una_dogger
Well-known member
Who: Bob, Geri, MichaelJ, Terra, myself
We arrived up in Twin Mountain saturday night, with the plan of hiking TFW-Kendron-Webster Cliff-Webster. Seemed like a nice long hike. We had the Baldfaces planned for Monday, so Sunday was to be our long day.
When the mountains came into view, however, I suggested a Bonds Traverse. BobandGeri had mentioned doing a Franconia Ridge Traverse sunday, so I asked MJ to text them and see if they could give us a ride back from Lincoln Woods to Twin.
The mere mention of a Bonds Traverse instantly got Bob's attention, and we decided to discuss it later that evening. After some discussion, we decided we would forego lengthy carspotting and planned on a Hale via Firewarden's-Zealand-Twins loop.
In the morning however, Geri wasn't feeling up to a major hike, and offered to hike with us up to Z Hut, and then pick us all up later at Lincoln Woods. This was a generous offer and one we all eagerly accepted, although we were sad not to be spending the day in Geri's good company.
After a hearty breakfast at Munroe's, we set off at 8:30 am from Zealand. We made a short stop at the hut, and then began our climb up to ZeaCliff. The day was amazing, bright green woods, blue skies, crisp pre-autumn air and happy spirits. We stopped at Zeacliff to take in the views, and then said our goodbye's to Geri.
A quick stop at Zealand and then we zoomed off on the Twinway, all three of us chomping at the bit to get above treeline. We broke out onto the high plain before Guyot and just smiled, smiled, smiled at the view of our day ahead.
Met some great folks on Guyout, a sweet couple on West Bond, a pair of three out of towners on Bondcliff...just a wonderful day to be out in the mountains taking in the views, breathing in fresh mountain air, meeting new people who were out there doing just what we were...can't ask for more than that.
Five pushups on Bondcliff and we set off down towards the Wilderness Trail. I disturbed a yellow jacket nest near the Wilderness Trail junction and got a nasty sting! Once at the Wilderness Trail, we Bob and I decided to jog <to make up for all those nice long summit breaks and well, just because we thought it would be a fun way to pass the flat miles> and he broke off into a nice pace, quickly leaving me in the dust! I kept him in my sights for quite a while, then decided at the Francoina Brook Bridge that I could probably walk faster at that point and slowed to a brisk walk. I reached the parking lot at Lincoln Woods where BobandGeri were waiting with a cold diet coke and chips and salsa at 6:40, just a hair over ten hours from the start. Five minutes later I was about to head back in with a cold soda for MJ, when he arrived! Nice effort for all! Bob had run the five miles in one hour, I had covered it in 1:20, and MJ in 1:30! Nice effort by all -- in many ways inspired by KTilton and Farmer, who's amazing accomplishments we had discussed at several points during the day.
A great dinner, including PIE rounded out the day...snug in our tent for night, dreaming of the Baldfaces on the next morning.
Took some pics, will post later. Thanks again to BobandGeri, MJ and Terra the Traildoggy for a fantastic mountain weekend!!
We arrived up in Twin Mountain saturday night, with the plan of hiking TFW-Kendron-Webster Cliff-Webster. Seemed like a nice long hike. We had the Baldfaces planned for Monday, so Sunday was to be our long day.
When the mountains came into view, however, I suggested a Bonds Traverse. BobandGeri had mentioned doing a Franconia Ridge Traverse sunday, so I asked MJ to text them and see if they could give us a ride back from Lincoln Woods to Twin.
The mere mention of a Bonds Traverse instantly got Bob's attention, and we decided to discuss it later that evening. After some discussion, we decided we would forego lengthy carspotting and planned on a Hale via Firewarden's-Zealand-Twins loop.
In the morning however, Geri wasn't feeling up to a major hike, and offered to hike with us up to Z Hut, and then pick us all up later at Lincoln Woods. This was a generous offer and one we all eagerly accepted, although we were sad not to be spending the day in Geri's good company.
After a hearty breakfast at Munroe's, we set off at 8:30 am from Zealand. We made a short stop at the hut, and then began our climb up to ZeaCliff. The day was amazing, bright green woods, blue skies, crisp pre-autumn air and happy spirits. We stopped at Zeacliff to take in the views, and then said our goodbye's to Geri.
A quick stop at Zealand and then we zoomed off on the Twinway, all three of us chomping at the bit to get above treeline. We broke out onto the high plain before Guyot and just smiled, smiled, smiled at the view of our day ahead.
Met some great folks on Guyout, a sweet couple on West Bond, a pair of three out of towners on Bondcliff...just a wonderful day to be out in the mountains taking in the views, breathing in fresh mountain air, meeting new people who were out there doing just what we were...can't ask for more than that.
Five pushups on Bondcliff and we set off down towards the Wilderness Trail. I disturbed a yellow jacket nest near the Wilderness Trail junction and got a nasty sting! Once at the Wilderness Trail, we Bob and I decided to jog <to make up for all those nice long summit breaks and well, just because we thought it would be a fun way to pass the flat miles> and he broke off into a nice pace, quickly leaving me in the dust! I kept him in my sights for quite a while, then decided at the Francoina Brook Bridge that I could probably walk faster at that point and slowed to a brisk walk. I reached the parking lot at Lincoln Woods where BobandGeri were waiting with a cold diet coke and chips and salsa at 6:40, just a hair over ten hours from the start. Five minutes later I was about to head back in with a cold soda for MJ, when he arrived! Nice effort for all! Bob had run the five miles in one hour, I had covered it in 1:20, and MJ in 1:30! Nice effort by all -- in many ways inspired by KTilton and Farmer, who's amazing accomplishments we had discussed at several points during the day.
A great dinner, including PIE rounded out the day...snug in our tent for night, dreaming of the Baldfaces on the next morning.
Took some pics, will post later. Thanks again to BobandGeri, MJ and Terra the Traildoggy for a fantastic mountain weekend!!
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