START LOCATION: Beaver Brook Shelter
FINISH LOCATION: Kinsman Notch/NH-112
TODAY'S MILEAGE: 1.6
TRIP MILEAGE: 1,790.1
MILES TO GO: 389.0
Slept pretty well on a very chilly night at 3,650'. The wind howled until after midnight, then it died down and a brilliant moon shone across the tops of the trees. I awoke well before sunrise, but the orange glow was already starting over the Presidential Range... In perfect view from the Beaver Brook Shelter. Popeye and a nice section hiker from San Diego departed around sunrise. I watched Mt. Washington for awhile. It had a perpetual cap of clouds forming and dissipating over it as the blew over the summit. Those clouds against the backdrop of the red-orange rising sun made for a spectacular light show.
Smoke, Bumper, Breeze, MC and a couple overnighters all milled around and we filtered out before 8AM. It was a very steep, very slow, but gorgeous hike down to Kinsman Notch. The scenery came in the form of a long cascading flume paralleling the left side of the trail. I stopped a bunch of times to shoot pics.
Just as my knees were really screaming, I saw Smoke near the parking area waiting for me. We talked up the mega steepness and the sights on the way down. We walked a short ways and reached the Kinsman Notch parking area. There I saw Bumper and Breeze sitting at a picnic table. I also saw the Dogfather walking into the privy. We were all 15 minutes early. I'd told Smoke, Breeze and Bumper that we'd take em to town for resupply and an outfitter run. We piled in hit up the Price Chopper, the Dunkies, the Lahouts Outfitter.
We got back to Kinsman Notch to see something awesome. Nobody, Fredo and Creepy were getting dropped off for a southbound Moosilauke slackpack. I was stoked. I hadn't seen Fredo since the first day in Vermont and I hadn't seen Nobody and Creepy since the Long Trail Inn. Seeing all these great friends before I hopped off was such a nice send off.
But on the other hand... I was saying goodbye to all of them likely for good on the AT. The most disappointing was saying goodbye to Smoke. But, I am so happy for him and so proud. He's nearing completion of this journey that's had it's highest of highs and lowest of lows for him... Those being the injury abbreviated '09 thru-hike attempt, the strain at home the hike places on his family and the loss of his grandfather who raised him. All the while he's stayed true to his dream... Reach the Whites, summit Katahdin with and go home to... his amazing wife. While I can't be there for all three, I was so happy and proud to experience even just the first for a day... reaching the Whites. It's good enough for me.
I wish all the best to my new friends as they tackle the Whites and push their way to Maine. Like Scruffy wished me... May the trail rise to meet you and the wind be at your back. And please... Most important... Laugh your asses off, don't stress and enjoy these last few weeks of a trip that most people can only dream of. I'll be thinking of you, rooting for you and celebrating with you when you touch that wooden sign atop the "greatest mountain."
-natedog
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