11 hours of sleep later, I woke up ready to tackle Mt. Garfield and Franconia Ridge. The Ridge is listed as the #6 best hike in the world on some website – 3 miles of exposed ridge line with outstanding views of New Hampshire, Vermont, and, on really clear days, the Atlantic Ocean.
I hiked up Garfield in perfectly clear weather and meditated for 15 minutes with the sunrise. Clouds loomed on the horizon, and I eagerly pushed on in hopes of keeping the clear sky for the ridge. Sure enough, as soon as I got to the ridge, I got clear views for about 2 minutes before it all was enveloped in fog. I hiked a bit higher, waited around for an hour, and finally gave up – no views for the rest of today. I hiked down with an increasingly sore knee, worries that the prior day’s slip could be worse than I thought.
I should have gone slower into Franconia Notch, but I was too excited. My sister, her husband, and my two nieces were up in NH for a long weekend, and they were going to pick me up at my hostel at 4:30!
I caught a shuttle to the hostel and quickly showered so that my nieces wouldn’t cry with horror at my stench. When I walked out of the bathroom, there she was! Grace! In a hiker hostel! Then appeared Krista, Jim, and Gabby! Grace got a kick out of the hostel, so we walked around for a bit before heading to the Woodstock Brewery for dinner.
What an excellent night. I’m so fortunate to have such a supportive family. They were just happy to be there to ask questions and learn about my journey, and I’m grateful for the time we got to share. Gabby at 14 months, has such a personality now. She makes faces and laughs at silly things, and she is getting so much bigger!
Such a great day.
73°F Cloudy
The Notch Hostel, North Woodstock, NH, United States
Trails And Travels 