Day 64: Sage's Ravine Campsite to Salisbury

Today's Miles: 7.1

Total Miles: 689.9

First off, I have to wish my husband a very happy birthday! There is nothing I want more than to be home with him right now, making a cake and celebrating his special day. 

Today was an unexpected short day. I was woken up early by the rain, so I ran outside and grabbed my clothes that were hanging up. I dreaded getting up again and lazed around for a while. I finally packed up and called home to wish the hubby a happy birthday before heading out. 

I was greeted by the first climb up Bear Mountain today. I'm glad I didn't attempt this last night. It was a pretty tricky rock scramble, and it was wet so it made it a little more difficult. It was short though, and it wasn't long before I was at the top. There was a beautiful view, but I had a hard time enjoying it. I was in a weird mood I just couldn't shake. I'm guessing it's just homesickness and wishing I could be back with Payce and Dexter today. I headed down to the first shelter where I stopped for a break. I didn't feel better until a little after when I passed a group of day hikers. Maybe it was because they provided some distraction or I felt better after eating something. Either way, I had enough positive attitude to make it the rest of the way to town. 

The rest of the day was mostly downhill. Connecticut doesn't allow camping outside of camping areas, and they definitely provide enough campsites to make this possible. I think I passed 3 in less than 2 miles. When I got to the first road I had to walk past a cemetery. The guidebook showed water inside of it, which I found to be one of the weirdest things so far. Why anyone would want to drink water from a cemetery is beyond me. 

My original plan was to go into town to resupply and head back out. Unfortunately, the batteries in my Steripen had died and none of the places in town sold the right ones. I decided to stay with Maria McCabe, an Italian woman in her 80's that allows hikers to stay. She brought me to the laundromat and even drove me to a CVS in New York (really only 4 miles down the road) so I could find the batteries I needed. She told me if they didn't have them I was walking home, so I was happy to be able to find them there. I enjoyed being able to spend time talking to her and her friend, Leslie, who is visiting for a few days. Leslie also gave me a bar of chocolate, so thank you for that! Being in town meant I had enough service to call home again, which was nice. It's also supposed to drop down into the 30's tonight, so I'm secretly happy to be inside. I'm not ready for the cold yet. 

When I went to fill up at the spring, about 6 frogs jumped into the water. I decided to pass on that area...

Rock scramble

Bear Mountain monument

Open-air privy

Just a little guy!

Day 63: Tom Leonard Shelter to Sage's Ravine Campsite

Today's Miles: 21.0

Total Miles: 682.8

I didn't sleep too well last night since I was constantly being woken up by the drone of mosquitoes as they settled in for a nice meal. I kept checking my watch hoping it would be time to get up and was pretty happy when it finally was. 

Today's hiking offered up a little bit of everything. After leaving the shelter, I was met with a saw tooth - lots of little ups and downs. They were rocky but not terrible. After a descent, I crossed a road and ended up walking through a lot of farms. The trail is usually interesting in this area as it will normally follow along the edge of a field. Instead of cutting across the middle, the trail will follow a complete 90 degree angle around the whole thing. Today it kept going in and out of the road for a small section before settling on corn fields to the left and the river to the right. It was still beautiful, and I love all these grassy field areas. I passed by the monument for the last battle of Shay's Rebellion which was just before a road crossing. I still can't express how much I love little bits of history like this. I'm always the one who wants to go to museums wherever I go because I find it all too interesting! 

As I began to climb up Jug End, I passed by a little boy out with his grandfather. He was maybe 4 and absolutely adorable. He talked about his blue water bottle and was so excited about it. He definitely brightened up my day. I had to ascend Mount Bushnell, Mount Everett, and Mount Race today. The middle one was kind of funny because there was a pit bull I passed on the trail named Everett. The climbs weren't too hard, but there were a few rock scrambles. This is something I haven't seen in a while. The trail also started to follow a stream bed, which is also unusual lately. It made it a little bit slower going, but I was still determined to make up some miles. As I reached the summits of the mountains, there were remarkable views. The day couldn't have been more beautiful, and the views were breathtaking again. I've missed being able to see mountains. I even had a bit of a walk along an open ridge on Mount Race - just beautiful! Once I was back in the mountains, the water quality became so much better very quickly. It was back to being cold, clear, and abundant. I was very happy to see this. It certainly hasn't been the greatest the last few days. 

