Heading into Day 3

Day three is the toughest day mentally of the trip. It can be a time when tempers flare, energy wanes and the end of the course seems really far away. For many groups it is also the best day - many groups will be crossing their big summits or making big miles.

Here's what I know or can guess about the various groups. Remember that although groups carry satellite phones they are only for emergency use. 'No news is good news' is our motto. The information below is based on our pre-planned routes and the fact that I haven't heard from any groups so far!

• Gilmans Corner: This crew has had a long mellow start to their course as they traverse a beautiful part of the Appalachian Trail. Tonight they are probably camped near a mountain pond and tomorrow will have a short day for some reflective time. They'll need the break because Wednesday is their big summit push over Mt. Moosilauke.

• Reel Brook: Tonight this group is at one of my favorite camp sites in the Franconia Range: Kinsman Pond. This high mountain pond has a really remote and mysterious feeling. Tomorrow the group will drop down into Franconia Notch and climb back up out of the valley. This greulling day is rewarded by a beautiful high mountian campsite at Liberty Spring.

• Kinsman Notch: This is the group I hiked in to yesterday with Ross. They hiked up and over Mt. Moosilauke today and must have had a windy, cold summit with big views. Tonight they are down low in the valley and will have a shorter day tomorrow with reflecting, writing and resting on the agenda.

• Gordon Pond: Although the Gordon Pond and Kinsman Notch crews are on very similar routes they probably won't see each other. The Gordon Pond group is preparing for a summit bid on Moosilauke tomorrow! This group was making all kinds of plans to extend their mileage when we met at course prep. They were asking great questions like, "If we do the first and second days all together, then how much further south on the AT could we get?"

• Zealand: This group had a somewhat shorter day yesterday and is currently most likely camped at a high mountain tent site near the Bondcliffs. This remote route will not see or cross a road for five days! Tomorrow is their big summit day as well, crossing over the infamous Mt. Bond along to The Cliffs and then down into the valley.

• Mayhew: This crew arrived on the island today and settled in. They were going hike the island, do some teaching, and tomorrow they begin preparations for their canoe expedition. This probably means they will be getting wet practicing flipping canoes and that kind of thing. Brrr!

• Lincoln Woods: These folks are hiking the same route as Reel Brook from the other direction. That means they are also preparing for the big drop out of the valley and back up the other side. They are heading for Kinsman Pond.

• Wilderness Trail: Like their companions in the Zealand group, the Wilderness crew is preparing to cross the Bonds heading north. They had a short day today resting up and honing their camp craft today so they would be ready for a big alpine start in the morning.
  

Well that's what I know right now - I'll keep you posted as I know more.

Just now as I was writing this post the cell phone rang and I just about jumped out of my skin. I was thinking everyone was probably in camp and done with dinner - why would they call?!

It turns out it was Clay, the photographer I mentioned in one of my tweets earlier. We made a plan to check in tonight before he headed out tomorrow to meet the Wilderness and Zealand groups for some pictures on top of the Bonds. Our pre-arranged signal with the groups in the field was that if I didn't hear anything then that meant they were on track and ready to be photographed!

Stay warm everyone - and safe hiking in the morning.