Journals

According to Pittsburgh:

AUGUST 13, 1997 - WEDNESDAY
   i stayed at the motel while everyone else headed out for breakfast, then to UPPER COLD RIVER ROAD to drop off the ladies. it was raining when PETER PAN, PANTHER FAN, and SUNSHINE returned, and the rain was supposed to continue for the rest of the day, so we decided to stay another night in the motel...
   PETER PAN eventually headed out to SHERBOURNE PASS to check on TIMMY and her new boots. the rest of us went to the movie theatre again. this time SUNSHINE saw CONTACT (she is reading the book and did not like the movie version), and we guys saw SPAWN (not very good, but better than expected)...
   after the movies, we all headed for RIVER ROAD/THUNDERING BROOK ROAD to pick up the ladies. as it turns out, as we passed by SHERBOURNE PASS, the ladies were sitting in PETER PANs car taking a break. they all saw us pass, but we did not see them...
   we played cards as we waited, and waited, and waited for the ladies to arrive. the ladies eventually showed up. it had been a rainy, chilly day, and they were not highly spirited. at times like this, verbal abuse is the only remedy for the blues, so we laid it on. their spirits rose...
   we took showers, then went to PONDEROSA for supper. what a mistake that was! it took 44 minutes for our meals to arrive...

AUGUST 14, 1997 - THURSDAY
   PETER PAN took the ladies to the trail at RIVER ROAD/THUNDERING BROOK ROAD. i worked on the computer, SUNSHINE broke her glasses. after PETER PAN returned, we checked out of the motel and headed for the local mall to get SUNSHINEs glasses fixed. this began a series of store hops that finally ended in not getting the glasses fixed. there was no hope...
   we headed into WOODSTOCK VT and had lunch, then went to SILVER LAKE STATE PARK and secured a campsite, then onto the trail crossing at VT 12. we set up out table and started to play cards. a number of hikers passed by: WATERGIRL, ACHILLES, WAYWARD TRAVELLER and more...
   TIMMY and NTO arrived and we headed to the campground. showers, supper...

AUGUST 15, 1997 - FRIDAY
we dropped the ladies at VT 12 then headed into WOODSTOCK VT for breakfast. our next stop was QUECHEE GORGE STATE PARK to secure a campsite. PETER PAN headed for CLOUDLAND ROAD to meet the ladies mid-hike. the rest of us eventually headed to PODUNK ROAD to retrieve the ladies...

AUGUST 16, 1997 - SATURDAY
   we dropped the ladies at PODUNK ROAD, then headed for LEBANON NH for breakfast, then onto HANOVER NH for groceries and laundry. HANOVER is a wonderful yuppy college town. many, many hikers were headed there for a party later in the day. we eventually dropped SUNSHINE at the GREEN to watch a hiker ULTIMATE FRISBEE game, and PANTHER FAN and i headed out to get the ladies at ETNA-HANOVER CENTER ROAD. we saw FOXROT and SPARROWHAWK at the road crossing. they hung around long enough for TIMMY and NTO to arrive...
   back in HANOVER, we headed for the GREEN (large open field in the center of campus) where the FRISBEE game was in full swing. a list of hikers at the GREEN: ACHILLES, APPLE JACK, AQUAHOLIC, BAD EXAMPLE, BALTIMORE JACK, BEAR, BOY WONDER, CHEF SCOTT, CHICKENMAN, CHURCH MOUSE, COSMO, FRODO, GYRO, JARVIS, JOURNEYMAN, STARLIGHT, LAND SHARK, LEFTOVER, LONE CHAIR, PAKA BEAR, PEACHES, PUFF, SILENCE, SMALL WORLD, SNOOP, SPICE BOY, SUPER TRAMP, WALLACE, WATERGIRL, WILD FISH, WOOLYBOOGER, WRANGLER. i stayed at the GREEN with SUNSHINE while PANTHER FAN drove TIMMY and NTO to our benefactors, the CASSIDYs, for the night. the CASSIDYs had hiked a good portion of the trail in 1995, and were somehow acquainted with TIMMY and PETER PAN. They have opened their home to us for two nights...
   PANTHER FAN returned to the GREEN with NTO. we stayed around town for the rest of the day and evening, eating and taking in a movie (COPLAND, good light-action flick)...

AUGUST 17, 1997 - SUNDAY
a day away from the trail for all of us. TIMMY feet have been swollen, so she and PETER PAN went to the hospital. she was given a clean bill of health. NTO had family come into town for a visit. the rest of us did this and that. the evening was spent with the CASSIDYs. we had a marvelous time looking at photos and reminiscing...

