This will be a short post for two reasons. One, it was raining today so I kept my camera packed up all day. Two, I’ve spent all my blogging time adding to yesterday’s blog post.

I figured Jessica might be freaking out since I had been posting every day, and suddenly had no signal. (We had both been spoiled by my ability to connect miles into the wilderness.) So as soon as I got a signal this morning I texted her to let her know I was okay. I didn’t mention the Maurice/Emily homecoming surprise… I have to leave some excitement as an exclusive for the handful of blog readers!

We met up with Harrison at Highland Center. He had fruit coolattas for us, and I downed mine in less than 2 minutes. The whole thing, gone. This was Emily’s wish out of left field from the trail where we were hot and sweaty. Harrison delivered. Our hero! Also rejoining us was Laurie, and this time she brought her brother Kevin.

The hike up to Mitzpah took just over 2 hours, and it’s the biggest hut yet. We have our own bunk room that sleeps 8. As I write this, my 5 expedition partners have been sleeping/snoring for an hour already. I must join them!

The hike from Galehead to Zealand was pretty uneventful. The first hour was tough, straight up South Twin. The Family of 7 (those who adopted me at Galehead) gathered together for a group picture at the top.

I also got pictures of Josh with me and with his dad, Greg.

Then it was relatively flat for miles before descending into Zealand Falls. When I walked into the hut, guess who was waiting for me? Maurice and Emily!! They aborted mission on the way to Galehead, but after a night at the Wayside Inn they were fresh and ready to resume the trek.

We took Josh up to the falls to take some pix and have some fun.

The three of us boys had a pact to go all the way in the freezing water on the count of 3. Guess who was crossing his fingers?

We played some seriously long games of UNO with Josh, and before bed attended a Q&A session with 4 thru-bikers crashing for the night.

More Zealand Falls pix when I have downtime another day…

Hiking alone is a different experience. Faster, but not as fun. We were the last ones to leave Greenleaf at 8:30am. I passed the boy scout troop immediately on the way back up Lafayette. (I hate backtracking, but I think that’s the only mandatory backtracking on this trip.) That’s not to say I was going fast, just that the BSA troop was large enough that they made pretty slow progress.

I had my first real snack break (dried mangos) on Garfield Ridge when I met up with Greg and his 12yo son Josh who are on the same itinerary as me through Zealand. Josh is my bud. Then I powered on to Garfield summit, where I had lunch, aired out my socks, and remembered my visit here circa 1995, when it was the final summit of a 20mi. day hike.

I was still feeling good hiking down Garfield, but started losing my gumption on the final mile up to Galehead. But I soldiered on, all the time wondering if Maurice and Emily would already be there. When I arrived at 3:20pm, they told me they had received a radio relay at 3pm saying my fellow travelers wouldn’t be making the trip. Since it was that late, and Maurice and Emily should have made it to Franconia Notch by mid-morning, I suspect they attempted the Galehead Trail but turned back part-way up. Still no word from them.

I gave myself a cloth bath and washed all my clothes, draping them over hot boulders in the sun outside the hut. Greg and Josh arrived less than an hour later. That kid is a speed demon! The boy scouts finally started trickling in right at 6pm, with some not arriving until well after dinner. (The Croo graciously kept dinner warm for these poor kids.)

After dinner we went on a nature walk where we learned about fir waves: the mysterious patches of dead fir trees found frequently in the area. And now to bed, where even the top of a quad-bunk has plenty of foot room. Score!

Maurice and Emily will hike down with Laurie today and relocate their car to get a more gradual approach to Galehead today. So I’ll be hiking Garfield Ridge alone… Just me and the countless other Greenleaf residents also headed to Galehead. No worries!

Yes, the AMC ran out of creativity when naming this hut. It would be generic enough if they just named it “Green Hut” or “Leaf Hut.” Why not insult us all and combine the two? Ohhhh, the green leaf. Thanks for supplying that detail.

After hiking down from Lonesome Lake and picking up Laurie at Lafayette Campground we decided to divert from the AT in order to take the more treacherous but scenic Falling Waters trail up to Franconia Notch.

Sick of falling water yet? The trail selection may have paid off, but it also wiped us out. Emily supplied freeze-dried morale.

We made it to 6pm sharp dinner after 6pm, but the Hut Croo hooked us up anyway. And here’s what we have to look forward to in the coming days… Mt. Washington awaits us in the distance.

UPDATE: I’m on the third bunk of a triple, and there’s not enough ceiling clearance for me to cross my ankles while I sleep. The AMC will hear from me about this! Jessica would be so pissed if she knew.

Laurie is testing her pack on the way up Franconia Ridge, then rejoining us on Tuesday for some hut action!

Today we hiked up the Cascade Brook Trail from the Flume parking lot just south of the Franconia Notch visitor’s center. It was a great trial run of my ~45 lb. pack. Why so heavy? Over 4 liters of water in CamelBak bladders, my camera (+ 16-35mm lens), tripod, lunch/snack food for 9 days, iPad and 2 iPhones, 2 i.Sound battery bricks to recharge the electronics, 3 pairs Wright Socks, 2 pair Give-and-Go underwear, 2 shirts, shorts, convertible pants, fleece, rain/wind jacket, silk sleep sack, TP + trowel, and misc. other minor items.

We made it up in about 3.5 hours, including a generous lunch break and plenty of photo ops along the way. Emily named my trowel “Debbie” and we decided that our euphemism for taking a shit in the woods would be “taking Debbie out to stretch her legs.” My mother-in-law Debbie should be advised that I had no part in naming this trowel. I was happy to just call it the Shit Shovel.

Consider this the “before” picture of our before-and-after series. Say hello to Maurice and Emily!