Day 123 - Peru Peak Shelter to Greenwall Shelter

Slept fairly late again. Just too content to move, I guess. Hit the road at 9. Took a break on top of Baker Peak. The miles were coming awfully slow.

At 1 I think we’d only done seven miles. That makes me a bit anxious, just because it leaves fewer options for what we can and can’t do later on in the day. Was feeling lightheaded at one point. Was it dehydration? Lack of energy due to my oatmeal dinners? Lyme disease? Giardia? Not sure.

Stopped at Big Branch for lunch, then took a break by Little Rocks Pond. It was one of those days when I don’t think we hiked for more than an hour without bumping into someone or taking a break. Sat for an hour while this homeless guy talked at me and Dave about himself. Dave appeared interested. I, on the other hand, did not. Could have pushed on, but it became too awkward. It did piss me off, though, that that hour might later affect where we were to stay that night -- and it did.

Ended up at a shelter .4 off the trail, because right when we reached that point it started to rain and thunder. Pogo and Noggin showed up later. The rest of the gang is about a half-day behind, Noggin said. Since they say they aren’t doing over 15 miles a day, don’t know when they’ll catch up.

Smittee is still hiking with Grace and is going to her family reunion with her this weekend. Forgot to mention (I think) that Moose got off the trail in New Jersey. Then we heard he got back on. Now Stray found out from a mutual friend that Moose is off yet again. At least he gave it his best shot.

I guess I’m resolved to staying on the trail. Only five more days in Vermont, then I just have to make it through New Hampshire. If I get to Maine, I’m definitely not quitting. May have to rethink my strategy of letting Dave make all the decisions. It really isn’t fair or conducive to low blood pressure. Maybe we can plan the itinerary for alternate days. Something like that.

Terrible night’s sleep. Not cold, but had to wear the head net for bugs. Dreamed I was hiking up Killington (that’s a first, I think). Then I couldn’t get back to sleep.

Strange trail-walking thought of the day: Where do bugs sleep? How do they decide when it’s time for bed and where to go?

Day 122 - Stratton Pond to Peru Peak Shelter

Too tired to write last night. It was a long day, but a good one. Our first 20-miler in ages. Probably won’t do another for quite a while, either.

Hard to get up in the morning. Must have been that comfortable wooden tent platform. Got rolling close to 9. Met Sweeper, who already finished his northbound thruhike and is now doing the Long Trail south. Sweeper said the last three states are the “reward” for having come so many miles. I hope so.

Had lunch at Spruce Peak Shelter. Decided to skip Manchester Center, since we didn’t need any food or to spend any money. Headed up Bromley Mountain, which was a tougher climb than Stratton. The top was beautiful, with tons of wild flowers and marsh grass blowing in the breeze against a bright blue sky with puffy white clouds. Made it worth the climb.

In the ski lodge we met Jobnick, who thru-hiked the AT in sections and is now doing the Long Trail. Nice guy. Headed to Peru Peak. It was a good climb, but really pretty terrain -- think pine forest with lots of moss and carpet of pine needles. Did a couple more miles to the shelter -- another $10 donation, but I guess it goes to a good cause.

My feet were sore, but it was a good tired feeling. I guess we passed out most of the gang -- except for Murph, Swag, and Bad Moon -- by skipping Manchester. Another chilly night. Glad to have the insulation of the tent.

Day 121 - Townshend State Park to Stratton Pond

Got up at 7 so we could get out at a decent hour. Planned to have breakfast at the Dam Diner. Chuck especially got a kick out of the name.

I ordered raspberry chocolate chip walnut pancakes. Big stack; looked better than they tasted. Starting to tire of all the comments about how much we’re eating.

Got to the trail around 10:30. Had to choke back a few tears on the way up Stratton Mountain. Wondered whether I should have caught a ride home. Not feeling psyched to be in the woods, as I usually do after a town stop. Bumped into Longway on the way up. Good to see him. Seems like everyone passed us when we were off trail. That’s OK. But I would like to see Murph again soon.

Not a bad climb at all to the top of Stratton. Very dark sky, then it started drizzling. Hold the minivan! Good but not great view from the firetower on top. Got to Stratton Pond on the other side of the mountain and was surprised by how beautiful and peaceful it was. Just sat and watched the clouds roll in and out, listened to the loons. No sandy beach, no masses out for a summer Sunday.

