Date: 2011-08-08
From: Lake of the Clouds Hut

To: Madison Spring Hut
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: fog

It is catch-up time for the journal. There was rain early on Mt Washington and no reservation had opened up at Madison Spring Hut for Klip. So Klip headed to the summit and auto road and caught a bus to Pinkham Notch. It turned out to be a tour bus and when he got to the bottom and was exiting, the driver admonished that it was a good thing he didn't tell her he was a "hiker". He caught a ride in to Gorham and rested from the "rocky" trail over the Whites. Fahmah headed on to Madison Hut. He watched as the 3 little ladies with their Dad stopped atop the mountain to fly a kite. They stayed just a little way behind him all the way to the hut. He heard the oldest of the 3 complaining that she had developed a "hot spot" on her foot that made the last of the hike very painful for her. He felt so bad. They were so very courageous to have walked all that way. He got to the hut just long enough ahead of them to tell the Hut Crew about their feat. They were given a magnificent cheering and standing ovation by everyone in the Hut when they entered. It made Fahmah feel so good. They really deserved it. I didn't get a call from him that night as there was no service. But he called in the morning once he got on the trail and had service again. I was preparing to leave to pick him up at Pinkham Notch when he got me. He wasn't sure when he would be down, maybe not till 5 p.m. so I didn't have to rush. I was baking an apple pie to take with me...the 2nd of 2 pies (last night I baked a fresh blueberry pie for the hungry hikers!). The day turned out to be a lovely day for a drive and a hike. Clear and not too hot and humid. I drove to Pinkham Notch the long way, through Gorham. I stopped in at Hiker's Paradise to check to make sure that Klip had arrived as planned. He had and was off on the local bus to Walmart. I headed down to the Notch and wasn't there an hour when I received a call from Fahmah. He had missed taking a turn where he was supposed to, but the sign pointed straight ahead (and others had done the same) but was too far advanced when he found out to turn around. It turned out he was on the Osgood Ridge Trail that brought him out to Great Gulf Parking area. He had met 2 ladies from Boston area that had told him he was on the wrong trail, but he had seen that the sign pointed this way so he continued on. They completed their loop and ran in to him again further down the trail...they said "what are you still doing on this trail?". They were careful to get ahead of him and stay ahead for the rest of the trip....the 6 nights in the huts without showers and laundry had taken it's toll!!! Smart ladies! I located him at the pickup spot, opened his window wide and brought him back to Gorham. We were met by Klip and QuickToez waiting on the porch. QuickToez Dad had dropped him off and he signed up for a night in the hostel! They all decided that Fahmah was tired and needed a day off, so tomorrow would be a zero! Fahmah finally cleaned up....all he had was rain gear to wear while the laundry was done. Quicktoez had broken a zipper in his favorite shorts so the two of us headed to Walmart for some clothes for Fahmah and shorts for Quicktoez. We found (too late) a place across the street that sold sporting clothes...they closed at 5 p.m. and it was about 20 past! So we determined we would head back there tomorrow. In the meantime what we got at Walmart would have to do. We went to dinner at J's down the street (the best food in town!) and returned to the rooms for fresh blueberry pie!! Klip had his first blueberry pie and liked it!! Quicktoez rather enjoyed the blueberry cake that I had too!!! We were all tired and went our own way. We would get up when we woke up...no alarm tomorrow!! See you at breakfast!FOR YOU JIM.