To access a topological map showing the AT route and shelters click on the Appalachian Trail Map link in "Useful Links".
Day 31/32, June 14, Thursday. Riga Shelter, CT
Miles From Katahdin: 685.7; Miles Hiked To Date: 479.2; Miles Hiked Today: 37.1 (17.3+19.8)
Yesterday morning we hiked into Kent, CT, to get supplies, eat breakfast, and check out the backpacker's store. The AT passes within a ½ mile of town. Kent has 4 exclusive boarding schools. They cost about $40-50K/year. It's an upscale little town with a great coffee shop and deli. We went to the IGA and supplemented our menu with a few critical items like nuts and Gater-ade. The outfitter store was well equipped but we only needed alcohol for our stove. We made a stop at the pharmacy to get more band-aids (for our blistered feet) and to get a knee brace for me. The last couple of days, I noticed that both knees ache from the long downhills. The braces help a lot. The clerk at the store was very nice. I asked her about sizes, not knowing what would fit me. She told me to try one on. Here I am, filthy dirty and probably smell bad, scraggly beard and she suggests that I take a brace out of the box and try it! Personally, I wouldn't want to buy a brace someone like me had tried on. So I put the one I tried on back on the shelf and took another one (just kidding).
As we were about to leave, Brad said, “What about ice cream?” So, we trudged over to the Panini Deli. Brad got a malted milkshake and I had a cappuccino. Earlier, we had coffee, hot chocolate and rolls at the coffee shop, then, breakfast at Caralee's, a small family run diner. So, we were pretty well full for the moment.
We walked well but didn't get to Swamp Creek Shelter until 7:00 pm, late for us. The trail offers some nice views and a challenging descent on the St. John's Ledge steps. Just before the descent, we found a dark blue rain jacket lying in the middle of the trail. A group of 4 men left Kent just before us and one of them must have dropped it. I carried it to the Shelter thinking we would see the men but they weren't there. Hopefully, they stopped somewhere before the shelter. I'll leave on the trail sign post.
Groundfault and Spike both had arrived at Swamp Creek much earlier then we. All the GA Thru-Hikers can outpace us. Brad could do more but I slow him down on the uphill climbs. Still we make essentially the same mileage – we leave earlier and stop less to make up for the slower pace. The walk yesterday was, in part, along the Housatonic River. We took lunch on rocks on the river bank . Even with our several hour delay in Kent, we hiked 17 miles.
Tonight we're at Riga Lean-to, just outside Salisbury, CT. The shelter presents a fantastic view of the Berkshires. Spike and Gold-digger joined us around 6:00 pm.
Great Falls on Housatonic River
Today's our wedding anniversary but our thoughts of that event are clouded by Oedi's condition. I called Pat to find that Oedipus apparently continues to have seizures. The vet doesn't know the cause. Regardless, it's very serious. Pat won't be able to meet us in Dalton as planned. Dalton is the closest the AT gets to East Greenwich.
We did about 20 miles today. Great hiking weather and nice trail. Both of us have sore feet and a few small blisters. I am worried about my toes. They tingle like they're asleep. Pat is going to try to find out if it's something to worry about.
Day 32/33. June 15, Friday. Egremont Inn, South Egremont, MA
Miles From Katahdin: 671.3; Miles Hiked To Date: 493.6 Miles Hiked Today: 14.4
Day 33/34. June 16, Saturday. Mt. Wilcox South Shelter, MA
Miles From Katahdin: 656; Miles Hiked To Date: 508.9; Miles Hiked Today: 15.3
On Friday, we had great weather and great views. We left the shelter around 6:30 am and experienced a lot of steep climbs and sharp descents. On Mt. Everett, we talked with a day hiker from Pawtucket, RI! Originally from Michigan, he graduated from Michigan State and has two kids at U of M.
Our plan was for a big day and targeted Tom Leonard Shelter, over 24 miles. However, as we ate lunch, we realized that we wouldn't reach the shelter until 7:00 pm. While doable, it's a stretch. The shelters along this part of the trail are not spaced conveniently for the speed we're walking. We decided instead to walk into South Egremont and stay at the Egremont Inn. That gave us about a 14 mile day plus a mile and a half walk into town.
The Egremont Inn, built in 1789, started as a stage coach stop and has been operated as an inn continuously since that time. It's quaint and classy place. When I went into the registration area, I think the receptionist was a little taken aback by my appearance. “We called earlier about a room for this evening.” “You called here?!” “Yes, about 2 hours ago. Do you still have rooms available?” “Oh...yes, sure...just let me check....You're Thru Hikers.” “Yes, that's right.”