AUGUST 18, 1997 - MONDAY
   the CASSIDYs made us a wonderful breakfast. we finally tore ourselves away and headed for ETNA-HANOVER CENTER ROAD. NTO and TIMMY headed out, then SUNSHINE and I headed out. that's right, we are back on the trail! we planned a short 2.5 miles to test out SUNSHINEs injury. PANTHER FAN and PETER PAN were waiting for us at THREE MILE ROAD. we both felt good after the hike...
   PETER PAN headed for HANOVER to do some chores, and PANTHER FAN, SUNSHINE and I checked out campgrounds, ate lunch at CALAMITY JANES in WARREN NH (over-priced, under-portioned), and saw FOXTROT, WHISTLER and WANDERING STAR, shuttling two of them to and from the trail along NH 25C. we then headed for LYME-DORCHESTER ROAD, taking a circuitous route, to pick up the ladies. we saw CHURCH MOUSE and APPLE JACK at the road crossing...
   we camped at JACOBS BROOK CAMPGROUND, near ORFORD NH...

AUGUST 19, 1997 - TUESDAY
   we dropped TIMMY and NTO at LYME-DORCHESTER ROAD, then swung around to GOOSE POND ROAD for SUNSHINE and I to hike. we hiked 3.4 miles up and over HOLTS LEDGE. we stopped at TRAPPER JOHN shelter on the way, plus we ran into WOOLYBOOGER. SUNSHINE seemed to do great, experiencing only a small bit od discomfort...
   lunch was in FAIRLEE VT, across the river from ORFORD NH. the restaurants in VERMONT are CIGARETTE FREE by law. this is the only state along the trail that is this way. we did laundry, then headed back to JACOBS BROOK CAMPGROUND...
   I headed out to retrieve the ladies at NH 25A. APPLE JACK and CHURCH MOUSE showed up as I was waiting. I had made arrangements, while in HANOVER, to deliver food to five hikers along the rest of the trail. I have now added APPLE JACK and CHURCH MOUSE. food delivery is a service that I wish to offer to backpackers next year, and working out the bugs this year will be nice...
   the ladies arrived and we headed back to the campground. we all showered, then headed to FAIRLEE for supper. after returning to the campground, SUNSHINE called a fellow that we had met on the trail way back in APRIL. his name is SPIDER, and he lives in PLYMOUTH NH. APPLE JACK and CHURCH MOUSE were staying with him tonight, and SUNSHINE was calling to see if we could YOGI (mooch) a night also. she was successful...

AUGUST 20, 1997 - WEDNESDAY
   PETER PAN and TIMMY stayed in HANOVER last night at PETER PANs brothers house. the rest of us broke camp and headed to FAIRLEE for breakfast, and to find an ATM and do some shopping. SUNSHINE had a mid-morning phone call to make, so NTO had decided to wait until after the call to hike also. we eventually dropped SUNSHINE and NTO at NH 25A...
   PANTHER FAN and I ran a few errands, then went to NH 25C to check on SUNSHINEs progress. she seemed to be doing fine, so she kept on hiking. we headed for SANITARIUM ROAD to await all of the ladies...
   THEY all eventually arrived, as did PETER PAN. we all headed for PLYMOUTH to meet up with SPIDER. we found his place of employment, and he led us to his home. we had a very nice evening, which included an awesome supper, topped off by a CARROT CAKE to die for...

AUGUST 21, 1997 - THURSDAY
   we quietly vacated SPIDERs home early, and went to breakfast. we then drove to SANITARIUM ROAD to drop off the ladies. the last many days had been wonderful clear sunny days. today was cold, rainy, overcast, and windy, and the first climb over 4000 feet (MT. MOUSILAKE) since the SHENANDOAHs, and the first time above treeline. I opted not to go, so we bid the ladies farewell, and drove to NH 25...
   JOURNEYMAN and STARLIGHT are two of the people that we will be delivering food to, and NH 25 is their first delivery. we waited only a few hours. they were running a bit ahead of schedule, and were hoping that we would be at the road crossing. the weather had not improved, but they decided to assault MT. MOUSILAUKE anyway. we relieved them of their packs, and they headed out...
   PANTHER FAN and I headed to WILDWOOD STATE PARK and secured a campsite, then backtracked to KINSMAN NOTCH to await our ladies, plus JOURNEYMAN and STARLIGHT. our ladies were there when we arrived. they were chilled to the bone and happy to see us, but wishing that we had been there when they had arrived. poor planning on my part...
   PETER PAN arrived. it was decided to stay indoors rather than at a campsite, so PANTHER FAN and I headed for WILDWOOD to break camp. PETER PAN took the ladies and headed for LINCOLN NH and a hostel. JOURNEYMAN and STARLIGHT arrived in due time, and we all headed for the hostel. after showers, we all headed to the ROAD KILL CAFE for supper (interesting place, good food). fun was had by all...
   others at the hostel: FOXTROT, WANDERING STAR, GYRO, WHISTLER, and more...

