Forty-third day T 8/18/20

START: Crawford Notch     4:12 amFINISH: Pinkham Notch    6:27 pm26 miles     14:15    1.8 mph1,884.2 total miles   43.8 mpd averageOvercast morning; 1.5 hours of cold rain above timberline; cold front following with wind gusts up to 55 mph

A big shout out to Ted Erkkila for his unselfish kindness to accompany Mercury through the most weather-treacherous section of the trail - the thirteen miles of rocky exposure to the elements before and after Mt. Washington.After a somewhat tranquil morning, a cold front came in with accompanying bone-shaking rain for 1.5 hours. Visibility was low and both Mercury and Ted had to keep moving to try to fend off the hypothermic conditions (which they did).The sun came out for the very rough descent from Mt Madison, where Mercury was blown over against a rock by a wind gust and had a hard time getting up because of the wind.They both survived the Gauntlet posed by the weather on the Presidentials.Mercury will have another good night of blessed sleep.Both Jupiter and Mercury are glad this trail section is done.Onward to the last section of the Whites!