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Grace in the Green Mountains - Vermont

Early start, 6:00 am, and a good day all around. We needed provisions due to poor planning and hiked down the mountain to MA2, then .7m to North Adams. “Price Chopper” super market provided everything we needed. A Stop and Shop was only .3m off the trail in the other direction but going to Price Chopper put us next door to Friendly's Restaurant – Breakfast with a milkshake for Brad! We were back on the trail by about 9:30 am. I keep thinking that the trail is getting easier. Brad thinks were just more trail fit. I know that with the pain gone in my feet (although my toes still tingle) I feel better about it all. We had a very steep descent at the start today but the trail was reasonably moderate. We met “Knightrider”, a college aged NOBO. He started from Springer in February! He hikes in sandals! I asked him what he was going to do for footwear when got to the Whites. He said that he would stay with his sandals. Crazy!

Sucker Pond

Thru-Hikers all talk about the Whites. Most see them as the ultimate challenge but some, after hiking the AT for several months, assume the Whites can't be too different. Brad and I had hiked extensively in the Whites, of course, and know that they are on a different scale of difficulty. Anyone who has made it thus far shouldn't have any problem, but I don't think anyone is going to put in 20 mile days! The terrain and the weather make that nearly impossible. We met a SOBO'er the other day who, coming over Kinsman, faced 30 mph winds and 30 degree temperatures! I don't know if Knightrider will make it in his sandals. As he lit up a joint, he us told that he was about to give it up. He's too tired to continue.

Beaver Pond

We reached Congdon Shelter around 4:00 pm. A father and his 12 year old son were there. Knightrider stopped by but went on to try and catch up with a friend. The boy's trail name is “Music Box”. They are section hikers. Brian and Jackie arrived shortly after us. This is their first attempt at backpacking and are having a predictably tough time of it. Jackie had packed a mixed green salad, carried in Tupperware. She shared it with us to our great appreciation and delight. Music Box's father gave us a lot of good information about the trail ahead. He recommended stopping in Killington, VT, at the Long Trail Inn (something we were already considering). Tomorrow we plan to do 20 miles.

Day 39/43. June 25, Monday, Kid Gore Shelter, VT
Miles From Katahdin: 563.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 601.4; Miles Hiked Today: 18.7

We made about 19 miles today. Pretty good. A long descent and 2 long climbs took time. We caught up with Knightrider, who had left Congdon Shelter late yesterday in an attempt to catch up with his friend, believed to be at Goddard Shelter (great spot!). The three of us had lunch at Goddard but Knightrider's friend, unfortunately, wasn't there. We did meet a couple hiking the Long Trail SOBO. “Harmony” and “Rodwalker”. They are from Montreal. They provided good advice about the Whistle Stop restaurant in North Claredon, close to the trail ahead, and he endorsed earlier recommendations for the Long Trail Inn. We plan to stay there Friday or Saturday night. Much warmer weather today but not oppressive. The forecast calls for real hot weather later this week. We tried unsuccessfully to call Pat.

Glastenbury Mtn Observation Tower View

We lunched atop an old fire tower on Mt. Glastonbury. The black flies were so bad that that was the only place we could find any peace! We're feeling pretty good with our daily mileage. Most Thru-Hikers average just under 16mpd through this section.

Kid Gore will not make our list of one of the great shelters. Porcupine quills litter the floor and the place is filthy. Rodwalker impaled himself on a long quill as he sat down. These varmints have nested here and left quite a mess of quills and dung. We cleaned up the place as best we could. One saving grace is that the shelter has a great view and a eastern exposure, granting us a quiet, pastel sunrise.

Blue Beard Lily

Day 40/44, June 26, Tuesday. William B. Douglas Shelter, VT
Miles From Katahdin: 543.6; Miles Hiked To Date: 621.3; Miles Hiked Today: 19.9

Another great hiking day. We got away just before 6:00 am. The AT passes through beautiful woods and is relatively free of rocks. A number of places, however, were pretty muddy. These woods were the quietest we've hiked: no traffic or lawnmower noise, noticeable by their absence. No bird song either. We passed maybe one or two short distance hikers. The hiking challenge of the day was Mt. Stratton (3936'). Not a bad ascent and we were rewarded with a great view from atop an old fire tower. We lunched there and decided whether or not to stop at Stratton Pond and take a swim or go on to either Douglas or Spruce Peak Shelter (a 20 or 23 mile hike, respectively). As has been our practice, we decided to decide after we got to the Pond, just over 3 miles away.

We arrived at the Pond around 1:30 PM. We agreed that it was too early to stop. Brad wants to make sure that we make it to the Whistle Stop restaurant (expected Monday). It must mean something that he is thinking about meals several days away! The Whistle Stop is supposed to have the best hamburgers and omelets on the Trail. Anyway, we rested at the shelter for a while, then started again. As the Trail passed the Pond, I couldn't resist and told Brad, “Let's just take a quick dip!” So, we did.

Brad Swimming in Stratton Pond

The Pond was completely deserted. It was fantastic! The water cool enough for second thoughts at the first plunge but warm enough to feel great after the initial shock. We swam, cleaned off a bit, wrung out our clothes and began our walk again.

