Date: 2007-09-23
From: The Barn, Gorham, NH

To: The Barn, Gorham, NH
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: fog

Woke up fairly early for me, around 8pm and "White Crow" went and got me a cup of coffee. It was a great belated birthday present. I had to tell White Crow about an old buddy I knew named Brandon Lee FireCrow; since they both had Crow in their names. He is a full blooded Cheyenne Dogman Warrior that was totally different than any person that I had met. He was from Wyoming, very dark skin, with giant high cheek bones, and was in his early 20's then. FireCrow had a mohawk that was spiked about 2 feet up above his head that could be any color anyday. He dressed like guys I used to see back in the early 80's that would go to Sex Pistol concerts with leather, spikes, big old moon boots($300), safety pin piercings, and he would always be praticing his swordwork with any object he could get his hands on. He would go down to a park near Vanderbilt University in West End Nashville and battle with other folks with fake swords; but, they still had a powerful wallop. I think it was called Bellagard? Anyway, him and I really hit it off for some reason. I think it was because everyone else was scared to death of him. People called us the cowboy and Indian. He found out that I did not like taking the lord's name in vain; so, he said it all the time. Along with anything else he could think of that "Farm Boys"(his words) would take personal. I would respond with, "Damn, The great White Buffalo!"(which he did not care) We worked in an organization that was very diverse and proud of being that way; so, he would love it when I would point out racist comments that most people say everyday that could be contrued that way by Native Americans because all the other races would do this all the time, threatening a lawsuit(including Caucasoids). His favorite was when the boss, one day, said,"OK folks: Let's Pow-Wow", and I would pull aside the "big cheese" manager and say, "you know Firecrow takes offense to that comment!" And he would have to pull Firecrow aside and debrief him, hoping he did not lose his job for racial slurs. Now Firecrow did not take offense to this comment or any other for that matter. He did love to be challenged physically, though. He had lost several jobs due to fighting at work. I mean good jobs, for Nashville, like Dell Computers. He was a Warrior trapped in a modern world. He was a silhouette reliefed against the rest of society. Anyway, White Crow loved the story as he was named by an old indian woman. I hitched to Pinkham Notch and then took the tour back up to Mt Washington. I was all bundled up and ready to do a 13 mile "slackpack". Well, the wind was 77 miles an hour wind, sustained, with 93 mph gusts. I tried to hike and was humbled down to crawling. No hiking today for me. I just do not want to crawl over The Presidential Range. I know that alot of legendary hikers would go hike somewhere else on the AT and hike today and then come back here another day. Piecing it all together with notecards. This is not for me: I am doing an all continuous north bound white blaze hike from Springer mt to Kathadhin. I took the tour back down, taking pictures all the way. Besides the wind, it was a clear day. I used up all the batteries in my camera that I had just bought that morning! I then hitched back to "The Barn" Hostel and there was "Topo". I had not seen her since I was going into Kent, Conn. She had twisted her ankle and it looked pretty bad. She was iceing the ankle and trying to keep her spirits up. Her and I watched football all day. I could tell that she was concerned about the prognosis, especially, when the hostel owner named "Doc" told her it looked broken! I waited on her. Making her sandwiches and drinks. I was really stoked for the Dallas Cowboy game that was coming on that evening. Well, the TV here did not get NBC; so, I had to go down to a pizza place/lounge and watch the game. I have purposely tried to stay away from bars because I drink too much; cause a commotion; and spend too much money. Well, people find out that I am from Texas when I am yelling for the cowboys and then figure out I am hiking the AT; and the rest is history. People were buying me beers; and then an after party; and then I staggered back to the hostel in the early morning. Man, I need to get a grip!