AUGUST 22, 1997 - FRIDAY
   we all went to breakfast, including JOURNEYMAN, STARLIGHT, and GYRO, then headed for KINSMAN NOTCH to drop everyone off. the ladies headed out, with GYRO right on their heels, all doing a SLACKPACK. we provisioned JOURNEYMAN and STARLIGHT, and they headed out with BACKPACKS...
   PETER PAN went off to run some errands, with the understanding that he would be picking up the ladies at FRANCONIA NOTCH. PANTHER FAN and I headed for NH 25C to meet up with FRODO, BOY WONDER, and SUPER TRAMP. we stopped to do laundry along the way. we ended up at ATWELL HILL ROAD at the "ATWELL HILTON," which is a condemned house used for overnights by hikers. we got word from some hikers there that the trio we were waiting for was far behind and would not be getting to our pre-arranged resupply point, so I wrote them a note indicating a store where they could resupply. I put the note in a baggy and duct taped it to a tree on the trail (this is a common method of trail communication). we headed for FRANCONIA NOTCH, stopping to shop on the way...
   the trail passes under INTERSTATE 93 at FRANCONIA NOTCH, then joins a paved bike path for a few feet, then heads back into the woods. for us to retrieve the ladies, they need to leave the trail and follow the bike path 0.7 miles to a parking lot. it is confusing. I took a folding chair and a book and hiked up the bike path and plunked myself down where the trail meets the path. PETER PAN hiked in a bit later. he did not expect to see me, since I was supposed to be on the other side of the mountains supplying others with food. he hung around a bit, then headed back...
   NTOs daughter, grandson and granddaughter arrived unexpectedly. they had been driving around the area trying to determine where NTO would be, and finally ran into PANTHER FAN who told them how to get to the trail. I pointed them in the proper direction. not much later, I folded up the chair and stashed it in the woods, then headed up the trail myself...
   in will shorten this narrative a bit. the ladies arrived as darkness was falling, after a 12 hour hike. NTO had been surprised beyond belief when her grandson ran up and hugged her. it took a few moments for her to understand how he could possibly be there. on the way down the mountain, NTO fell into a raging stream getting drenched from head to toe. you might think that this would upset someone after a long, hard, fatiguing day, but she was happily with her family and thus took it all in stride...
   we headed for the hostel and got showers, then headed out for pizza...

AUGUST 23, 1997 - SATURDAY
SUNSHINE and NTO got themselves ready for a two-day backpack. TIMMY decided not to hike. we ate breakfast, said goodbye to PETER PAN and TIMMY as they headed for MASSACHUSETTS to visit friends, then dropped the ladies at the trailhead in FRANCONIA NOTCH...
the rest of the day was filled up with shopping, supplying hikers, transporting hikers, seeing a movie...

AUGUST 24, 1997 - SUNDAY
we transported a few hikers, did some shopping and laundry, then headed for CRAWFORD NOTCH (US 302) to await SUNSHINE and NTO. PETER PAN and TIMMY arrived at the road crossing, from MASSACHUSETTS, with there friends in tow. the CONVERSEs (STEVE and JUDY, and the girls, MAGGIE, LIZZIE, and CHRISTIE, in descending order of ages). these are fun people. they all wanted to hike a bit northbound on the trail. as they crossed the road to get to the trail, JUDY noticed a note to me that was pinned to the information board near the trail. it said that SUNSHINE and ENTIO (sic) were going to be taking an extra day to come off of the mountain. I had not walked across the street, and really had had no intention of doing so, so I may never have seen the note had JUDY not noticed it. apparently word was radioed to the AMC (the group that maintains the HUTS in this section of the trail) from one of the huts on the trail, then given to the driver of the AMC shuttle that travels all over this area. he then stopped at CRAWFORD NOTCH and put it on the board...
the CONVERSEs graciously took us all to supper, then said goodbye since they had a lengthy trip south. I hope we get to see them again before we finish...

AUGUST 25, 1997 - MONDAY
the ladies came off of the mountain around 1pm. they had had a tough hike. SUNSHINE had gotten sick the first day and NTO apparently stayed with her. they ended up pitching their tents in the rain after dark at the GARFIELD RIDGE CAMPSITE after a twelve hour hike. the next day was better, but they took it easy, and got to ZEALAND FALLS HUT. they paid the big bucks ($55 each) to stay indoors and have supper and breakfast. they ate MUSHROOM SOUP, SALAD, and CALZONES for supper, and had a big breakfast...
NTO and PANTHER FAN headed out to do laundry, the rest of us stayed at the motel. later on, we all went to supper...

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