I originally planned to make it to the next shelter after Bear Mountain, but decided to stop just before at the campsite. I had the chaffing on my back return, and it felt like someone had set my back on fire at that point with the sweat rubbing into it. It was also getting close to sunset, and I wouldn't have made it over the mountain in time to beat it. It feels good to be back in my tent tonight, even if it does smell a little mildewy. There's a group of college kids here singing and being a little loud, so I hope they plan on going to bed soon. I passed the Connecticut sign today, but I won't officially cross until tomorrow. I'm excited to be in my 5th state!

Day 62: Lee to Tom Leonard Shelter

Today's Miles: 22.7

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. 

Day 61: October Mountain Shelter to Lee

Today's Miles: 7.2

Total Miles: 639.1

I am never going to make it out of Massachusetts at this rate. I didn't sleep well last night thanks to people arriving at the shelter late and the huge thunderstorms that passed through. I headed out hesitantly after a little bit of rain passed by, hoping that I wouldn't get caught in a surprise shower. Rain wasn't expected until the afternoon, but there was a 100% chance of it after that, according to the Weather Channel (which is a huge liar).

I had been impressed the last few days that the trail remained almost entirely mud free despite all the rain. This was not the case today. The trail was a mess.  It started raining about an hour into the hike, so I made up my mind to stay at the lodge just off the trail in Lee. I spent 6 years having no control over the conditions I worked or trained in, so it feels nice to be able to say, "I don't actually have to walk in the rain if I don't want to!" What freedom! 

There were a few mountains today - Bald Top, Walling, and Becket - but I flew by them quickly since there was nothing to see in the rain. I ended up walking down to the road from Becket with a weekend hiker named Adrian. This was his first trip out, and I felt a little bad about the experience he had. It would have been a beautiful hike otherwise. He headed to his car and I headed thankfully to the lodge, ready to free myself of the wet shoes and socks. I'm staying at the Berkshire Lakeside Lodge which is in a beautiful spot and would be beautiful to enjoy in nice weather. The rain still hasn't come, and I feel like I've wasted another whole day. Thanks, weatherman. Thankfully the weather is looking up until next weekend, and I hope I can make up for some of these awful days I've had. 

Rain, rain, go away. 

Day 60: Tom Levardi's to October Mountain Shelter

Today's Miles: 11.3

Total Miles: 631.9

Today was supposed to be some of the flattest terrain I've seen in a long time, and I was looking forward to taking advantage of it. I was trying to make it the 20 miles to Upper Goose Pond, but that clearly didn't happen. 

The day started with a few climbs up Tully Mountain and Warner Hill. They were easy, but it was humid. I was dripping sweat just standing still. There weren't any views thanks to everything being enveloped in fog, something I've gotten used to lately. It was unfortunate because I thought Warner Hill would have been beautiful. The fresh rain made the wildflowers smell so much stronger, and I was surrounded by a mini fern forest. I continued to the Cookie Lady's house on Washington Road with little distraction. 

It is the responsibility of the SOBOs to pick blueberries for the pancakes at Upper Goose when stopping at the Cookie Lady's house. It's the end of the season, but I was able to scrounge up some to carry with me. I enjoyed a Coke and some cookies while talking to Roy before preparing to move on, believing that I would still make it to Upper Goose at that point. As I reached the trailhead, the rain started to fall. I decided to head back to Marilyn and Roy's to wait out the shower, which passed after about an hour. I made my way back to the trail as soon as it stopped. The trail was on a dirt road, and I missed the point where it turned back into the woods. I walked a good mile to mile and a half out of the way before reaching an intersection and realizing I was lost. I had to walk all the way back and find where I lost the trail. It was seriously maybe 100 feet from the road. This little side trip took an hour of my time, and the bugs were awful! Have I mentioned how much I hate when the trail crosses roads? I can follow the trail in the woods all day, but put me on a road and it's all over. 

I decided I would just be stopping at the next shelter after my little side trip. The thunderstorms were going to be starting back up, and there would be few things worse than night hiking during a thunderstorm. It was still early, so I hung my tent to dry from the other morning and talked to Divide and Conquer, the section hiker here. I made dinner and shared the blueberries with him since I didn't think they would survive the trip to Upper Goose tomorrow. They were already pretty squished, and it was a nice treat. It hasn't started raining yet as I type this, but I sincerely hope it does so I won't feel like I wasted a good hiking day. It feels like there has been a lot of that lately. 

Day 59: Mark Noepel Shelter to Tom Levardi's, Dalton

Today's Miles: 14.4

Total Miles: 620.6

There's nothing like being woken up to a huge rainstorm rolling in around 2:00. I heard the raindrops starting to fall, quickly followed by HJ cursing and jumping out of his tent to attach the rain fly he planned on sleeping without. It started to pour, and apparently he got pretty drenched in the process. I was happy to be nice and dry in my tent while I listened to the fiasco. The mud and rain made packing everything up this morning pretty dreadful, and although I was dry, I was a little jealous of those who stayed in the shelter. 