 

Met and talked with caretaker Jungle Jim for more than a few hours. Cool guy. I started to get antsy, but could tell that Dave was not. Oh no -- not again. Procrastinated for quite a while. Then we made our move.

It was getting late, and we were going to have to really push to do the eight miles -- likely finishing after dark. And I just didn’t feel like setting up camp and cooking late. So after some more debate in the middle of the trail, we turned around and headed back a bit to a campsite.

All in all, I’m glad we did. But the tenting area didn’t have a view of the pond, so we could have been just about anywhere. The loons were still in earshot, which was nice -- although a little on the eery side.

 

Oh, I gave Dave total control of our schedule. He’s making all the decisions. This way, I won’t be disappointed/frustrated when we don’t go as far as we had “planned”. And I won’t care if going slow for a day means finishing a day later. I’m going to take this thing one day at a time -- sort of like a recovering alcoholic.

Day 120 - Townshend State Park

Well, we stayed another night. I was pretty sure we would. Good timing, actually, because my motivation to get back on the trail would have been pretty darn low.

Slept great last night. Flat tent spot, warm inside; sweatshirt to cuddle against me, nothing to get up for in the morning. Didn’t get up til 9. Beautiful, sunny day.

Ate homemade bacon, egg, and cheese English muffin sandwiches for breakfast. Then Mary Ellen and I went on a short hike to the top of Bald Mountain, within the park. Tons of parents with young kids. They probably thought they were going on a nature walk. Wrong. This was actually a pretty tough hike -- and steep at the end. Nice without a pack, though.

We could see Stratton Mountain from the top, and it looked pretty darn intimidating. Came back down and washed my clothes in the shower (socks smelled no better than before they were bathed).

We all went to the beach by the pond near the dam (“the damn dam,” as Chuck would say). Really hot in the sun. Made a few phone calls, then we were off to find a supermarket for resupplying. Everyone got a kick out of watching us un-package everything, and put it all in Ziplocs or our food bags.

Longshanks and Craig

Blur and Kara

Had more steak tips for dinner, and Mary Ellen and I split a bottle of white zinfandel. Then we went off to hear a local give a presentation on covered bridges. Interesting at first, but painful after an hour and a half. Finally headed back to the site to get our fire going and make some s'mores. Went to bed around 11:30, and it felt like a Sunday night -- knowing I had to get up for “work” in the morning.

Day 119 - Glastonbury Fire Tower to West Wardsboro Road

Funny how things can change yet again. It was a cold night, with wind whipping through the trees and a clear, unprotecting sky. I had on all my clothes, but my legs and face were still cold. It’s not much more fun being cold than it is being wet.

Was not a happy camper when Dave woke me at 6. Why did we not take advantage of the warm weather when we had it (and do more miles, more easily)? Started crying in the tent, being cold and feeling sorry for myself; wondering what the heck I’m doing out here; worrying that I won’t be able to handle the upcoming physical and mental challenges; thinking about calling it quits.

As I already knew, Dave said that there will be many more cold days, hot days, rainy days, and rocky days ahead. But he also said some of the most exhilarating climbs/views remain to be seen. This I know, but sometimes lose sight of.

It just really freaked me out hitting such cold weather in July. We still have all of August and part of September to get through. Can I really do this for 50 more days? I think I know the answer. The question is, do I want to? I know I want to be able to say I hiked the whole AT, not part of it. And I don’t want this trip to become a sore subject if Dave finishes and I don’t. I guess I’ll keep going, knowing that I can head home at any point in time. I’ll just need to keep letting Dave know how I’m feeling and rely on him for additional support.

Had to hike 12+ miles to get to the road. I wore a long-sleeved shirt, jacket, hat, and long johns for an hour or so in the a.m. -- it was still that chilly. Would have worn gloves if I had them. Good hiking weather, though. Nice and clear and dry. More pretty terrain, more mud. Were making decent time til I tripped over a root and did a face plant. Whacked my knee pretty good.