We made it to Wm B. Douglas Shelter around 5:00 pm. Nice shelter and spring but a long way from the trail. A solo Long Trail hiker named Deb arrived around 6:00 pm and we had a great conversation. She owns and operates an upscale toy store somewhere in CT. She had 2 weeks to hike and is about to finish her hike. Very nice lady. She has 3 sons: a former Coast Guard sailor (now in school), an artist and a student studying Philosophy. Ranging from their 20's to 30's, they all live with her!

Tomorrow we would like to do the 22 miles to Big Branch Shelter. It might be a tough one .

Bunchberry

Day 41/45. June 27, Wednesday. Peru Peak Shelter, VT
Miles From Katahdin: 527.7; Miles Hiked To Date: 637.2; Miles Hiked Today: 15.9
We only made 16 miles today. Three steep climbs coupled with hot, muggy weather worked against a long mileage day. Tomorrow bodes better as the terrain is not as rugged. We still hope to eat at the Whistle Stop and then the Long Trail Inn. Maybe a zero day in Rutledge/Killington. A self-described “European” (not German or English or Dutch, a 'European'. I think he's Dutch) hiking the VT-NH section of the AT holed up here after hurting his knee. He had planned to hike from the MA border through the White Mountains but now plans to only go as far as Hanover. He said that he's disappointed with the trail so far, it doesn't compare with the Alps. There are no views , just trees. Actually I agree (but I didn't like him criticizing our mountains!). The mountain ridges in VT lie below the tree line so you climb one mountain after another through beautiful forest, but the only reward when you get to the top is a descent and another climb. Still, if he was expecting something like the Alps, he didn't research his hike very well.

Today we climbed Mt. Bromley (3260') and climbed the fire/observation tower, but it was so hazy you couldn't see much. The other two 'summits' (Spruce and Peru) had no good views. Spruce had an overlook with an obstructed view. Neither peak had identifying signs and with no clear 'top' we had a hard time determining where we were (kind of important if you want to know how much further you have to go!). Nevertheless, we had a good day. We wanted to go farther but it really didn't make much sense to do so and we stopped a bit early. I'm sitting by a wonderful stream and enjoying the sound, soaking my feet. There's a young woman here at the shelter as well; solo hiking until her partner joins her.

Large Trees Attacked by Beaver

Day 44/49, July 1, Sunday. Stony Brook Shelter, VT
MFK: 478.0 MHTD: 686.9 MMTGD: 49.7 (22.3+17.4+10)

A lot of catching up to do. We left Peru Peak Shelter at our usual early time on Thursday (6/28). We had an exceptional hike of 22+ miles. We were motivated by the prospect of a good meal in North Clarendon at the Whistle Stop! We are so sick of trail food!!! For the first time in my life, I have hunger but no appetite! It rained the night before and the cooler, less humid air made for good hiking weather. The trail typifies the VT AT: beautiful woods with stately trees and almost landscaped underbrush, remote ponds/lakes, and gushing streams. Also, the usual SUDS (Senseless Ups and Downs). I found myself myself struggling with the uphills and begin to wonder if my food intake (or lack thereof) is affecting my strength. Brad seems to climb the hills effortlessly but several times I had to stop to catch my breath. It's frustrating. I know I'm in shape. I'm not sure how much weight I've lost but it's got to be significant. I feel I should be able to do better.

Nevertheless, we made it to VT103 and walked to the Whistle Stop Cafe. A glass of water, a glass of milk, 2 cokes, a shared order of onion rings, a salad, a bleu cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake seemed to satisfy my hunger for the moment! We planned to walk to the Country Squire Motel (1.5 miles) and spend the night. It was already late afternoon and we thought a motel sounded good. Also, the Whistle Stop is renown for its over-sized omelets! We looked forward to breakfast. As we were eating our milkshake dessert on the cafe's deck, 3 women asked about hiking the trail. We told them our story – father/son, etc – and they asked a lot of questions. In the course of the conversation, I told them that were looking for the Country Squire Motel -did they know where it was? They weren't familiar with the motel but one offered to give us a ride. The waitress said the motel was about a mile down the road, just off the highway. Anyway, “Kathy” borrowed her friends car and we shortly found the motel – CLOSED!!! OUT OF BUSINESS!!! FOR SALE!!! The Thru Hikers Handbook for 2007 had failed us!!! Kathy said that the nearest hotel was in the Holiday Inn in Clarendon – about 8 miles away, and, therefore, 10 miles from the AT! With the day waning and having walked 22 miles already, we didn't want to get back on the trail, so we accepted her generous offer to drop us in Clarendon. She waited while we checked in to make sure we could get a room, which we did. Now, we're a half day's walk from the trail head!!! The clerk said that they had a shuttle that went to the airport, but the AT was out of its range. The airport is only a couple of miles from the AT, so no problem. I thought that I could probably talk the driver into taking us the extra miles to trail head.

