Date: 2013-08-07
From: Tyringham (Deerfield Mass)

To: Franconia Notch 
Miles today: 276.2
Weather: clear sky

Okay I am conceding defeat. I am going to update the missing days later and am doing this "bulk" post to update my current location.We are currently at the Woodstock Inn in North Woodstock. Yesterday was my hardest day on the trail so far with a 16 mile hike from Kinsmans Notch to Franconia Notch over Mt Wolf and South and North Kinsman. Whilst we had good weather I found the trail incredibly rocky and steep. Heaven help those doing it in bad weather. I also went "dutch" at the AMC when we got to our intended night stop of Kinsmans Pond Shelter. I accepted the shelter being full of 13 year olds and the idea that the AMC charges $8 pp to stay in what was the equivalent of a Bibbulmun hut. I found it appalling that they charge though when the water source is essentially a stagnant pond. I did not want to drink that water even when filtered and treated with AquaMira. So we pushed on to Franconia Notch as we had no water. If they can charge for the campsite there should be some sort of commercial filtration and tank setup.That said I want to stress to everyone that we are having a wonderful hike. We are seeing America in ways that most visitors (and many locals) will never see. This trip is leaving both Invisible Man and myself with incredible memories and friendships for the rest of our lives. One of those friends is the wonderful Coach Lou who joined us for a few days last weekend. Unfortunately the weather restricted our hiking on the day he arrived and on the second day our schedule and the pace we were travelling caused us to use him to assist in our biggest single "yellow blaze" of the trip so far. Thanks Coach and I'm sorry if that cast a dampener on your stay with us.On a positive note, Coach was with me at the shelter when Caboose and Sassafras surprised us with their arrival. They had gone off trail near the end of Connecticut when Sassafras had a toe injury and were restarting that day to do New Hampshire. As they had started with me at Springer Mountain in March it was a wonderful feeling to be there for both of their "first" days on the trail.Teacher and Snacktime also caught up with us and Coach Lou last Sunday and then did trail magic at a road crossing. Wilson, Violet and Mother Teresa have also been crossing our paths over the last few weeks although at present we are in front of all of them (by fair means and foul...).Rolling R has a knee injury and has just come back from the doctors with a diagnose of nothing serious but at least two days rest required and he has pills to take. As my own knees are not good after yesterday I may stay with him while IM and Army Ant continue on to Crawford Notch tomorrow. I do not want to risk my ability to do the ridgeline that includes Mt Washington on the other side of Crawford Notch. Rain and passing thunderstorms are also forecast for pm Thursday through to Sat morning. I have no desire to be at 5000ft when a thunderstorm hits. On the positive side the weather should be excellent for Sat through to Monday to do that section.Some highlights of the "missing" days in my journal:McGraths Pub at the Inn on the Long trail.Clarendon Shelter and the trail maintainer/angel who delivered firewood in an ATV and then took the $60 collected from about 12 of us and returned with a carton of Coors and one of Coke and various nibblies to go with them.Vermont - beautiful, green and not as muddy as expected.The trail angel who gave us a lift and then doubled back about an hour later when he found Rolling R's camera in his car (lowlight - the guy who didn't return Army's phone even though he knew we were at the Inn on the Long Trail and he was local).Green Mountain Hostel and the Hiker Hostel at Glencliff. Two opposite ends of the spectrum for style but both wonderful.The Bearded Woods Hostel - simply worth every bit of their $50 per night fee.Hiking with Violet - she has become a real friend.I have not seen a rattlesnake and appears I am now not likely too.Only seen one bear (on a road about a mile from trail) - HooRoo obviously working well in keeping them away.Have seen moose dung and footprints so still hopeful on that front.Army ant's family in general and brother Paul in particular, have been amazingly supportive and helpful throughout our hike but most prominently in Massachusetts and Vermont. IM enjoyed the day at the gun range and thankfully despite the pictures, HooRoo survived it.We have continued to push our mileage, sometimes with some help like that of Coach Lou, but also with some long days of hiking. Mt Moosilauke was our intro to the White Mountains and the wind chill at the top reminded us that they have a well earned reputation for being dangerous in bad weather.