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Saturday–September 18, 2021
Trail Day–211
Trail Mile–-4.7/2199.9
Remaining Miles–417.5
Location–Mizpah Spring Hut
One of the longest continuous night’s sleep I’ve had in awhile. A hard day on the trail plus a full tummy did it.
Wake up call is six-thirty this morning, breakfast promptly at seven.
Copperhead & Speedy wait until guests are out of the dining hall so they can have breakfast, then help clean and tidy the place. Cat Tracks and I linger, finally getting on trail a bit before eight.
Not as rough trail today, but still, plenty of (wet) rocks and boulders to ricochet through. More up and down, past Mount Monroe, Mount Franklin, Mount Eisenhower, and Mount Pierce. Many north and southbound AT thru-hikers, plus a fair number of day hikers.
Jackets and other warm clothing off and on all day as the trail crosses back and forth over the high tundra ridge, trading sides with the Presidents. More fog-driven cold wind, then clear, opening amazing uninterrupted vistas in all directions. Clouds that aren’t being driven through occupy the lower elevations way below. It all makes for unbelievable photo ops. What an amazing time, a blessed time–for this old man to be alive, taking it all in.
A short day, a blessing all its own. The trail and these mountains have beat me up plenty recent days, tiring me, wearing me down. So, what joy to arrive Mizpah Spring Hut early afternoon. Cat Tracks has arrived well before me, has saved me a lower bunk.
There are nearby platforms for tenting. So, Copperhead & Speedy are able to set up comfortably for the night.
My dear friend, Greenleaf, who lives nearby has hiked in to greet me. He’ll set up at the tenting platform too, then hike out with us in the morning.
Supper is turkey with all the trimmings. Though very sleepy after such a fine meal, I manage to stay awake long enough to get caught up on daily journal entries…
Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky.
(Rabindranath Tagore)