Really glad to be having some time off the trail with the Guittarrs. Good timing. Waited by the road for a couple of hours -- guess it was a tough place to find. Good to see Chuck, Mary Ellen, Craig, and Kara. They took us to a state campground in nearby Townshend. Nice place. I miss car camping!

Blur, Longshanks, Chuck, Kara, Craig, and Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen had a towel, soap, shampoo, and lotion for me -- I used three quarters and took a 15-minute shower. Borrowed a pair of socks, pants, and a cozy cotton sweatshirt. It’s cool here, but nothing like the mountaintop. Had steak tips, salad, and potato salad for dinner, with coffee cake for dessert.

Funny to watch the masses camping -- blowing up air mattresses with cigarette lighters, unloading armfuls of fluffy pillows, carrying lanterns and industrial flashlights, setting their car alarms, rushing out to buy more bags of ice to throw in their coolers. Haven’t decided whether to stay a second night. Somehow I think we will.

Day 118 - Congdon Shelter to Glastonbury Fire Tower

At some point during the night, it started to rain. Hard to tell with the earplugs in. But it was still going strong in the morning. My pack was outside the tent, covered but not well. The shelter was across the stream. We both just rolled over and went back to sleep. “Don’t make me go out there,” I said later.

Then we just lay there for a while, listening to the popcorn popping on top of the tent. There were some puddles inside, too, due to the angle of the tent -- but at least it was warm and semi-dry.

Got our latest start yet -- after 11! Wasn’t actually raining by the time we left -- just damp and foggy with plenty of fresh mud. Steep, wet, rocky descent after Harmon Hill -- my favorite kind! I really can’t wait til I don’t have to do another one of those. It’s not fun or rewarding (Ooh, the bottom of the mountain! Oh, the street!). Maybe I’m just a baby and a wimp.

I’m a pretty low-maintenance person, but there are a few simple pleasures I enjoy and really miss out here -- hot, running water; a roof, and four walls. Those are the big ones. A toilet and electricity are nice, too.

After the rain passed, the air changed completely and a cold front moved in. Get me my winter clothes back! Luckily I still have a jacket, hat, and long underwear. Climbed Glastonbury Mountain to a log cabin shelter. Really pretty walk and not too tough -- even though we got up around 3500 feet.

 

We and Greenlight decided to camp up by the firetower. We’re the only ones here. Nice flat ground. Had instant oatmeal for dinner. Dave poured some boiling water in my Nalgene bottle; I added a few drops of Tabasco and voila -- a tea-like drink. Sat up in the fire tower til the sun set. Great view but really windy. Definitely “worth the climb,” as Wingfoot said.

 Ended up being a really good day. Funny how things can change so quickly.

Day 117 - Sherman Brook Campsites to Congdon Shelter

I was a bit shaken up by that falling tree. No storm, no wind. I guess it was just that tree’s time. Strange that we happened to be right there when it happened.

Oh, there was one other group camping where we stopped. They were making a lot of noise until we showed up. It was getting dark -- couldn’t really see them. But all we could hear was, “Shhhhh…thru-hikers!” over and over again. How did they know? Could they smell us?

The rain never came last night. So we stayed dry on the tent platform. Slept in, too. We took our time packing up. Nice to be just the two of us again. Also nice not to have a whole stream of people hitting the trail at the same time.

Met a bunch more southbounders. I really like talking to them and hearing what they have to say about the trail ahead. Sneak preview of coming attractions!

After a couple of miles, we hit the Vermont border. Massachusetts went by fast, even with the Pittsfield break. I’m excited to be in the “final three.” Everyone had good things to say about Vermont -- rolling hills and no boulders. But coming from New Hampshire, how could you not like the Green Mountain state?

It was a good first 10 miles -- very green and pretty, despite the deer flies and blackflies (ouch!). Dave was feeling really tired, so we decided to stay at the 12-mile shelter. That was fine with me, since we got such a late start.

There’s a couple here who are just starting the Long Trail. I have a feeling we’re going to see a lot more non-AT hikers than we have in a while. Loose Goose got in late after a night in North Adams; Smittee is still behind us.

Looking forward to seeing Mary Ellen and crew on Friday. Shower? Laundry? Planning a big 14-mile day tomorrow. We haven’t done that many miles since last Thursday.