The Holiday Inn was pretty nice: indoor pool, jacuzzi, restaurant. We took advantage of it all! However, when Brad checked for messages (we didn't have any service until we got to the hotel), he found a message from Pat. She reported that Oedipus had taken a turn for the worst; that she thought it was time to put an end to her suffering. We called immediately and Pat had arranged an appointment with the Vet that very evening. Knowing how much Oedi was suffering, there was no doubt that this was the best thing. I think we were prepared for this eventuality. She didn't want us to come home. She felt she could handle it. She, did, however, want to meet us.
We had already talked about going into Killington – the next town on the trail and home to the 'Long Trail Inn', the oldest ski lodge in VT, serving Guinness on tap at the proper temperature in the “liveliest Irish Pub west of Boston” and very hiker friendly. So, we agreed to meet her there either Friday or Saturday, depending on how we hiked.

We talked to Pat again after she left the vets. Sadly, Oedipus, who had been our companion for many years , sailing and keeping birds off the deck, was no more. Pat said the procedure went well, there were no problems. We were all very sad but it was clear that Oedipus was ready and there was no prospect of any sort of quality life.

The next morning we ate a hearty breakfast at the hotel. While checking out, we were able to arrange to get dropped off at the AT Trail head. We were going to have a late start due to the breakfast and the need to make a quick run to the nearby mini market to get supplies. The hotel manager took us to the trail, even stopping at the Whistle Stop for Brad to check to see if he had left his sunglasses there. The hotel manager's brother is a long distance hiker and we had a nice conversation. Twice in as many days, strangers have gone out of their way to help us. If nothing else, this trip has made us realize how kind people can be.

Glorious weather and the nourishment taken in the last 24 hours, while not easy, made a tremendous difference in my stamina (I should note that on the doctor's scale in the hotel's fitness center, I weighed in at 146! At the DWG, I weighed 176 and started the trip at 185). We had great a hike, passing few overviews, but did come across some unusual stone “sculptures” - consisting of stacked stones, some several feet high, and covering an area over 100 feet long. A little weird, a little scary!

Deep Woods Bewitching Stones
We made US 54 and Killington by 4:30 Friday. Pat picked us up and within an hour we were showered and in the Long Trail Inn Pub eating some of the best nachos ever served in an Irish Pub! We ate dinner at the Pub as well and retired to our room, resting. We didn't want to miss the live entertainment that began at 8:00 pm. Irish music played to a nearly empty house. The singer, Tom O'Carroll, regularly performs at the Inn and was very good. But, no one was there. We left around 10:00 pm.

The Inn features exposed beams made from beech trees with the bark in tact, lamps made of branches, log seats . The building itself is carved into the side of a cliff with large boulders integrated into the walls and used as seats, benches and hearths. The rooms are simple – no TV and antiquated plumbing. The manager introduced himself and asked about our hike – very friendly – clearly loves hikers. It was so great to be with Pat and to relax awhile. We took a zero day Saturday – went to Rutland's Farmer's Market, Price Choppers, 2 outfitters shops and drove over to Woodstock for lunch. Woodstock is the quintessential VT town – large town center green, 19th Century architecture, covered bridge and plenty of shops. It was a beautiful day. We ate well and finished the day with dinner at the Three Tomatoes Restaurant in Rutland. Big day. I could have probably spent the day relaxing at the Inn, but poor Pat has been alone all this time, dealing with Oedipus and taking care of everything on her own. She needed to get out and I'm glad we did.

Trail Magic - Soda Cooling in Mountain Stream

Back on the Trail this morning – overcast and cool – we only hiked 10 miles, stopping here at 2:00 pm. 10 miles to the next shelter, too far, too late in the day. We didn't leave the Inn until about 9;30 (Breakfast was included with the room but wasn't served until 7:30 am). Another typical up and down day. We did see a young black bear just after we passed Kent Pond. We were joined at the shelter by 3 teachers ('Token', Katlin and ?). They are SOBO to MA on the Long Trail.

Now, dinner, then bed.

Day 45/50, July 2, Monday, Thistle Hill Shelter. VT
Miles From Katahdin: 456.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 708.4; Miles Hiked Today: 21.5

We awakened around 10:00 last night to a hiker arriving late, knocking something over, making a racket. No one even commented. We all automatically moved over to make room in the crowded shelter. We had a full house, with 7 hikers. I always feel a little bad about our getting up so early and perhaps disturbing the sleep of others so, in trying to get away quietly this morning, we moved our gear behind the log shelter to roll mattresses, stuff our sleeping bags, thinking that we would be less likely to disturb those sleeping (everyone but us). Unfortunately, any sound we made penetrated the unmortised logs and were amplified by the shelter's shape. So, an innocent sound, easily identified by a waking hiker, became suspicious, a bear or intruder! Token popped around the shelter to see what was going on. I felt embarrassed. We hurriedly packed and left.

We did stop shortly on the trail and had a nice breakfast of granola and blueberry cereal, using instant milk. Pretty good. We'll stock up next chance we get. Great weather for hiking, cool, partly sunny. Another typical, up and down. We got one nice view from atop a private cabin that's open to hikers. It has an observation platform built on the roof and offers a spectacular views. Had I been aware of it, we could have pressed on yesterday and stayed there. We saw a few people on the trail – all day hikers. The day was capped with an unexpected treat!

