Date: 2003-08-15
From: Somewhere in Vermont

To: Bethel, Maine
Miles today: 40.0

" Joy rises in me like a summer morn. "                        Samuel Tyler Coleridge "The Presidential View Cabins were wonderful. Super simple with everything I needed. Headed out,back to Lincon and picked up my pillows. Is't it amazing how attached you can get to your favorie pillow? Something so simple can bring such comfort. Thankfully it was there and then I made my way to Rte 16 and North Conway. Stopped at EMS and Pinkham Notch visitors centers looking for the ATC maps of the final 100 miles of the AT. No such luck. Seems stores in the vicinity of where you are hiking are either always sold out or they only carry maps of the far away places. Welp, I havent had to use maps before so why bother now. I only really use the elevation profiles anyway. Headed south to Dover NH to visit Red Rover and Peregrine. They have a great apartment and are both working. I must admit after 5 months in and out of a tent, I had a good case of apartment envy. We chatted during dinner about people on and off the trail and had a great time at Red Hook Brewery. They even bought me dinner. I couldn't stay there, landlord said NO DOGS so around 10 pm I headed north again looking for a place to stay. All the motels didn't allow dogs and all the private campgrounds offices were closed so I thought the National Park. Unfortnately, they were booked, so I ended up sleeping in a parking area of some covered bridge. I was prepared, but I will admit I was afraid I'd get caught. I thankfully didn't. I wasn't sure if it was permitted or not, but I did pay the parking fee. Needless to say I didn't sleep well and was up at the crack of dawn. The parking lot had a pit toilet and always prepared me had water, so it was just like a campsite, just not an official campsite. Got Dunkin Donuts coffee!!!! and headed north to Pinkham Notch. I had planned to hike to Lowes Bald Spot but really wanted to be above treeline, so, I paid the $18.00 and went up the auto road basically becaue I could. Got to the top, strapped on the boots and day pack and headed south down the Tuckerman Ravine trail, then made my way over to Lakes of the Clouds Hut and back up the Crawford Notch trail, the official AT route. The weather could not have been better - a few clouds, but they cleared and I actually got a sunburn. Being above the treeline gave me the same feeling as the Roan Highlands, only this was a bit more desolate. The weather can change amazingly quickly up there. It can be sunny and warm one minute then cold and snowing the next. It's no wonder it's so stark. The hike was tough but very good. The climb down and the climb back up were work. Later I made my way into Maine and my old home town of Bethel. I spent a spectacular summer work camping at Bethel Outdoor Adventure and working at Pats Pizza. Caught up with the gang at BOA took a shower and went to Pats for pizza. I ate a pizza with pine nuts, asparagus, olive oil and artichokes - it was spectacular. Jeff and Patti at BOA are doing well. The place looks great and is hopping. The crew at Pats haven't skipped a beat. Many of the same kind people are still there. It's wonderful to see old friends. Tomorrow the plan is to do Mahoosuc Notch. It's a cool clear evening. I should sleep like a rockstar! peace and positivity,Molasses