Date: 2005-08-22
From: The Barn in Gorham, NH

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: fog

Hopeful:   Georgia often feels like a long time ago, with so many people and experiences packed into almost five months. In other ways, the time has passed quickly for us. No matter how we feel about it, however, there are several indications that we've been on the Trail for a long time. here are the top ten:1. Hopeful's bright red Gregory Z pack is now a faded pink. 2. Red Wing has shrunk out of his pack's hip belt, size small is now too big.3. The sun used to set early, then it set late, and now it sets early again.4. We have trouble remembering which events happened in which state.5. Red Wing's facial hair and Hopeful's braids are plenty long enough to suck on (if we wanted to do so).6. If someone says "Scott" or "Marie", no one answers.7. The granola bars we bought and packed in drop boxes in March really do have valid expiration dates. They're a little stale now.8. The weather was cold, then it was hot and humid, and now it's cold again.9. Red Wing used to be the last one to bed and the last one up. Now he's the first one to bed and the last one up.10. When we see a northbound thru-hiker, it's always exciting because by now they are someone we've either heard of for a long time, or more likely, have known, talked, laughed and hiked with at one time or another.Just a little about our day today...   The Barn in Gorham is a cool place. It really was a barn in the past, but more for horses and carriages since it's attached to a beautiful Victorian home right in town. The beds are in the loft area. Last night I started sleeping up there, but ended up downstairs on the couch. We've been in our tent so much lately, that I'm spoiled and had trouble sleeping in a roomful of people.    We didn't rush to get up early, because our goal before leaving town was to update our trail journal online, and the community center with the computers wouldn't open until nine. Four hours (and lots of typing) later, we actually were ready to get a ride pack to Pinkham Notch.    I've determined that any sort of notch in the northeast equals a steep climb in and out. Wildcat was the name of the looming ascent today. We "only" did about six miles total, but it was plenty of exercise with the climb. Wildcat is also a ski area, and at one of the peaks there's a gondola that runs in the summertime, and lots of people had ridden up to enjoy the nice view of Mt. Washington. In another couple of miles, just before the steep descent into Carter Notch, we got a great view of the rugged landscape. Carter Hut, located in the notch, would be our last visit to an AMC hut for this trip. It's not a full service hut (meaning no meals served), which makes it less busy and quite peaceful and cozy. Sally, the caretaker, let us stay free in exchange for cleaning the kitchen after other guests made their meals. I sent Red Wing to the bunk house to bed since he's been fighting a cold, and I've been sitting here with Pappa Razzi (started April 2 and has been just behind us the whole way!), Sam I Am, Origami, Captain America, Slow and Steady and her daughter, Coordinater who is visiting. It's a good group of NOBO's!