This is where the term "Appalachian Money Club" comes from
It's now all worth it, it's no longer fruitless. There is now justification for the death-defying stunts I've completed over the last two days. Today, I was not in a cloud for a majority of the day, nor did it rain for he majority of the walk. Life is, temporarily, good.
I woke up this morning with the intention of hitting trail first thing in the morning. Just as I was done packing up I heard a rumble of thunder. This is when I decided to wait it out. I went for breakfast with Barefodder and Jack, we got there just in time. About 30 seconds after we sat down there heard more thunder and saw a flash of lightening in the sky. Then came the downpour. We were quite content in our booth, nice and dry.
After breakfast we returned to the hostel to wait out the weather. At 9;00AM I walked to the outfitter to have my broken Leki pole repaired, which they did for free. By the time I returned the hostel the weather was clearing up so we arranged to have a shuttle pick us up and drop us off at Franconia Notch. We were walking north at 11:00AM.
The ascent out of the notch was steep and persistent. During the ascent I learned the missing hiker was found dead. His name is Dan Merriman, he was 49 years old.
We then came to a sign proclaiming the Franconia Ridge Trail, which is also the AT. After traversing the ridge for a bit we came above tree line and had in our view the most picturesque ridge on the entire Appalachian Trail: Franconia Ridge. This is a two mile traverse above tree, which is home to breath taking views. I immediately spotted Washington in the distance along with some other peaks of the Presidential Range. I was ecstatic that I had a clear day on this ridge. It was nothing below pure amazing.
After lunch on the summit of Mount Lafayette we descended down the Garfield ridge towards Mt. Garfield. However, the trail descended enough that I had to death march up and over the peak. As I climbed higher the weather deteriorated further. It got to a point where I was in a full spring going up the mountain, hoping to clear the peal before anything worse came. I made it over the peak without being fried and I was still sprinting. I sprinted down the steep descent to the shelter, where I shall stay tonight.
Also at the shelter are Pickle and Garlic, whom I first met on the ascent to the ridge. these two started April 4th, just under three months ago. I did not think I would ever see them again, but I found at the shelter riding out the shitty weather.
Addendum, added 8/12/08: That was only the second time Pickle and garlic used a shelter on the entire trail. Shelters are not their style of hiking. Pickle completed the triple crown(AT, PCT, CDT) before he started this hike, and Garlic completed it when he hit Crawford Notch.
The AMC, in all their glory and might, are charging me 8 dollars to stay in a three sided wooden box. This is where the term "Appalachian Money Club" comes from.
I also now know Cookie is at the next hut up, I will try to catch him tomorrow morning before he leaves.
Good night, and good luck.
Kirby
Ga>ME 2008.
