Total Miles: 661.8
I really loved every mile, every step today. I felt a little like the Energizer bunny, or maybe Forrest Gump. I was motivated and felt strong. It felt great to make up some of my slower and shorter days. I think I could have even kept going if I wasn't running out of daylight. I was still pretty happy to see I made it almost 23 miles in about 11 hours, including breaks. That's pretty good for me.
I stepped outside this morning to see bright blue skies, and what a beautiful site it was! It didn't last long, because they soon turned into the giant gray blanket I've grown accustomed to. It stayed dry though, so I couldn't be upset. It cleared up again in the late afternoon, so it didn't last forever at least.
I headed back out on the trail, crossing over the interstate and back into the woods. It wasn't long before I was at the junction for Upper Goose Pond. I decided to keep going, not really looking forward to a half mile detour for just a quick stop. The trail followed along the pond for a little while, which offered up some nice views despite the dismal gray skies. The trail was much nicer today than it was yesterday. It was dry and the amount of mud was minimal and avoidable. I easily saw at least one hundred little salamanders along the trail. I tried counting, but stopped after I reached twenty in maybe a ten minute span.
There were a few climbs today and a lot of road crossings. I soon found myself walking through fields and had to pass through one full of cows. This part alone probably made my day. Most were too busy eating the leaves and berries off of a tree to notice me, but I was stared down by a few calves as I passed by. I had to walk up Cobble Hill, which was a beautiful area with some views at the top. It's nice to be able to see views again.
I decided to stop into Shaker Campsite to check for a register. I was glad I did because there was a print-out inside the register box telling the history of the Shaker community that used to live in the area but didn't last too long there. There was a large piece of stone wall that is thought to have been part of a barn. It was pretty neat to see, and I'm always fascinated by little bits of history like that.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully - a few ups and downs but not much else. I could feel a few more blisters popping up on my feet, so I was ready to reach the shelter. I did stop at The Ledges for a few moments. It was a beautiful area that would have displayed an incredible sunset, but I knew I had to move on. I reached the shelter and found only one other person here, a former thru hiker named Boulder who is out for a few weeks. HJ showed up later. There was a tent platform that overlooked the valley set apart from the shelter. It was a great little spot, but I decided to stay in the shelter since I was too tired to set up my tent, or maybe just lazy. I didn't even bother cooking dinner and went with some cheese on a tortilla instead. I'm definitely looking forward to a good night of sleep tonight.
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