Leaving the shelter before 8 we pushed hard to get out before the rain set in for the day.  the last thing we wanted to do was to be out in a huge rain storm on all the open rock.  One slip and I would plummet a hundred feet or so before hitting a tree and falling farther.  Earthling out in front as usual, I told Flailing why I was angry the day before.  It was cathartic to talk about it with him.  There weren’t any secrets between the two of us and we talked about how this trail had gotten a kick in the pants since we crossed into Maine.

On our way up over the steep climbs we started to get rained on, forcing us to be extra cautious as we climbed up the last peak before dropping two thousand feet to the gap below.  reaching the top I talked with Earthling as Flailing took off to climb the tower for pictures.  On his return we learned that even the towers were dangerous, no steps, just a ladder, soaked in the rain.  I hoped just to get down without falling.

The trail coming down was thankfully much more gradual than the climb up.  Funny how the guide had the same image for both sides but the terrain could be so vastly different.  We talked about town and resupplies on our way down.  For some reason a package of mine had gone missing and I was desperate to find it.  The contents of food would help to offset my budget and it was missing.  We hoped to get a hitch into town and noticed a couple ahead of us on the trail.  I was in go mode now, as all my concentration went to where I was stepping so I could catch up to them.

Reaching the bottom of the trail, the three of us struck up a conversation as the rain came down.  Flailing speaking in German found out that they were visiting from Sweden and were able to take us to the main road so we could hitch in.   What a good thing, because Earthling looked terrible as she had her thumb out as the rain came down.  No cars passed by in the twenty minutes we talked.  Thankful to have a ride out we knew getting out of the gap would be hard.  Just in time too, the rain came down and did not let up as we caught another hitch into town.

Foliage season, all of the hotels, inns and places to stay all had their prices jacked up.  What the hell is foliage season anyway.  Finding a place to stay suddenly became very hard for us as we had not many options and everyone was coming off the mountain.  Taking our best option we held up in a Bed and Breakfast laying around eating cookies and doughnuts all night.  The rain growing steadily heavier and heavier through out the night, drowned the streets.  Not wanting to take the day off I spent most of the next day writing and catching up, as we tried to find a way back to the trail and a place to stay in case we couldn’t get back.