From AT Thru Hike

Ice Cream! The AT crosses Cloudland Road and a sign directs hikers to an organic farm .2 miles to the left. It took Brad and I about 2 seconds to agree to check it out! They offer free water and sell beef jerky, ice cream, honey and soda; all organic and all homemade. Brad and I shared a pint of vanilla mint (vanilla ice cream with bits of mint leaf). It was great! We also had some of their soda, root beer. So all and all, a great day. On top of that we walked 20 miles! We were joined this evening by a father and his 2 sons, hiking the VT section of the AT. They are from Oxford, ME. Tomorrow we'll go into Hanover. We aren't going to get to the road where we had arranged to meet Pat and I left a message for her. Tonight we can hear quail demonstrating by thumping their wings on their chests. We came upon a hen this morning who had chicks. She put on a nice show to distract us. At lunch today, we stopped at the Wintturi Shelter to get water. Our Miox treatment system has failed us! We had to use the purification tablets. Still, we need to replace the Miox with something else. Many hikers don't even treat the water as long as it's a spring or fast moving stream. We usually treat, but if the spring is up in the mountain with no farm or civilization up stream, we have taken the water without treating it.

We'll meet Pat in Hanover. Brad is excited about taking some time to celebrate the 4th of July and seeing fireworks!

From One Inn to the Other - Connecticut & Massachusetts

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

Haunted in Jersey

NOTE on format: Each journal entry begins with two 'day' entries (Day x/x). The first number reflects the sequential number of days actually hiked in part or in whole. The second, the sequential number of days elapsed, i.e., calendar days since beginning the hike including days off the trail. Next the date and location of the journal entry. Entries accurately reflect those made while on the trail except for grammar or spelling corrections (I didn't carry a dictionary) and any original entries that made me look particularly stupid.

To access a topological map showing the AT route and shelters click on the Appalachian Trail Map link in "Useful Links".
Day 20/20 Jun 2, Saturday, Camp Ken-Etiwa-Pec, NJ
Miles From Katahdin: 877; Miles Hiked To Date: 287.9; Miles Hiked Today: 17.8

We got a late start this morning. Brad realized that he had left his journal at the hotel. He called there last night but nothing had been turned in. We were advised to check with housekeeping after 9:00 am this morning. So, we got up around 6:00am – got our gear together and went to breakfast at the Greek diner near the Pocono Inn. We returned to the hostel to read and nap while we waited. Then to the hotel where, thank goodness, the journal had been found. The housekeeper had recovered it the day before but had forgotten to turn it in. I told Brad that she probably hadn't finished reading it before the end of her shift.

We were on the the trail around 10:00am . Finally out of Pennsylvania! A gradual ascent along rushing streams made an easy (mostly rock free) time of it. A lot of hikers were out because of the weekend.

Blooming mountain laurel lined the trail leading us past Sunfish Pond. The beautiful weather, skies cleared by yesterday's storm, and blossoms everywhere made for a fantastic hike.

Mountain Laurel

A woman, probably in her 30's overtook us on the ascent. She had stayed at the Hostel the night before. She had left DWG a full hour after us and had already caught up. I didn't get her name but think of her as Smoker. Smoker told us that she started from Springer in March with everyone else and that she knew Renaissance Man, Many Names and the others. What a walker! We passed her a couple of times during the course of the day because she stopped frequently to smoke a cigarette. It is surprising that we have seen several smokers thru hiking. She hiked alone. I don't think anyone could keep up with her. The last time we saw her, we were taking a break by a stream, trying to decide whether to try for Brink Shelter or just go to the nearby AMC Camp that rents rooms to hikers. The shelter was still 14 miles away. The problem was the weather. For the last several days, big thunderstorms hit in the late afternoon. Could we make it to the shelter in time? We really didn't want to get caught out in a hail storm on an exposed ridge with lightening and pouring rain. On the other hand, we had only walked 10 miles and didn't feel ready to stop (although we had reached our original goal for the day). Smoker paused briefly to tell us that she planned to keep going to Brink. Not to be outdone by a 'girl', we decided to do the same. We never caught up with her again.

Sunfish Pond

Although we didn't get any storm, the sky boomed with thunder all day. All through the rest of the afternoon, I kept thinking, “This is dumb. We should have stopped”. We had no more than 5 hours to walk the 14 miles before the storm. There was no way we could make it in time. Two things saved us from a walk in the storm. It didn't rain and we unexpectedly came to Camp Ken-Etiwa-Pec. Situated on Long Pine Pond, this is an old YMCA camp that recently began allowing Thru Hikers to stay in one of their cabins. We only learned of the camp when we met a SOBO group of 4 men out for a weekend hike.

