Date: 2003-07-31
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Pinkham Notch NH 16 (Royalty Inn Gorham)
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: light rain

Day 140 Avg Mls/Day 13.2Weather: Sunny clear start. Partly cloudy afternoon. Highs in 80'sToday's Nature: A fox was hanging around atop Mt Washington...probably looking for food.Falls Today 0 Total 8Since I "worked for stay" at the Hut, I slept on top of the last table in the dining room last night. I lie there looking out the window at the mountain ridge lines against the starlit sky above. It was really an awesome nightime scene.I did not stay for breakfast at the Hut. Instead I ate a couple of snack items and headed out before 7 for Mt Washington, about a mile and a half uphill.On the way there I met Dave, walking SOBO. He is a volunteer, I believe, at the Mt Washington Observatory. He had thru-hiked several years ago. We had a nice chat and he took a picture of me on the Trail with my camera. It was nice meeting you Dave...thanks again.Mt Washington is the highest peak in the Northeast at 6,288'. Since it is also accessible by road and cog railroad, it is quite "touristy." The summit building has a snack bar and hiker room. The summit is under cloud cover 55% of the time. On April 12, 1934 an on-land wind speed fo 231 mph was set which stands as the world's record.I arrived at 7:30, a half hour before anything opened. I walked around and looked out from the observation platform. It was a beautiful morning with clear blue sky, no wind...unusually nice weather.When they opened the doors about 8:10, I did my emails and sent Julia the pay phone number she could call me at.   I then went to the snack bar for OJ and a bagel. Julia called and we talked for a few minutes. I did not stick around long as I wanted to hike 14 miles today.The cog railway paraelles the AT as it decends Washington. It is a tradition that thru-hikers "moon" the steam locomotive as it goes by with a load of passengers. I guess it is the "naturalist hiker's" way of protesting the polluting RR along the AT. The train crew responds by throwing coal at the hikers. I followed tradition and although they came close, the coal never hit me.The 5 mile or so hike to Madison Springs Hut was not pleasant. The mountains are nothing but rock piles and the Trail rugged. Not one of my favorites...in fact, my least favorite part of the Whites with 2 days to go.I decided to get to Pinkham Notch today and hitch into Gorham. Reason being I have a maildrop in Gorham and couldn't take a chance on not getting there before they close on Saturday when the Trail crosses another route that goes into Gorham further away.Got to route 16 at 4 pm. Two great "seasoned section hikers" from PA gave me a ride into Gorham. Thanks grams and gram-gram. Real nice people from PA who just completed 4 days of section hiking.I got a room and went out to eat at a local small restaurant.While I'm waiting to order this guy walks up and asks me if I'm a thru-hiker and can be buy me a beer. I say sure and he invites to sit with him and a friend...so I do. His trailname is Arrow and his friend's Ripple. They both thru-hiked last year. I find out it was Arrow who put out the trail majic cooler full of cold sodas back near the road just before Ore Hill Shelter. I remember getting there late and enjoying them immensely!Arrow also knows AWOL who is also thru-hiking this year. AWOL and I have been exchanging emails as he is several weeks behind me. Also, Ripple had followed Big Red and Blaze in last year's journals...2 that I followed.Well, tomorrow I need to get to the post office when it opens; get my box and hit the Trail. It sounds like it's back to rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future.Thought for the Day: What a coincidence...running into Arrow.