Day 116 - Cheshire to Sherman Brook Campsites

Said goodbye to Cameron, as he plans to motor ahead to try to finish by the end of August/early September. We left around 7:15.

First order of business -- Mt. Greylock. It was a six- or seven-mile climb but looked pretty gradual on the profile map. It was a good, steady climb with flat parts in between. Great breeze. Pretty pine forest. We really took our time, which was a nice change of pace.

 

Kristy seemed tired, but she was a trooper and easily made it to the summit. Impressive war memorial tower and Bascom Lodge. We had lunch out back, climbed the tower, hung out, and waited for Dad to come get Kristy.

They left at 3:30, which didn’t leave us much time to do 8 miles and walk to the supermarket to resupply. Steep descent but not too rocky, which was good.

We’ve started to see a lot of southbounders now. All men. Nice to be able to share information. Walked to Stop and Shop. It was set up exactly like Hingham. Had to pause just now because a big tree just came down, for no apparent reason, about 100 yards into the woods.

Day 115 - Kay Wood Shelter to Cheshire

I slept in -- and Kristy really slept in. Had to wake her up around 9, I think. Enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, then walked the 3.5 miles into Dalton. Nice town, from what we saw of it.

First we stopped on Depot Street at the house of a man who lets hikers camp in his yard. Who came up on us but Cameron! Didn’t take him long to catch up. Found some soda in a cooler. Went to a convenience store (Cumberland Farms) to get a few snacks.

More hanging out, little hiking. It was really hot. Finally got motivated to get moving again. Walked about five miles to a campsite for lunch. It was starting to get bumpier, but Kristy did very well. She kept saying that her legs were tired. I don’t remember having a problem with that. Stopped for lunch, and Kristy said, “This is my favorite part of hiking.”

High Pack, Longshanks, and Smittee

Only four more miles into Cheshire, and they were easier. Right away we saw Cameron taking apart his maildrop in front of the outfitter. Turns out he was camping out in the store's backyard, and we decided to join him.

Cameron, High Pack, and Smittee

Decisions, decisions… MRE’s or subs from a local pizza place. It was Kristy’s last night, so we decided to go out (good excuse). Cute town, with wide streets, sidewalks, and nice (modest) houses. Had a great Greek salad and garlic bread for dinner.

Then we walked to the convenience store for ice cream (Ben and Jerry’s Ooey Gooey Cake -- I practically ate the whole pint). Strange to be camped out by the road, with cars going by. I think Kristy was happier, though. She said she slept much better.

I woke up with a stuffy nose, as I have been doing the past few nights. Guess I started snoring at some point. Oops. Dave woke me up at 6, and we got Kristy up, too. Don’t think she’s used to getting up that early.

Day 114 - Pittsfield Road to Kay Wood Shelter

Good chill-out day. Had some coffee, looked at Shannon’s house photos, chatted with folks in the living room. Dad kept buying donuts and bagels, and they kept disappearing. I told him the hikers (a.k.a., the vultures) would eat anything put down before them. Kind of annoying, actually.

Batty is the only one who showed any real initiative/appreciation, by going to the supermarket and buying all the ingredients for his hot chicken wings (and then making them). Some hikers were treating the house like a hostel (“Where’s the computer?”). Anyway, I learned a lot about certain people.

Still had to do all the usual town stuff -- resupplying, repacking, figuring out where our next stop would be, helping Kristy pack her backpack. Also had to pick a place to meet the Guittarrs on Friday. All of this can be quite stressful.

All but one batch of hikers were back on the trail by mid-afternoon. Dad made his final run at 5. Mom and Dad actually came about .1 mile into the woods. Pretty cool. I was sad to see them go but excited about having Kristy come with us.

 

Had 6.6 flat miles to the first shelter. Really easy walking, and her pack was light. Lots of people already there. Dave cooked rice for dinner. We finally had a chance to eat those s’mores Murph’s been carrying around since New York (sort of).

I packed in a bottle of leftover merlot, and boy was it good. Slept well. Kristy, on the other hand, was tossing and turning, listening to a critter run back and forth through the dead leaves all night.

