Date: 2005-09-10
From: Lonesome Lake Hut

To: Liberty Springs Tentsite
Miles today: 5.5

Spent a great night with the ¢croo¢ at Lonesome Lake Hut. The other guest never did show up, so I was there by myself with the crew. I had a huge dinner ¢ soup, salad, crusty pasta with chicken, and lemon pie with coffee ¢ and I am sure that I eat enough for the missing guest and myself. We played the ¢Tell me about your Day game¢ ¢ a favorite at the Barrett Household for years ¢ where every one at the dinner table in turn has to tell the story of their day. As the sun set, there was the most unusual red/brown tint of color on Franconia Ridge, which I hope I captured on film.   This morning however, as I was trying to get a photo of the sunrise, the camera just refused to work. Last time when it jammed, I was at least able to finish off the photos on the roll. This time it was suddenly ¢Nada¢ I was so disappointed, because I have been looking forward to getting some realy good photos along Franconia Ridge. Imagine my joy when, at breakfast, as I explained my problem, they told me that they sell disposable cameras for $10 each. Such good fortune!      After a genuinely sorrowful goodbye to the crew ¢ and to Dingle, the caretaker from Kinsman campsite who stayed the night ¢ I started off around a windblown Lonesome Lake and down the AT, to Route 3 and Franconia Notch. The heat of my exertions soon overcame the coolness of the wind, and I was once again hiking in summer mode. It is a nice smooth well-graded descent and I even had a trailside stream ¢ I love streams ¢ to keep me company part of the way, murmuring its almost decipherable message in the early morning freshness.   The trail passes under the road at Franconia Notch and then begins a long 2,500-foot ascent up here to the tentsite. ¢Campsites¢ have a shelter and tent platforms; ¢Tentsites¢ have only tent platforms. The ascent started off nice and easy with a well-graded trail but soon became steeper and rockier. Even so it was still possible to generally keep a rhythm going. The AMC folks have heaped the rocks into a semblance of steps over much of the steepest grades and made it easy to just keep plodding away.   There were lots and lots of hikers on the trail today. Mostly day or weekend hikers and a few family groups, all going up and down the trail on a glorious weekend. I did meet one thru-hiker ¢ Tampas ¢ filling in this section from Gorham.   There was a small-scale hikers convention at the trailside caretaker¢s tent for this tentsite, when I arrived here. There is a great spring here and everybody, it seemed, had stopped to take advantage of the water, and to exchange news. The caretaker ¢ Cave Man, who had thru-hiked last year ¢ assigned me to the #10 platform, and warned me that, not one, but two groups of students are expected here tonight.   I had an interesting time pitching my tent. My tent is not free standing, and this was the first time I had to pitch it on a wooden platform. By means of a combination of tying the guy ropes off to the eyelets on the edge of the platform, sticking the tent pegs into the gaps between the planks ¢ Cave Man's suggestion - and tying off to nearby rocks and trees, I got the job done. OK, I think.      So now I am sitting here after my cup of coffee, listening to the breeze blowing in the conifers and reflecting on the day. I just had a visit from my neighbor ¢ Pete ¢ who intends to set up on #9 platform. It is a bright and sunny day with blue skies, but there is a little wind and it is cold enough at this elevation in the midafternoon, for me to be wearing my fleece. There are occasional buzzing insects, but no biting ones. I will ask Cave Man if bears come up this high on the mountain, since I don¢t see a good spot to hang my food here.   This is such a pleasant day, from finding the disposable camera, to the great weather, and getting here before all of the tent platforms were taken up by the college students. At the tent sites it is a ¢first come first served ¢ rule!      So here I am, nice and relaxed. I can hear the voices of the other hikers, but this is a particularly secluded spot, and we are all hidden from each other¢s view. I think that Cave Man purposefully sent me back here, to the most remote platform at the site, to try to get me away from the anticipated clamor of the yet to arrive students.   I am indeed fortunate. The weather has been fine and the trail kind, so I have been able to keep to my schedule. I feel good physically and great emotionally. Not alone am I fortunate here on this journey, but I am doubly fortunate to have a loving wife and family awaiting and supporting me at home.   Life is bliss!Thought for today ¢   Rejoice and be Glad!