Date: 2010-09-01
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Pinkham Notch, NH 16
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: fog

Had a very nice conversation with Gordon and Diane, paying guests at the hut. I'm very used to the quirky thru-hikers but I guess we're a fascinating species to day-hikers. Up here in the Whites, we're not doing more miles than the day-hikers, but we're not anywhere near as stiff, sore and exhausted as many of them seem to be at the end of the day. Many of them are up here "bagging" 4,000-footers so they can get a patch and recognition from the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club).After another wonderful meal, we were on the trail again with an immediate steep 500' climb to mash Mt. Madison, almost all of it hopping from rock to rock. Then we started a brutal 3,400' descent to the notch. It started out going down a massive boulder field. Slow going as we carefully picked our way down, but with screaming muscles and achy knees, my focus wandered for a moment and I lost my balance. I instinctively jammed my hiking pole between two rocks and used it as a steadying point to stay upright. The pole held firm but couldn't quite take all my weight and bent a bit. I'm actually surprised it didn't break. Good gear, Black Diamond. Once below treeline, the trail was still challenging with more boulders and many steep rock walls. All three of us are getting good at finding toe and hand holds or a convenient tree root to hold onto, but each of us fell at least once, thankfully with only minor scratches or bruises. We crossed the Mt. Washington auto road. We stopped and chatted with a couple Harley bikers there. Nice guys. I think hikers and bikers actually have a lot in common. We're all independent-minded and are members of a "tribe". As hikers, we're always open and welcoming to other hikers, and I've noticed the same phenomenon with bikers.After a pleasant break with the bikers, we continued on down and stopped at the Osgood Tent Site for water. Although still downhill, the trail finally got less hard. As we approached the notch in the late afternoon, we were a bit worried about getting an 11-mile hitch into Gorham where we wanted to get a hot meal, hostel bunk and do our usual town chores. We were all in dire need of showers and clean clothes as none of the huts have those facilities and we'd been out for awhile. As we came into the AMC Headquarters complex in Pinkham Notch, Gordon, a guest who I had spoken to up at the hut, came up and asked if we'd like his two tickets to dinner at the AMC Lodge right there as he and Diane had already eaten at a local restaurant. Awesome trail magic as these tickets were worth $22 each so the three of us only had to buy one more ticket. Then Gordon asked us if we were staying there and we told him we were going to try to hitch into Gorham and stay at a hostel. He offered to pick us up here at the lodge after dinner and drive us to town. The delicious meal was served family-style and we had quite a convivial group at our table. One minute we're stressing about how we're going to get to town and the next we're stuffing our faces with delicious food with not a care in the world. Somehow, some way, the Trail always seems to provide if you keep yourself open to it. So with full bellies, we met up with Gordon and Diane in the parking lot, drove into Gorham and they dropped us off at The Barn hostel at Libby House.Today had been one of the most difficult hikes to date but nonetheless was one of my best days on the Trail.