The camp looked derelict. Only few of the buildings looked habitable; one being the Caretaker's home. Seeing no one around, we signed the registration log hanging by the caretaker's door and followed the posted directions to the Thru Hiker's huts. Walking through the camp, you get an uneasy feeling. No sign of anyone. Broken backed roofs topped leaning buildings scattered among the trees. Overgrown open areas interspersed with recently maintained recreation fields, coupled with an unnatural quiet, prompted an eerie, 'slasher' movie feeling. We edged alongside an absolutely still pond. No wind, no birdsong, no people; weird. We approached the Hiker huts with some dismay. They were virtually shacks. Holes in the roof had been covered with blue tarps that billowed in the breeze; a breeze that didn't seem to touch the pond. Moldy mattresses had been strewn on the floor. Rodent droppings and the detritus of abandonment littered the floor.

After a brief rest, we dumped our gear and headed back to the Caretaker's cabin. There we met the Caretaker, Chris – chain saw in hand, hockey mask covering his misshapen face – only kidding. Chris, a bearded, mild mannered ranger type welcomed us and offered the use of his shower and something to eat. Brad said, “I'll be right back,” and headed for the shower while Chris and I finished watching the movie he had been watching – Hitchcock's The Birds – seriously!!!

Chris and I talked about the AT and the hikers that had passed through. He brought out a woman's wrist watch and explained that a Thru Hiker, trail name – 'Nuts' – had stopped there 3 days before and had left it. He handed me the watch, an inexpensive Timex with a broken band, asking if I would take it with me and try to return it to the owner. Nuts was NOBO but covering only about 10 miles a day. Chris thought we would surely catch up with her before long. I agreed and put the watch in my pocket. Chris, also, told us that Camp Ken-Etiwa-Pec, had only recently reopened after being closed for years. It was owned by the Park Service but had been contracted out to the YMCA to restore and manage. They hosted occasional jamborees and special events but did not offer a summer camp program. He said that the Rec Hall was fully functional and invited us to take advantage of the facility. In spite of our earlier misgivings, Chris made us feel welcome. He lived there alone and had been working there for about one year.

After showering we headed back to the huts. The sky threatened rain. With the DWG storm fresh in our minds, I began to doubt the wisdom of staying in the blue tarp covered shacks. In the event of bad storm, we might find ourselves scrambling in the dark and rain to seek shelter. After checking out the Rec Hall we decided to move our stuff and bunk there, just to be safe. We found a nice picnic table on the beach and made our dinner. As we finished, Chris came down with a lady friend to catch the sunset. I felt that we may have been a little in the way. I think he gets few visitors and on the one day that he gets his girl to come for a stay, we show up!

After dinner, Brad and I went up to the Rec Hall, probably the nicest building in the camp outside of the Caretaker's cabin. It doubles as a dinning hall and offers a small lounge area, large open space, and a ping pong table. After our daily ritual of checking for deer ticks (each day we pull several ticks off our clothes or person) and applying first aid to our blistered feet, we played ping pong, drank Pepsi from the vending machine and eventually set up camp in the lounge. Being the older of our team, I took the couch, Brad took the floor, using seat cushions as a mattress. It didn't rain, but we really enjoyed the comfort of the Hall.

Day 22/22. 06.03.07 Sunday. Mashipacong Shelter, NJ
Miles From Katahdin: 857.6; Miles Hiked This Date: 307.3; Miles Hiked Today: 19.4

We slept soundly in the Rec Hall, up by 5:00am and on the trail by 6:50. Seems to take a long time to organize and pack. We need to get better so we can take advantage of the cool mornings. Another hot, humid day. We reached Mashipacong Shelter around 5:00pm, walking 19 miles (20 if you count hiking from the Camp to the AT).

We have another mission, find Nuts (aka Nancy) and return her watch. Still, we remain suspicious of Chris. Is he really interested in returning Nuts' watch or is it some nefarious plan to cover up her untimely demise? Cast suspicion on us by our having her property? Perhaps she died at the hands of Chris's deranged young nephew who roams the campgrounds at night, the haunted ghost of a young scout hazed to a horrible death seeking revenge on the unwary. We may have saved ourselves only by moving from the Hiker Hut to the hall. Also, we never saw Chris's girlfriend again. No one stirred at the cabin although her car remained parked nearby. Was that blood on the door?

The uneventful walk obviously allowed our imagination to run wild. The weather, hot/humid, made it difficult but we still reached our goal in a reasonable time. This shelter has no spring so we had to stop at the stream, 6 miles south to fill our Camelbaks. The stream barely trickled. I had to hollow out an area in the sand to allow a deep enough pool to scoop it up with my coffee cup. Still (after treating it) the water tasted pretty good.

As we crossed PA 206 earlier this afternoon, we spied a cafe just yards from the trail . Upon entering, Brad and I were gruffly told by the proprietor that there benches on the side of the building for our packs (we had left them outside against the front of the store). The owner of Jo & Go Cafe has something of a reputation for being unfriendly to hikers but I believe he is just unfriendly to all and doesn't discriminate against backpackers. We bought some drinks and deli sandwiches that were great. We met two couples who were hiking north and suggested we meet up with them later. However, we never saw them again.