While waiting for the clerk to lay newspaper to protect the floor where we'd walk, I chatted with a couple staying there who have a son attending RISD in Providence. They were very interested in our hike and very nice. The receptionist – after a short recovery period, proved to be very hospitable. The Inn has a full menu for dinner and after a really great hot bath, Brad and I ate a terrific meal. I'd love to bring Pat here. All the rooms are period furnished What a great place!
This morning, we got a fairly early start. I'd washed our clothes in the bathroom sink and they hadn't dried completely so I fastened them to the outside of our packs. We ate breakfast at a local restaurant and were back on the trail by 8:05am.
Fairly easy walk today and we arrived at the Shelter around 4:00 pm. About 20 boy scouts have set up camp here along with 6 adult leaders. Also, there are about 6 hikers (4 Thrus – including Wingnut, a middle aged electrical union representative from Cincinnati) in addition to Brad and I. Very cozy. I feel sorry for the two women section hikers staying with us. While Brad and I are fairly clean, the other long distance hikers smell pretty bad and we're packed in the shelter, shoulder to shoulder. This is by far the most crowded we've been. The NOBOS have caught up with us. The days of having shelters to ourselves, I fear, is over.
Every Thru-Hiker here is off to Upper Goose Pond tomorrow. Upper Goose Pond hosts a cabin on the water given to the AT Conservancy for use by Thru Hikers. It has a caretaker who cooks an all 'you can eat' pancake breakfast for every one. Also, canoes are available. We plan to stop too.
We are all concerned about Oedipus. Pat says that it is either a brain lesion or a tumor that's causing the seizures. All the tests and blood work ruled out other causes. She is otherwise healthy. There's nothing I can do but I wish I could be there with Pat to deal with it. Anyway, the vet says there some medicine that can control the seizures, so we'll try that.
Day 34/35 June 17, Sunday, Upper Goose Pond, MA
Miles From Katahdin: 640.2; Miles Hiked To Date: 524.7; Miles Hiked Today: 15.8
Leaving at 5:30 am, we hiked to Upper Goose Pond (15 miles) before lunch! The shelter here is a 2 story clapboard cottage. It has no electricity or running water. It sits on a wooded hill overlooking the pond. Brad and I ate a peanut butter sandwich lunch on the docks. I took a swim in very cold water. I've lost so much body fat that I have difficulty floating!
After my swim, we took the shelter's canoe and explored the pond. On the far end we found marsh, beaver dams and a great many birds. Very nice day. We had the whole afternoon to relax. We clearly could have made more miles today but this place is beautiful. The caretaker, an older woman, has two dogs, an Irish Wolfhound and a mutt. She's very nice. She volunteers as a part of a team, working hard to keep the place up and feed breakfast to up to 15 hikers. She was joined by a younger volunteer. Shelters in this part of the trail all seem to be spaced wrong for us: either too close or too far. We are running low on supplies and will try to make Dalton, MA, tomorrow.
Those who stayed with us at the Wilcox Shelter last night all arrived here mid afternoon. The Professor, Many Names, Dice, and Wingnut among them. There must be ten hikers in all. The Professor carries a zither-sized, backpacker's guitar. He played a little for us tonight after Brad and I retired.
The land around the pond was acquired by the AT some time ago. Property owners received lifetime grants and easements. The owners of the cottage where we stayed, opted to donate their place to the AT in return for the right to stay at the cottage whenever they wanted. According to the Caretaker, they only occasionally take advantage of that right. It's a beautiful place, well maintained and clean. Pancake breakfast tomorrow!
Upper Goose Pond
I think when we get to Dalton, I'll call and have Pat pick us up for a few days R&R and boat work. My feet could use a rest and she could use some help. Plus, it will give a chance to check on Oedipus.
Upper Goose Pond
Day 35/36. June 18, Monday, East Greenwich, RI
Miles From Katahdin: 601; Miles Hiked To Date: 545.3; Miles Hiked Today: 20.6
Day 35/37-40. June 19-21, Tuesday-Friday, East Greenwich, RI
Miles From Katahdin: 601; Miles Hiked To Date: 545.3; Miles Hiked Today: 0
Day 36/41. June 22, Friday, Harbour Hill Inn, Cheshire, MA.
Miles From Katahdin: 610.3; Miles Hiked To Date: 554.6; Miles Hiked Today: 9.3
We had Pat pick us up in Dalton and went home for R&R and to help with the cat and boat. My feet were hurting pretty bad and since we weren't going to get any closer to home, it made sense to take advantage of it. It turned out to be a good idea. We took care of some boat stuff and my feet. For the first time in a month, we're both free of blisters! Oedipus is in bad shape. Pat is trying to adjust the medication to control the seizures without completely incapacitating the poor thing. This is not going to end well, I fear.
