Summer Vacation

 The last hike might have been the biggest treat, and surprise.  A couple good friends from Vermont, Tii and Dottie, came up for the day to join us for a climb up Garfield, another 4000' mountain with an open summit.  Dottie hadn't hiked much this summer so she planned to stay with us as long as able and then wait for our return.  Surprisingly, Tii had never climbed it before.  Looking at the map, it looked like a tough climb as there are a few switchbacks which normally indicate a steep trail, but in this case it indicates a former road to a fire tower that has been removed.  It was a steady, but gentle ascent for 4.8 miles, then a not-too-steep .2 mile.

What a view!

Looking over to Franconia Ridge, where Gail introduced me to the Whites back in 2003.  That first hike scared me some, and made me less of a macho-hippie-bullshitter.  Glad it didn't keep me away from the mountains permanently.

Look at that- Dottie made it, and only a few minutes behind the rest of us.

While I might not be after all the 4000-footers, I had considered heading over to Galehead, but that would have added over five miles of rough up and down so decided against it.  I did go down a quarter-mile to the Garfield Ridge Campsite to check out the modern plumbing they installed so campers have easy access to water.  Lot of nice stone steps along the way too: a great way to end a wonderful trip.

  I'm sorry we didn't get any souvenirs for any of you reading this, but we didn't have cash, or credit cards, just a post-dated, third-party check.  And they don't accept that for payment.

So glad we went.