The trail started with a pretty slick descent which made for some pretty slow going. It didn't take long to make it to the Chesire road crossing where I, of course, went the wrong way. Roads and I really don't get along out here, and I've  learned that reflectors on the power lines are not white blazes... I was able to figure out where I was and take another road that connected back with the AT. It worked out I guess, since I was able to stop at a small store for a soda. I talked to a lady who was sitting on her porch for a little while. She was very sweet and said she says a prayer for the hikers every morning at mass, that a band of angels watch over them on their travels. I thanked her and continued on through the town. 

The sun always seems to sneak its way out just in time for an uphill climb. Today was no different. I have sweat more the last few days from all the humidity than I have the entire trip. I took a lunch break at the Cobbles, a rocky outlook, where I was able to take a minute to talk to my brother and wish him a happy birthday. 

Shortly after I started hiking again, I could hear thunder rolling in the distance. I was planning on staying at Tom Levardi's house in town since the book said he allowed hikers to tent in his yard. I finished the last few miles there, a little bit of it being a road walk through the town. It's a good thing I was calling it quits because my feet were not having any more hiking. There was no way I would have made it to the next shelter with my feet that felt like they had plywood strapped to the bottoms. When I got to Tom's, HJ and a hiker named Crunchmaster were there. The latter had been waiting a few days for Milkrun and Cerveza to show up, which they did later. I was expecting to put my tent up outside, but would soon be offered a shower, laundry, food, and a place to sleep inside for the night. Wow. This is not what I was anticipating at all! It was all much appreciated as a thunderstorm came rolling through shortly after. Thank you, Tom, for all you do! 

HJ and I headed into town for some food and ice cream, and we all sat on the porch talking for a little while when we got back. I'm thankful that I'm out of this storm tonight and in good company. Now if this rain would hold off so I could get some miles down, I'd be all set!

 

Day 58: Williamstown to Mark Noepel Shelter

Today's Miles: 9.6

Total Miles: 606.2

I didn't fall asleep until late last night, so I knew my intentions of waking up early were not going to followed through with. I went to the continental breakfast at the hotel, where I talked to the man who's helping his daughter-in-law run it for the next few months. They are from India, and he was so proud of his children's success in school and at work. They were just very friendly and receptive to the needs of the guests. There was a hiker that came in and was very adamant about getting a ride back to the trailhead which was about a mile and a half away. He was very upset when they said they couldn't do it, which I always think is ironic. People can hike 15 miles a day but won't walk that extra little bit to get somewhere. They were eventually able to work something out and he made his way back to the trail. I went to my room to start packing everything up. 

I was able to get a ride to Stop and Shop, where I would then continue on to trail. I did a quick resupply and scarfed down lunch before moving on. As I walked to the intersection where the trail crossed, I passed a couple out section hiking. They offered me a ride to the trailhead, but it was only the next block down. They didn't know it was so close, but I really appreciated the offer. I stopped to talk with them a few minutes before continuing on. When I turned onto the trail I saw Milkrun and Matt, two other SOBOs crossing the road. I waved and let them pass. It was good to see other SOBOs for once. 

From here, I had a long 6 miles to the top of Greylock. The majority of it was a steep uphill, and I was soon drenched in sweat from hiking in the midday sun. I stopped at the top of Mount Prospect for another lunch break before continuing on. There were a few day hikers out that were led by a park ranger. They offer programs for people in the area to see different sections of the park. I continued on to climb Mount Williams and then Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in Massachusetts. As I reached the summit, I passed a couple who were in the parking lot that were very interested in the hike. They were very friendly, and I stayed to talk to them for a few minutes. Similar to Mount Washington, Mount Greylock is also accessible by car. It wasn't as busy as Washington, but there was a wedding happening at the top that was a little strange to see. I sat at the top with Milkrun, Matt, and HJ for a little while before moving on. They were talking to a few day hikers who offered me a granola bar. Thanks, hikers! I decided to stop at the lodge for a soda, which was probably the most expensive can of root beer in my life. It was great though, even for $2.25! I hiked with HJ to the next shelter about 3.5 miles away, and we made it just before dark. I threw up my tent and made a late dinner. At this point it was already 8:00. It's great to be in SOBO company again, but now I'm off to bed, hoping the rain holds off tonight. 

Mount Prospect

Mount Williams

600 miles!

Mount Greylock