Date: 2016-08-22
From: East B Hill Road Andover ME

To: Grafton Notch ME 26 Andover ME
Miles today: 10.3

No pictures today.It rained early morning and stopped around 3 am. The knee braces Naomi picked out did not work for Red Squirrel. Naomi would return them and get some others. Red Squirrel wore my knee braces.In the shuttle to East B Hill Road, I introduced Red Squirrel to Maxine. They discussed various knee injuries and possible solutions.0.7 mile from East B Hill Road, we came to a short steep descent to Dunn Falls. The gorge of the falls was beautiful. Sorry no picture. There was plenty of water with the early morning rain.The stepping stones had about 2 inches of water flowing over them. There was about 50 feet from the stepping stones to the drop off for the falls. I did not like that there would be no time for recovery if I slipped on the stones.Red Squirrel said she was frozen in fear. I sprang into action (a little too soon) and walked through the water in my hiking shoes and socks, just upstream of the stepping stones. Red Squirrel followed. I told Red Squirrel there was a woman who was swept away in a river in Maine last year.She died. This looked like a possible place for that to happen. We walked the rest of the day in wet socks and shoes.We had lunch at Frye Notch Lean-to. We proceeded on to Baldpate east peak. We met a couple coming down the steep wet rock face we were climbing. The mountain rock was draining from the early morning rain. I asked if there were views. They said no views, just fog. Just before being above treeline, we met an Asian man who told Red Squirrel that she needed more clothes for the upcoming wind. She said she had on 4 layers. His statement unnerved Red Squirrel. In hind sight, she had on enough layers.I had on my Patagonia Nano Puff jacket. He said I had enough clothes for the wind. The rock summit was covered in fog and 30-60 mph gusts. The gusts took my breath away. The gusts came from all different directions. It was difficult to brace myself because I did not know where the wind was coming from next. There were times I felt the gust was going to knock me over. I put on my sunglasses to shield my eyes. My eyes cry in wind, making it impossible for me to see.The sunglasses fogged, making it more difficult to see.It was difficult to find the next cairn (rock pile marking the trail) with the wind blowing.I got off trail and on to slippery lichen. A gust caught me and I fell on my side. No injury.Red Squirrel called out wondering where I was. She was on trail and I came up behind her.We found the next cairn and the next one and the rock lined trail.We moved quickly, bent over to lower our profile in the wind. Red Squirrel's back bothered her later.When we got to some tree cover, we stopped and caught our breath.We had a mile to go. Fortunately, it was broken up by two or three tree stands. Red Squirrel also fell when crossing Baldpate in the wind.Red Squirrel asked me if I expected this. I told her yes, but not here. I expected it on Mount Washington.She said if it is like this we are not doing Mt Washington. I said I did not think the winds were 100 mph here, but could be on Mt Washington.Later that day, we met two different people who told us of their experience with 90 mph winds on Mt Washington.I showed Red Squirrel the next tree cover. This would be the longest we would be in the wind, but we could see where we would be finished.We met a person or two in this wind, but only communicated with short words and nods.At last we were out of the wind. The wind was cut to half in the shelter of the trees. What a relief!We came downhill. We met a north bound woman. Then we met a group from New Hampshire University.I asked them where was the shelter. They said we passed it. The leader dug out his map. He pointed to the shelter on the map. I asked him where we were.The group was not clothed for the heavy gusts they were about to encounter. We stopped for snacks on the side of the trail. Then we continued on. The college group turned around, came downhill and passed us.They had missed the shelter. The trail to the shelter was marked with a sign that was easily visible going south. It would have been behind them as they went north.The trail went downhill, all the way to the road. Tough on the knees.We ate Chinese food at Andover General Store. The Chinese food was written on the white board. A Chinese mother and daughter work there. So when the mother is there, it is authentic Chinese food. Red Squirrel lived in South Korea and Singapore for many years. We both enjoyed the food.Red Squirrel decided she needed to take a zero day the next day and ice her knees. She gave me her clothes to wash. Laundry was included with my stay at Pine Ellis and I did not have a full load.I stayed up until 10:30 pm talking with a SOBO man, thinking I was taking a zero tomorrow with Red Squirrel. I was a little disappointed since I felt fine.