Date: 2016-08-24
From: Ethan Pond Campsite

To: Nauman Campite
Miles today: 9.3

I woke up, ate breakfast and went back to sleep. I love doing that. I got on my way by 8. It was 2.9 miles to the road a very nice walk. When I got there my goal was to do laundry and have a shower at the Dry River camp ground. I hitched a ride 1.8 miles down the street. I got to the campground and there was no attendant. I couldn't get any quarters. I started walking another 1.5 miles down the road to the next campground, Crawford Notch. It had a store. I was picked up by a couple of ladies who were out supporting their husbands on their hike. They had picked up another hiker and he asked them to stop for me. I wasn't even hitching at this piont. I hate hitching. This store was the least friendly place. It is so unfortunate when we (hikers) are treated like this. The people are only thinking short term. I might want to come back as a vacationer to places I have enjoyed on the trail. This store would not be one of them. I got charged more than double for the fuel I needed. I got the quarters for the shower and laundry but them told that there facilities were only for their campers. I had to go back up to the other campground. Unbelievable! I walked back. I got a great shower. I put my laundry in then realized there was no place here to buy laundry soap. Peter the camp grounds keeper showed up just as I was about to have a melt down at the thought of walking back to that store for soap. I told him my delema. He said, "well if you just have one load I can give you some soap". Yaaaa, I was saved. Finally I was clean and on my way. I had six miles to cover before dark. It was 2:30. It was steep going out of Crawford Notch. I walked with Wet Tent, (Laurel) a delightful girl from Newfoundland. We talked for awhile then she fell behind. I crossed paths with Marmalade. He flipped at Harpers Ferry . He didn't even recognize me. I have lost a lot of weight. He told me of his journey so far from Kitadin. It was great to see him again. Bean had also flipped. I saw her today too. She is the lady that helped me with my eating when I was about five weeks into my hike. She was concerned about my weight loss but I said I wasn't having the same energy problems so she said that was good. Webster Cliffs were technical. That's the term for bloody hard. Lots of climbing up and down on my hands and knees. It was up here that a man in a white shirt (that means definite day hiker) passed me and said, "there is a man waiting for you at the hut". I said," you have the wrong person, know one is waiting for me". He couldn't remember the man's name but was sure the message was for me. I was amused but that's all. I got phone service in and out. It was quite frustrating. The next time my phone went off I froze in place. I just happened to be going down a steep flat rock. I had my one foot on a root. My had on the tree and the phone in the other hand. I was literally hanging there. I got a call off to Stephen. I just wanted to be short and let him know I was ok. I hadn't talked to him since he left. I couldn't quit get the picture of my current situation across to him clearly. the conversation went on as I hung there. It was all good news. I also got a text from Storm. He was waiting for me at the Lake of the Clouds Hut. I replied that I couldn't make it there tonight. He said he would wait there till I came. I absolutely couldn't believe he was going to wait for me, wow. I got to Mizpah Spring Hut just as it was getting dark. I got to the campsite beside it and got m,y tent set up. I apologized to the two others beside me for the noise at the late hour and I introduced myself. They said , "oh you are the infamous Hazel". When Storm needs to get a message sent he sends it with everyone, they were all on the look out for Hazel. I was embarrassed and grateful all rolled into one. I decided I had made enough noise there so I took my food and stove over to the hut. The people there were still up (rich day hikers). Then I had a stroke of brilliance. I went into the hut and asked if they had any supper left over that I could work for. They wont let you buy it. They had lots. I did dishes for about 30 mins after I had eaten all I could handle. Its was so good. I went to bed full and happy.