Day 159-My Exit Plan is Set...Mostly

Aug 24- no more AT miles-Crawford Notch Campground to the AMC Highland Center

Sure Foot and I packed up this morning at Crawford Notch Campground, and made our way to the road. It took about 20 or 30 minutes of sticking out our thumbs before a nice young man named Noah stopped and gave us a ride the 7 miles to the AMC Highland Center. The Highland Center is like hiking central for the White Mountains. It is run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. It is kind of spendy, but it includes breakfast and dinner. Pre-COVID, they served buffet style. Now they seat everyone at individual tables, and they bring you a menu. You basically say what you don’t want, and they bring you everything else! They also gave us a “welcome” bag of disposable masks and a big bottle of hand sanitizer. 

We were able to get a reservation here in a 4 bunk room. The  whole room is ours as they only put people together that have been together. We are in the Mt. Field room. We have a view to “The Elephant”. 

The mountain in the middle is The Elephant. 

We couldn’t check in until 3:00, so we had some time to kill. Time to make a plan. As we were making the reservation, Crazy Quilt showed up. She’s been here since yesterday. She was excited to see us because her hiking buddies went home. Unfortunately, I had to tell her I was getting off trail. Her and Sure Foot tried to work out a plan, but I think, in the end, they will be doing their own thing. 

In the meantime, I had to work out my own exit strategy. I thought I would rent a car in Conway, then drive to Nolan in Boston. Couldn’t do that because there was no place to drop a one-way rental (not even the airport). Moving on...the bus. I could get a bus in Conway (which is 45 minutes away from here), and take it to Boston/Logan Airport. At first it looked like they only had one departure a day (8:45am), but they also have one at 2:50. Booked a ticket for the 2:50 bus tomorrow. Next I had to get to Conway. Called a shuttle driver, and he will pick me up at 11:00 tomorrow morning. 

Once I get to Boston, I’ll Uber/cab/train (whatever works easiest) to Nolan. I’ll spend some time with him. We’ll possibly rent a car and drive to Long Island to see the grandkids, (if Kyle and Mallory let us) and pick up my duffle, carryon, and most importantly, my passport. Then I’ll likely return to Boston with Nolan, and fly out of Logan Airport to home. 

Sure Foot’s friends Roger and Sandra (who met us in Great Barrington), are in the area for two weeks on vacation. They will help SF execute his plan for continuing. The weather on Mt. Washington isn’t good for a few days, so SF is going to go around and do the Wildcats first. Then when the weather is good, he’ll come back and do Mt. Washington. 

Sure Foot has had a hard time today. Even though he knows getting off the trail is the safest thing for me to do, he doesn’t want me to go. I have made him promise that we will do a bike tour together (wherever he wants). I look forward to seeing his summit photo on Katahdin!