Day 113 - Pittsfield Road

Cookout day. I got up around 8:15. Most of the others were already up. Ate coffee cake and leftover pizza for breakfast.

First batch of hikers were picked up at 10. Most I knew, but there were a few surprises -- Bear Bait, Priceless, Babalouie, Shiloh, the King, Thru-thinker. I guess that was to be expected, though.

l-r, Swagman, Thru-Thinker, Satan, the Dude, Wren, the King, Smittee, Buzzard, Bad Moon, Stray Cat, Green Light, Murph, Fiddlehead, Charlie, Bear Bait, Babbalouie, Longshanks, Blur, Smiles, Deuce

Murph’s family came, too. Lots of our relatives as well. Many more than I expected. Everyone kept saying how happy Nanny would have been to have a house and yard full of people. It was a really hot, sunny day -- thank goodness for the tent. The yard beyond it looked like a tent city.

 

We ate burgers, dogs, pasta salads, fruit salads, and of course the lobsters and steamers. My lobster was actually way overcooked and came out of the shell in liquid form. But it didn’t really matter, and I didn’t hear anyone complain.

I was a little stressed, running around talking to mostly relatives and refilling food bowls when necessary. Not really any quality time spent with Mom and Dad or the Macs.

While others were passing out, I thought I’d be smart and took the small bedroom upstairs for myself. No sleepy for me. Is this what I have to look forward to upon arriving back home? Hope not. Head working overtime.

Note: To see many more photos, go to MY PAGES in side-bar at right and click Pittsfield clambake. If viewing via email, you need to click Day 113 - Pittsfield Road to access the blog first.

Day 112 - Upper Goose Pond to Pittsfield Road

Lots and lots of hikers ended up staying at Upper Goose Pond. Twenty-two in all, I think -- including day hikers and southbounders. Dave and I found and cooked some hiker box spaghetti -- score! Hung out by a fire in back later on.

Slept in the bunk room upstairs. It was really dark -- much darker than out in the woods -- but I did OK. Got up last at 8:15. Pancakes were already in progress. Didn’t feel like canoeing or swimming. Packed up and hit the trail a little after noon.

Only a mile and a half to the Mass. Pike footbridge. That was a rush! Not as many beeps and waves as I had expected -- til Smittee dropped his drawers and hung from the chain link fence.

Longshanks, Murph, Stray Cat, and Smittee on the Mass. Pike footbridge

 

Got to the shelter early. Supposed to meet Mom and Dad at the road at 6. But I wanted to see what the trail was like between the shelter and the road and headed off without my pack. No one was there, so I went back to the shelter and rounded up the troops. Got to the road only to find that Mom, Diane, Yolanda, and Aunt Elaine took the fire road instead of the trail, and Dad and another hiker had already started off after them. It was an easy mistake to have made.

Mom and Dad took Dave and me, Murph, Stray, Smittee, and Swagman back to 20 Nancy Avenue. Had a huge tent set up in the backyard, and a big banner proclaiming “Welcome AT Thru-Trekkers". Pretty cute. Mom and Dad had also bought about 20 towels at Macy’s for hikers to use and then take on the trail. A really nice gesture, but I grabbed the ones that hadn’t been used for them to return.

Kind of sad to be in Nanny’s house without her there. All the family photos had been taken down, but everything else was the same. Dad ordered 10 large pizzas. Good to see the Macs, Luke, Shannon, and Casey. Jimmy was there, too. Everyone seemed to think we looked good and that Dave wasn’t too skinny.

Then the Dude, Smiles, and Fiddlehead showed up out of the blue. They were about 40 miles back hitching, and a woman let them borrow her car. Pretty cool. Hung out under the tent til the mosquitoes drove me inside. Trouble sleeping.

Day 111 - Mt. Wilcox Shelter to Upper Goose Pond

Dave got up at 5:15, and I forced myself to join him. We were packed and on the trail at 5:50. Had breakfast a few miles out. Another pretty section of trail. 

Oh, yesterday evening we tackled “the ledges,” which I had been nervous about. It was actually a pretty touch climb up ledges of rocks, but nothing scary or dangerous. 

This morning we saw a dead weasel on the trail; then I saw a live porcupine. It was really cool looking with a cute black face. But when I called to Dave, it started moving away. No picture. 