Rain threatened again all day but held off until just after we arrived at the shelter. We had a snack and decided to take nap. I read a while then we both dozed off. Some little time later, I was very gently awakened by an older gentleman standing next to a lawn mover! He apologized but explained that he need to mow the grass in front of the Shelter. The knee-high grass definitely needed moving but I have to admit, it never occurred to me that someone would bring a lawn mover onto the AT. 'Mr. Mower' is a “Ridge Runner” Volunteer and his task is to maintain this particular shelter. So, in a lightly falling rain, he turned the overgrown clearing into a nice lawn. I told him that I was glad that I would finally be able to use the croquet set I had been carrying! He laughed politely. We chatted for quite awhile. He said each volunteer takes a shelter and a 2 mile stretch of trail to maintain. Working on the trail serves as a reminder of all the good times he and his brother had hiking together. They had always planned on hiking the whole AT but never did. Now his brother has passed away. He has 10 grandchildren and is raising a granddaughter,who's 8 years old. He once met Earl Shaffer, the first man to thru hike the AT. He seemed like a really nice man and I told him how much I and the other hikes appreciated the work. I told him that nearly every day I think about the tremendous amount of work the volunteers do. It would be impossible to hike the AT without their contribution.

This is the first shelter with a “bear box”. These large metal containers keep bears out of food stores. I told Brad that in the event of a bear attack, we could crawl inside (except there is no internal release for the latch). The box is secured by a latch that requires opposing thumbs to open (a challenge to both man and bear). The old stone and heavy beams suggest that the Mashipacong Shelter dates back to the CCC days and made for a great stay.

Day 23/23. Monday. June 4. Pochuck Mtn Shelter, NJ
Miles From Katahdin: 838.0; Miles Hiked To Date: 326.9; Miles Hiked Today: 19.6

Light on and off rain as we headed out this morning. Refreshingly cool. Even with the rain we found the hiking more enjoyable – no stifling humidity. Last night the rain pounded our tin roofed shelter but the big overhanging eaves kept us pretty snug. We hiked into the High Point State Park. There we met some Section hikers (AT hikers who cover a 'section' of the trail each year). They had seen us at the Pocono Inn the previous Friday. Rick Wallace and his brother have completed (with this trip) everything south of NY. Hailing from Damascus/Irwin TN, they offered to help us out when we get there. One of the Wallace brothers lost a “clip-on” watch/temp gauge, identical to the one I carry. I found him looking at the one I keep attached to my pack. I am sure he thought, at least for a moment, I had taken or at least found his and kept it. Luckily, he found his on the path just outside the Park office. Later we passed the Wallaces on the trail and met up again with them and 2 others (Brick' and 'Ground Fault'') at the Shelter.

Our 20 mile hike today took us through some very pretty countryside, including some farm land reminiscent of PA. This is the best time I've ever had in NJ! My boots, my NEW boots, are falling apart. The toe piece has come apart and my feet are soaking wet. I need to call Vasque and see if they'll do anything.

Called Pat on her birthday from the State Park. Good to talk to her and sorry we weren't able to be with her! We somehow didn't have the trail map and guide for the next AT section, but fortunately, the State Park had one copy available for sale! Tomorrow we'll try for NY17 and get a motel. The shelter nearest us is only 12 miles away but the one beyond that is 24 miles. Twenty-four would be a stretch for us. We'll see how it goes. We saw several deer today.

Let Sleeping Wasps Be - Tennessee and North Carolina

NOTE on format: Each journal entry begins with two 'day' entries (Day x/x). The first number reflects the sequential number of days actually hiked in part or in whole. The second, the sequential number of days elapsed, i.e., calendar days since beginning the hike including days off the trail. Next the date and location of the journal entry. Entries accurately reflect those made while on the trail except for grammar or spelling corrections (I didn't carry a dictionary) and any original entries that made me look particularly stupid.

To access a topological map showing the AT route and shelters click on the Appalachian Trail Map link in "Useful Links".

Day 107/133, Sept 23, Sunday, Double Spring Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 441.2; Miles Hiked To Date: 1732.8; Miles Hiked Today: 18.3

(continuation of earlier journal entry). Arriving in Damascus, we called Pat from the “Damascus Eats” using the owner's cell phone. Pat was several hours away and so we went ahead and ordered dinner, talking with the owner, Stan, and his step-son. Stan moved to Damascus from Pensacola, FL. He and his step-son were excited about the local HS football team. The Homecoming Game, the next night, meant an opportunity to beat their arch-rival. They had a 4-0 record, their best in over 20 years. They invited us to the game touting their band as being the best in the state. Stan's daughter plays the bassoon.

As we talked, I realized that it was getting late and noted that the restaurant closed at 8:00. Pat wouldn't be there until 9:00 or 9:30. I asked Stan if there was a place where we could hang out waiting for my wife. He said that he didn't think so. “There's a bar down the street, but it's pretty rough.” Then, he told us that it would be okay with him if we stayed there at the restaurant. I pointed out that they closed at 8:00. He said, “That's okay, just turn out the lights and lock the door on your way out.” Amazing. We took his offer. Pat arrived about 45 minutes after Stan left for the night.

