseburgers & fries for a mid afternoon snack.   Mellow replaced his boots with lighter trail runner type shoes. WK bought a filter bottle similar to what I've been using.When we dropped Mellow back off at the trail his food sack weighed more than most backpacks...that may be a slight exageration but it was heavy. He has lost over 40# since he started his hike and does not have any more body fat too lose. He has to eat more. He showed us his drivers license picture which he looks nothing like. If he got stopped I'm not sure an officer would belive he is the person on the license.Charlie and I got a room at the Mt Coolidge Motel...very clean and well kept, and for $50. We went to the Pub for dinner which I remembered had great food from last year.Food: Pretty much covered above except the Hostess cherry pie for breakfast, a large cheeseburger & fries for dinner followed by ice cream.Tomorrow we have a lot of errands to run...laundry, food, WK's knee brace, the library, etc.