We hiked 20 miles to Dalton from Upper Goose Pond, making town by 3:30. Pat had already arrived. About 3 miles from town, we met a Ridge Runner who had hiked up to the Kay Wood Lean-to to put a latch on the privy. What dedication! He and his wife are section hiking the AT and have completed about 2/3 of it. He told us that Dalton was 3 miles away and that it shouldn't take us more than 45 minutes to get there. Three miles in 45 minutes? We took that as a challenge and raced down the mountain. When we emerged from the trail at the edge of town, we checked the time to find that we had done it in exactly 45 minutes.
To cross into town we had to wait for a long train to pass. We had told Pat that we'd meet at the Depot Restaurant that, according to our trusty “Thru-Hikers Handbook” lay just a ½ mile to the right of the trailhead. Off we went in search of the restaurant, only to discover that the map in the Handbook had us going in the wrong direction! We were pretty beat and tried to call Pat, but could get no signal. We asked a local for directions and headed back the way we had come. We found Pat waiting patiently at the Depot Restaurant. It only served dinner and didn't open till 5:00, so we found a nice diner and had a great meal. I don't think Pat realizes how much we appreciate her being there for us. She had to drive 3 hours to meet us and she's been driving all over the country in support of our adventure from the beginning. It would be much harder without her.
It was great being back home again! We bought some new gear and generally relaxed. Eating and eating. We went to see “Pirates”, worked on the boat and struggled with Oedi's condition – not good.
On Friday, Pat dropped us off back at the Trail head in Dalton. We only hiked about 10 miles in rain to Cheshire. It's hard coming back to the trail after a layoff. Brad saw our first black bear! We were going to stay at the St. Mary's Church hiker hostel but you can't cook there and they offer no services (showers or beds), only a place on the floor to sleep. Cheshire has no restaurants. We were wet, the day was dreary. We called the Harbour House Inn and Eva, the owner, picked us up.
The Inn is a beautiful home built in 1795, remodeled in the 19th Century and subsequently modernized to open as a bed and breakfast. Eva and Sam, who run the place, greeted us warmly. With some sense of guilt (having just had several days at home) we relaxed and enjoyed a delivery pizza.
Today, we tackle Mt. Greylock (3491'). One of the highlights for most hikers is Bascom Lodge, atop the mountain. Unfortunately, renovations have closed the Lodge – no services, no water. Still the day looks to be a wonderful one with clear skies and cool temperatures.
Day 37. June 23, Saturday. Wilbur Clearing Lean-to, MA
Miles From Katahdin: 599.3; Miles Hiked To Date: 565.6; Miles Hiked Today: 11
Wonderful hiking today. The weather turned out as promised and the trail moderate. We got a late start, 10:00 am. It was hard leaving Harbour House. Eva fixed a marvelous breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt with granola, fresh baked banana muffins, home-made bread for toast and cheese omelets! Oh, and homemade jam. There were two other guests: a young woman and her mother. The young woman is a ceramics artist and is traveling to a show in Boston. She brought in an example of her work, a figurine of an elegant lady.
Eva's husband, Sam, a retired pediatric surgeon, is an avid sailor. He lived aboard and sailed a Freedom 45 for about 12 years, based in the Chesapeake and the Abacos (Man of War Cay), Bahamas. As the only doctor on the island, he became the center of medical care: usually pro-bono or paid in fish, fruit or boat work. A hurricane destroyed his boat a while ago. He suffers from severe arthritis in his hands, crippling him terribly. He no longer owns a boat, but often crews, handling the navigation. We had a great chat about sailing and the Bahamas; thus our late departure. We hiked only 11 miles.
We need to do a better job of provisioning. Again we find ourselves short of certain food items and must detour into town tomorrow. We stopped before we really wanted to so that we can get to a store that's pretty close to the trail. Otherwise, we will have to get to a town that's 5 miles from the trail. We couldn't find what we wanted in E.G. and I intended to get something in Dalton but forgot. Since we were walking through Cheshire, I thought we could find stuff there, but there are no stores on or near the route.
Bascom Lodge, Mt. Greylock
Today was a particularly good day. No Advil or Tylenol! For the first time, I did not need any pain killers! The trail today was beautiful. Balsam and spruce forest, mixed with hardwoods, no rocks under foot and terrific weather. We lunched on Mt. Greylock with spectacular views into NH! Because the Lodge and road are closed there were few people about. Otherwise, I believe it would have been very crowded. So, we had an easy day. Maybe not bad to ease into the trail after an extended break. I still have bandages on 2 toes but they are relatively pain free!
View from Mt. Greylock
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