The hike into Damascus of course was remarkable because we walked over 30 miles and because we saw some terrific scenery, plus the ponies. We passed through a herd of about 20; including a mare pregnant when we saw her last March. She had given birth to a wonderful little foal. The ponies, used to people who I am sure feed them, come quite close, showing no fear. When we approached the herd, a foal approached without hesitation. First, he nuzzled my pack hip belt (attracted by the salt most likely) then, inexplicably began chomping on Brad's trekking poles!

The Park Service maintains the herd but lets them roam over a large area fending for themselves. I think there's an annual sale to cull the herd. The Highlands, when originally declared State and National Parks, had large areas that had been cleared by lumbering and by farmers creating pastures. Before that, the Indians had also cleared the area periodically by setting fires. The resulting meadows attracted deer and other wildlife. The Park Service decided to maintain the status quo by releasing ponies into the area. The result is open views and dramatic “balds” of exposed rock formations. While not “natural” in the sense of being unmanaged, it's one of our favorite spots along the AT. The large limestone boulders and peaks dominate the landscape and the ponies make it very interesting.

View From Buzzard's Rock

We had two great zero days. Very relaxing. Pat drove us around Friday through the Park. We stopped in Rural Retreat for lunch, had a terrific dinner at the “Tavern” in Abbingdon (home of the VA State Theater). Saturday, we took Pat to Grayson Highlands to see the ponies. Unfortunately, the trails were very busy with large groups of weekend hikers and horseback riders. Ponies, so plentiful just the day before, were no where to be seen. Saturday also became wash day and we resupplied at the grocery store. Back at the motel, we ordered pizza and watched two Hitchcock movies, Psycho and Vertigo on AMC.

We got a late start today after a sad goodbye to Pat. The next time we see her we'll have finished the trail!

After an easy 18+ mile day today, we'll push for another 30 miles tomorrow.

Day 108/134, Sept 24, Monday, Watauga Lake Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 420.0; Miles Hiked To Date: 1754.0; Miles Hiked Today: 21.2

Well, we didn't do 30 miles today. Neither of us felt up to it and there was no compelling reason to push. Brad woke with a headache and I never felt well either all day. Not sure why. Our packs are heavy with water and food. Four day provisioning adds weight, plus extra water due to the drought. Anyway, that's our excuse. Still we are right on our self imposed schedule. It was pretty warm last night and today. It still doesn't look like rain. We have gotten good water information from NOBOs and that helps considerably in planning.

Lake Watuga - Exposed Bank Reflects Impact of Drought

Yesterday, we saw several hunters. It's apparently bow season. We talked briefly with a cowboy (stetson hat, holstered pistol, and rifle). He was after small game. I told him he was the best armed hiker we've seen on the whole trail. We met several hikers today – all NOBO section hikers.

Things are going well – just 420 miles to go. Acorns have become a serious problem though.

Day 109/135, Sept 25, Tuesday, Mountaineer Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 394.2; Miles Hiked To Date: 1779.8; Miles Hiked Today: 25.8

We tried something a little different today. We left before dawn, using our headlamps. It was Brad's suggestion and we had no trouble seeing the trail. I think if the trail were rocky or dangerous, I wouldn't do it, but here the trail has been pretty good. We walked from 6:45 am to 6:45 pm covering almost 27 miles. We had a lot of ups and down. We passed Laurel Falls and I took the opportunity to take a refreshing swim. Cold but refreshing.

John Swimming at Laurel Falls

Early this morning we stopped at Lake Wautauga's picnic area to get water and use the toilets. It is about 1 mile from the Wautauga shelter. A local man drove by, saw us, turned around and came up to the restrooms. He just wanted to talk and talk and talk. Even though he had to get to work, he apparently had all the time in the world to visit. He told us about the Lake, how much power it generated, etc. We learned that construction of Wautauga Dam began in 1942 and was completed in 1948 and created Lake Wautauga, which at 318 feet, is the second-highest dam in the TVA system (behind only Fontana). At the time of its completion, it was one of the highest earth-and-rock dams in the United States. The lake is deep at nearly 270 feet and extremely pure (95%). Due to the drought, of course, the level has dropped considerably, 50-60' below its normal bank for this time of year. He talked about hunting, politics of the TVA, and his cousin's property (coveted by the US government). More than a little talkative, he was very friendly. The only other person we saw today was a middle aged woman section hiking solo. Water seems more plentiful now.

Tomorrow we head into town to stay at a hostel and get supplies. Less than 400 miles to go!

