Shaving The Hair Off Franconia Ridge: 2:49

Okay lads, I set a new PR this afternoon, 7min faster than last time. I dropped Jill off at the barn, had my stuff in the car and made a beeline for Falling Water. I started my watch at 2:15 and was back at the car at 5:04. That's 2:49 for the 8.6 mile loop including around 4000ft of elevation gain. The bar has been raised. Some details:

• I did the loop with only 28oz of water (in my Alterra lumbar pack) and a single Hammergel packet ("Espresso").
• No iPod, no poles, no gear, no spare clothes, no first-aid kit, no food (other than single Hammer Gel packet). I didn't even wear sock liners - just smartwool socks.
  
• I haven't done a minute-by-minute analysis yet (courtesy of Suunto), but I made it to the summit of Little Haystack in 1:07 - a full 8 minutes faster than last time. Actually, the 8 minutes shaved was on the way up to where the trail to Shining Rock splits off. It took me 1:03 last time, and only 0:55 today.
• I guess I didn't make up any additional time elsewhere, but I felt like I really humped it. It only took me about 20 minutes to make it from Little Haystack to Lafayette summit. I'll get the exact timings later.
• Injuries: I have a swollen egg and broken blood-vessels just above my left knee where I ran into a cutoff branch at full speed on the way up. On the way down, I hyperextended my left foot twice in an ankle-cranking wrench-fest. I have to fly to Minneapolis tomorrow and that sucker will probably swell.
• The official time was from the parking lot, round-trip, right where that little paved path starts up the hill (on the 'sidewalk') by the big sign - not car-to-car - which probably saved me 30sec.
  
• I carried on the tMail tradition of going for the big soak. I went back to the car, changed into sandals, rehydrated, and hiked back to the brook. Complete immersion. Ahhhhhh.