CANNON MOUNTAIN # 8
Let’s climb Cannon!
Since I slept way beyond 10:00 a.m. Saturday July 15th- it was going to be an easy baby mountain for me. We shot up I-93 passing by Profile Lake. Look! A huge white tent was erected upon the shores of the lake and the limos were just pulling in for a grand scale wedding. I parked at the tram parking lot and shot up the Kinsman Ridge Trail in no time. Though steep and sandy in spots, before I knew it, we were on the breezy ledges overlooking the Interstate. That’s where I left the dog leash, though I hadn’t realized this until we began climbing the steps to the observation tower. I tore of some rope from the tower’s scaffolding and this made do for a leash. A leash was much needed as a dozen or so young children coming from the tram crowded Ruby wanting to pat and feed her. From the summit we took the Lonesome Lake Trail over to the lake for a dip in the water. Very steep going down this trail – many tricky crevices and rough! We skirted the trail around the lake watching the swimmers at the hut. Finally, we dove in! It was great, though I appeared to be the only one daring enough to go under-water. After I dried off and changed, a woman asked, “Was the water leachy?” Was she implying the presence of possible bloodsuckers? Or was she referring to some kind of alkali? I checked my self for vampire worms; I seem to pass the test. We cruise down Lonesome Lake Trail passing a lot of people heading for the hut. The Lafayette Campground is once again filled to capacity as I see when I reach the bottom. Now, I need to get back to the car and I do this by following the Pemi Trail , a very cool bike trail I never knew existed. Soon, I pass by the wedding ceremony in progress. What a lovely place to get married, but probably a better place to become ankle deep in muck. Naturally the dog barks at some squirrels and I imagine the bride cursing me under her breath: “Get that damn dog to stop barking! You’re ruining my day you lousy mutt!”

Once finished, I drove up to Twin Mountain to stay the night at Lyons Hospitality. My favorite cheap digs for only $20.00 a night. Usually I have a whole unit to myself, but not tonight. The place is hopping. At midnight, the hostel keeper, Doug, knocks on the door to ask if I mind sharing my bunk with Jessie. No problem. I pour her a glass of wine and we start talking. She seems a bit out of place, a 23 year old just-married girl going off to boot camp. Seems she visits her husband in the NH State Prison 30 miles up the road in Berlin. She’s been married 2 days. What a way to start a marriage – with your husband in the slammer. But she’s optimistic, “Oh, everything will work out after I get back from boot. I know he’s going to change.” He’s going to change all right. He’s going to change his brand of soap to one he won’t have to bend over for in the clink house showers. She is up at 5:30 a.m. for her conjugal visit in lovely Berlin. And I think I have it bad.