Kinsman mt and work for stay

Not too crazy a day. Passed a few Sobos, including Thor and Stack, who I'd met in Lincoln at Chet's. While talking to them at a shelter, another hiker came in without a word. He sat down by himself, and didn't speak until I introduced myself and asked him his name. "Quiet." Very apt. He seemed cool, just very quiet. 

I also passed 3x5, who I hadn't seen since at least TN. He was doing good, but he had a long ways left on his hike since he'd flip-flopped. He didn't remember me. After crying for half an hour I pushed on. 

Beautiful views today, but it was steep. Very steep. Rocks. Lot of scrambling, and I was worried about the frame of my pack cracking again, due to all the bending over I was doing. 

I also thought a lot about the AMC hut system. I decided the reason I was against doing the "Work for stay" at the huts was primarily arrogance, which was something I've tried to work on. So I figured I'd at least consider it. 

Then I got to my first hut. Lonesome Lake Hut. Pretty place, but I'd intended to hike another mile and a half or so, to the next road, where Spice Kit and Coconut were going to be. I almost completely skipped it, but I wanted a Coke. So in I go. 

"Hi, do you have Cokes?" "No, we don't do that here, but are you a thru-hiker?" "I'm trying to be, a few hundred miles to go still." "Would you like to work for stay?" I paused. I really wasn't. But this was a pretty good place to stay and I was rather tired, anyway. And there was the whole internal debate I'd had earlier...

"What's that entail?" "You eat with us, work for a couple of hours, and then make your bed here in the main room." Hmm. I tried to call Coconut, but no signal. What the heck. "Okay, I'll do it." 

I ate with the hut crew, and talked with them. As you might imagine about a group of young people who work and live in the White Mts all summer, they were an interesting and fun group. I liked them immensely. They also told me a lot about the hut systems and the AMC in general. After dinner they had me organize a bookshelf. And then complimented me repeatedly about how good a job I'd done. It made me wonder about how crappy thru-hiker labor must be. 

Came up this. Steeeep. 

Pretty view X

Finally on top.