More pretty forest and meadows. A couple of decent climbs. We were anxious to get to the cabin and didn’t stop that much. 

Arrived at Upper Goose Pond at 12:30 -- pretty much the first ones here. It’s a really nice place, although I am a little disappointed (too much hype, I think). Bunkroom, privies, nice porch, pond, canoe. And the caretaker, Cathy, makes pancakes and coffee in the morning. 

Dave and I took the canoe out -- almost too tired to paddle. He chauffeured me around for a while, which was nice. Tomorrow we get to see our parents. And we cross the Mass. Pike footbridge. Will Dave streak the bridge, mooning the traffic below? Will his parents be driving by at that exact moment? Stay tuned. 

Day 110 - Jug End Road to Mt. Wilcox Shelter

Before we went to bed, a bard owl started asking us “Who cooks for you?” I wonder where those women are. Slept til 7:30, but didn’t get out of camp til around 10.

Dave enjoyed having a leisurely morning, which was good. But it was going to be a hot one, which concerned me a bit. 

Bumped into Murph, who told us about a farm stand at the next road crossing. Strange to see so many Mass. license plates. Stranger still to think that I could just stick my thumb out (or hop on a bus) and be home in a matter of hours. A little tempting, but I resisted.

I guess Swag picked up a Boston radio station the night before. I haven’t tried. Lovely walk through conifer forest, fields, and meadows, next to a river…Maybe I’m biased, but it was quite nice. Some tough climbs in the afternoon. Lots of ripe raspberries, but not enough time to fully enjoy them.

Got to the first Wilcox shelter around 7 and decided to stay. Lots of porcupine damage. We had to hang our packs and boots out of reach (I guess they go after the salt). Decided to get up real early so we’d have most of the day at Upper Goose Pond. I must say that my bagel for dinner has left much to be desired. Maybe I’ll try oatmeal next.

Day 109 - Plateau Campsite to Jug End Road

Forgot to mention how bad the deer flies were yesterday morning. Boy, are they annoying -- even if they don’t bite. So what’s their purpose? And why do no-see-ums bite? For nourishment? I hope not just for sheer pleasure.

Tough time finding level ground last night, so we ended up next to a bunch of teenie boppers. They were funny. Asked a million questions. Slept well. In fact, had a really hard time getting up in the morning. Up at 7:30 -- out at 8:45.

Sky was overcast, with rain likely. First we climbed Lion’s Head, from which we had a great view of Salisbury and beyond. Then it was on to Bear Mountain (yet another one). Pretty gradual climb to the top -- not bad at all. I was expecting a big tower at the summit, but it was just a big pile of rocks.

Mountain #2 was Race Mountain. Gradual yet pretty long climb. Forgot something important! On the way down from Bear Mountain we crossed Sages Ravine. Beautiful area with a flowing stream, rocks, and lots of pine trees. Would have been some great swimming areas if it wasn’t raining. At the end of the ravine we saw the sign we were looking for -- “Welcome to Massachusetts.” Wow. We really did walk home.

Back to Race Mt. Nice climb. Passed “the best campsite ever” according to Smittee -- Bear Rocks, I think. It had tent sites, fire rings, a view, a bathtub (stream), and a privy. Alas, we couldn’t stay.

Rocky, wet, and slippery on the way down from Race. Not my idea of fun. In fact, I hate hiking in those conditions because it’s quite scary and dangerous. After a slip and a minor altercation, I was on my own for the climb up and over Mt. Everett. More frustration, more tears. Eventually I did make it to the top.

Luckily going down didn’t involve the same degree of rock scaling. Stopped at the shelter, but decided to do another 3 ½ miles to a road with water and possible camping. More scariness trying to get down from Jug End summit. I really don’t think I would do this trail as a retiree due to the danger factor. Or I would skip the rocky sections (especially on rainy days). Very stressful stuff -- at least, for me.

Found the water and a flat tentspot nearby. We’re close to the road, but it’s a Tuesday and it doesn’t seem very busy. Strange but nice to be on our own. Mosquitoes are bad here. When I picture us on the AT map, I feel that we’re close to home. Now I can count the remaining states on four fingers -- MA, VT, NH + ME!