8/12/01
From our tiny campsite hidden among the dense forest we slowly packed up our gear this morning in anticipation of possible rain. Our tents and flys were damp from the overnight dew and condensation from our breathing in the cool mountain air. So we took a few minutes to dry out in the intermittent sunshine. I was looking forward to the relatively easy hiking day with only 700' total climb over 11 miles we planned to cover. I was the first to leave our campsite and I tackled the steep but short 300' climb, then the steep drop to Zealand Ridge with ease. I stopped at the viewpoint at Zeacliff to further dry my gear in the sunshine and stiff breeze blowing across the ridge. The rest of our crew caught up to me at the Zeacliff view, then we all hiked north together to the Zealand Falls hut where we stopped for water and a snack. Finn and Redneck were particularly interested in the water powered generator which produces electricity for the hut. They spent some time studying the layout of the system, then Finn and Phantom found the hut guitar to play with for awhile. Pogo and Redneck and I left ahead of Finn and Phantom and hiked a relatively flat four and a half miles to the Ethan Pond campsite in an hour and a half. We stopped there for lunch by the beautiful pond with the mountains in the background. Pogo took a swim, but I just couldn't make myself get in the water after spotting numerous leeches next to the shoreline. I hate those things more than ticks! Redneck and I tortured a leech for awhile while Pogo dried out before we packed up to continue down the trail. We hiked another three miles by mid-afternoon down to Crawford Notch where a road crosses. The Crawford Notch hostel, operated by the AMC, was located 3.7 miles down the road from the trail and the Willey House, a historical state park, was located 1.0 mile from the trail. Our plan was to hitch to the Willey House first for a trip to the snack bar, then hitch the remaining distance to the hostel to pick up my food drop and spend the night. We stuck out our thumbs at the road and got a hitch almost immediately in the back of a pickup truck.
The Willey House snack bar had hot dogs and ice cream and sodas, and yes, we took advantage of the opportunity. While we were there, the cashier asked Pogo if he was a thru-hiker. When he responded that he was and that we were planning to stay at the hostel, she pointed us toward some men at the table in the dining area who worked at the state park there. They very kindly offered to shuttle us down to the hostel when we were ready to go. Dick, from Valdosta, GA, drove us down to the hostel and waited while we went inside to inquire about staying there. That's when things got interesting! The AMC employee at the registration desk told us that a lot of other thru-hikers and other hikers had come in and that the hostel was full. We asked if we could sleep on the floor or sleep in our tents outside the hostel, to which we were told no. Then he reiterated we couldn't stay and that we would have to leave the premises to camp elsewhere for the night. Finn and Phantom were already at the hostel when we arrived and were told the same thing. Then I asked for my food pickup box which was mailed in care of the AMC to Gorham, NH with instructions to deliver the box to the Crawford Notch hostel. The employee left the room, then returned minutes later with no food box. He told me that the box might still be at the AMC office in Gorham. He then radioed Gorham, as well as Pinkham Notch, and then told me that no one had seen the box. So, for the first time since starting the journey, my food wasn't where it was supposed to be. I was very unhappy because I was fairly confident that the post office delivered the box as marked, but that the AMC didn't follow up and deliver the box properly on their shuttle van that moves between the various notches daily.
As I was talking through the issue with the guy, a complete stranger, who overheard the conversation offered to drive me the 5 miles each way to the convenience store so I could buy food for the next four days to get me to the Gorham food drop which is next on my drop itinerary. Keith, from Rhode Island, drove out of his way to get me to the convenience store. My food options there were very limited, but adequate to get me to Gorham. I purchased the food and he dropped me off at the hostel to meet up with the rest of the guys who were making lodging arrangements while I was sorting out my food problem. Dick, the fellow from the Willey House state park, had waited to see what the situation was with lodging at the hostel. When we told him that it was full, he offered the Willey House picnic table area behind the visitor's center as a free place to camp for the night. When I returned with my food, Pogo and Redneck and I went out to the road to hitch back to the Willey House while Phantom and Finn took the opportunity to ride out to the same convenience store and back with another fellow who was willing to help. Soon two climbers in a car picked the three of us up and dropped us off at the Willey House. It was 6 p.m., time for dinner, and the park center and snack bar were already closed. I ate a sub I had picked up at the convenience store and Phantom and Finn arrived with subs and sodas, so we ate at the picnic table area in the park. With rain forecasted, we all were eyeing the covered porch of the visitor center for an alternative to setting up our tents and possibly getting our gear wet. The fine folks at the state park let us stay on the porch, so we were all set for the night. I spent the balance of the evening journaling and calling my beautiful bride back home to catch up on things. Everything worked out this afternoon and the trail angels were there for us when we needed them. The porch was a fine place to sleep. We had flush toilets, running water, and it was all free, thanks to good southern hospitality from the state park trail angel, Dick and his fellow employees. It will be interesting to see if my food box ever is returned home as I requested with the AMC hostel, if and when it is delivered there. They offered no suggestions or solutions to my dilemma and I was lucky there were other people in their facility who took interest in helping me. Keith . . . when you are ready to plan your thru hike, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you. And thank you again for rescuing me from a potentially painful and time consuming effort to replace my missing food. Today's stats: low 52, high 75. Partly cloudy to cloudy p.m. Today's mileage: 10.9; cumulative mileage: 1823.1.
