Date: 2016-07-14
From: Liberty Spring AMC Tentsite, NH

To: Stealth Camp Near Galehead Hut, NH
Miles today: 9.2

Day 819.2 miles in 10 hours including 1.5 hours of trail magicLiberty Spring Campsite (1818.8) to stealth camp prior to reaching the Galehead Hut (1828)Weather: Gorgeous, sunny, breezy, 70sLunch: Margaritas, beef steak tomato and fresh mozzarella, roasted pepper and sausage heroes, peach cake with real whipped cream and fresh peachesDinner: One pot tacoHikers: Lots of SOBOs, day hikers and NOBOs, Purples, Manatee, Chompa, Rip Tide, Golly, Solar, and a half dozen moreEpic day today. First there was Franconia Ridge¢a two mile stretch of trail, traversing multiple summits, above tree line. I climbed four peaks over 4,000 feet each, two of which were over 5,000. With the clear skies, the views were outstanding. Also noted: Military aircraft is responsible for the sounds heard in the airspace the past few days. Two M15s (?) flew over while atop Mt. Lincoln.Second: Trail magic happened at the 5,089-foot Mt. Lincoln summit. If I hadn't hiked up to Liberty Springs last night and if I hadn¢t taken a break to call Sam when I had four bars this morning, I would surely have missed the drinks and food being served up for lunch today. Here's how it went down: Two men with external frame backpacks passed me while I was on the phone at the first summit. After I rang off, I headed toward Mt. Lincoln where the two men (Trail Mix and Brendon) were now, theoretically, resting against the rocks, out of the wind. They inquired about my trip and around the same time, four SOBO guys strolled by. At this point, Trail Mix asks; ¢Anyone interested in a margarita?¢ Say what? And he proceeds to unpack ice, a battery operated blender, limes and a batch of homemade margarita mix. It was crazy. Here we are at over 5,000 feet and this guy is performing trail magic. But it gets better. He pulls out a sign, actually a cue-card, indicating the lunch he¢s prepared for we, the extremely fortunate and apparently chosen thru-hikers, and tells us that Brendon and he work together on Saturday Night Live. Trail Mix has hiked 70% of the trail and picked this date two months ago with this plan, because, you know. Epic trail magic doesn't happen at these elevations. After the margaritas are consumed, he slices big, red tomatoes and fresh mozzarella for an appetizer. Then he lights up his Coleman Peak One stove and reheats the pepper and sausage hero sandwich fixings. After that is gone, he cuts up a peach cake, sprays chilled whipped cream and sprinkles each serving with fresh peaches. To say the whole experience was amazing is an understatement. We all stayed put on that summit for over an hour. If there was a contest for the best trail magic, Trail Mix wins hands down over any free hiker pancake breakfast, Gatorade cooling in a stream or even beer. Already the trail rumors have turned this lunch into a legend. So tonight finds me stealth camping, alone, by the side of the trail. Didn't make it as far as I had initially planned pre-epic trail magic. The trail is still rocky and steep in places¢including a descent over what counts as a small waterfall in my book. I questioned a few hikers whether or not they thought the rocks were as bad as Pennsylvania, or were we just getting used to them? We all agree that they seem smoother with better footholds and are far less painful here in New Hampshire. And of course, these rocks are taking us to actual epic vistas. My entire quota allowed for the use of the adjective ¢epic¢ is now exhausted.