We climbed the Franconia Ridge via the Falling Waters Trail (Mt. Lincoln & then Mt. Lafayette) and stayed the night at the Greenleaf hut. While Scavish was reading The Game of Thrones, we socialized with the fellow hikers; turns out, the guy we talked to was Robert Radat, the screenwriter for Saving Private Ryan. Slava created an awkward moment when he said that the first ten minutes are his favorite of the film (these are silent).
Next day, we woke up early to reach the Galehead Hut. The trail is described in the AMC book as "continuous ups and downs." Needless to say, it was very strenuous...very, very strenuous. We summited Mt. Garfield and Mt. Galehead, and spent the night at the Galehead Hut. After dinner, we came out to the porch, and had a great conversation with a through-hikier Chris (a guy who is going through the entire Appalachian Trail); he had no money, barely any food, and a dog. I gave him a present of a bottle filled with the Ukrainian Pertsovka, but then as the conversation progressed, we actually drank all of it all together. Later on, we made friends with several seventy-plus year old women who happen to live in Dartmouth, near the Hinman hut. They travel the huts every year. Hope I get to do that when I am old.
Next day, we woke up with sore legs and climbed the South and North Twin mountains. On the way there, we met a photographer who kept talking about his trip to Everglades. We called him "Everglades" thereafter; he took a picture of us, and, thankfully, left us at the summit. Needless to say, gorgeous views from the Twins. Back from the mountains, we took a dip in the Echo Lake (by the Cannon mountain), and then had a lovely meal at the Woodstock Inn Station.