Day 110/136, Sept 26, Wed, Mountain Harbour B&B,
Miles From Springer: 385.4; Miles Hiked To Date: 1788.5; Miles Hiked Today: 8.7

Day 111/137, Sept 27, Thursday, Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel,
Miles From Springer: 362; Miles Hiked To Date: 1812; Miles Hiked Today: 23.4

Yesterday, we enjoyed a very relaxing near zero day. We hiked about 9 miles to the Mountain Harbour B&B near Elk Park, NC. The B&B, a beautiful 2 story farm house, sits just 1 mile from the trail. The Hostel portion takes up the second floor of a horse barn on the property. It consists of a main lounge area with a loft for sleeping. Unlike most hostels, it's furnished comfortably and well maintained. One other hiker, a retired HR guy stayed there as well. He was doing a section hike in preparation for a Thru Hike next year. New to long distance backpacking, he was hurting. The hostess and staff here are very friendly and helpful. This is probably the best hostel we've stayed at. In addition to the living area and loft, a deck looks out over the corral and hillside beyond. A creek runs through the property making for a bucolic scene. Mary and her brother keep quarter horses. They shuttled us to the “Time's Square” for breakfast and grocery supplies. After that we just hung out for the rest of the day at the hostel, reading, calling home and visiting with the other hiker (I'll call him HR Guy). HR Guy hails from Youngstown, Ohio, and retired from Alcan. He handled compensation. We really enjoyed the time off, figuring that we had been putting in some pretty long hikes recently.

View from White Rocks Mountain

Today, we left around 7:30 am and hiked nearly 24 miles to the Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel. We passed over the Hump and Roan Mountains considered by some the most beautiful east of the Rockies. The terrain on Roan reminded us of the NE. We saw a couple of deer and about 4 other hikers.

Hump Mountain

“CC” runs the Greasy Creek Friendly out of her home and has bedrooms in her house and a kind of “bunkhouse” behind. We took the “deluxe” package that included beds with sheets. She fixed dinner and we enjoyed a nice visit with her. We were the only ones staying there. CC's “ex” stopped by to work on her car. She had purchased a retread tire to replace a flat and I think there was a problem associated with it. CC, a strict Seventh Day Adventist, is a kosher vegetarian. She observes the Sabbath religiously (meaning that tomorrow, Friday, was the Sabbath and she was not planning on fixing breakfast – although included in the overnight rate). She also mentioned that Thursday night (i.e., tonight) was the night of her favorite TV shows , so we basically had the place to ourselves as she watched her programs. She did put together everything we needed for breakfast before she retired and we had only to put in the microwave in the morning. The Greasy Creek Friendly presented an interesting contrast to our stay at the Mountain Harbour.

Day 112/138, Sept 28, Friday, Erwin, NC, Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel,
Miles From Springer: 338.7; Miles Hiked To Date: 1835.3; Miles Hiked Today: 23.3

Day 113/139, Sept 29, Saturday, Bald Mountain Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 321.8; Miles Hiked To Date: 1852.2; Miles Hiked Today: 16.9

Our pre-dawn departure enabled us to cover the 23+ miles to Erwin by 4:00 pm yesterday. Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel and Campground rests right on the AT. Uncle Johnny himself greeted us as we plopped our gear on the tables outside his supply store/office, introducing us to his staff and the other guests who congregated there. Those guests included Peter from New Zealand. Peter, a lean & healthy looking 74 year old retired psychiatric nurse, has nearly completed his 2nd AT Thru-Hike. He lives with his wife in a log cabin in NZ and has also “tramped” over much of England and New Zealand. Being close to dinner time, we invited him to join us and chose a local Mexican restaurant recommended by Johnny. Peter, for all his travels, has never eaten in a Mexican restaurant and while Erwin, TN doesn't pretend to be Tucson or Albuquerque, it at least offered the suggestion of Mexican food. Actually, the food had all the attributes of good Mexican food except for the taste.

Peter generously shared his life story. He began his career as a psychiatric nurse following his recovery from a near fatal accident. As a teenager, he was run over by a tractor trailer. The prospect for survival, let alone walking again, looked bleak. The surgeon who operated on him and directed his subsequent rehabilitation pressed him to pursue a career helping others. One day, near the end of Peter's rehab, the doctor called him in to discuss his future. He led Peter through the hospital to the psychiatric ward where Peter was shocked by what he saw. After the tour, the doctor asked him if he could see himself working in such an environment. Peter balked at the thought. The doctor essentially said, “I saved your life. You owe me at least the commitment to seriously think it over.” All that night, as Peter tells it, he tossed and turned. In the morning, he sought out the doctor and told him that he felt that he could indeed make a career helping those in need of psychiatric care. Eventually he became the Chief Administrator of a large psychiatric unit in an Australian hospital. I asked him why he chose to hike the AT not once but twice (I didn't actually ask him twice). He replied that the AT is unique in all the world. There's nothing like it in Australia or NZ or Europe. He planned to finish the trail in the next few days (having done all the trail north of here and all but two day's hike south). Then he would board a Amtrak train to the west coast to catch his flight home. We really enjoyed talking with him.

Today we hiked out of Erwin and generally had an uphill climb all day. We stopped at Bald Mountain Shelter, our goal, around 3:00 pm. Being Friday, we are joined by 3 other pairs of hikers – all short distance. “Boomerang” thru-hiked several years ago. He now section hikes with his friend “Trucker”. They both do trail maintenance in GA. Boomerang asked us when we would be on Blue Mountain (nearly 300 miles to the south). After a moments thought, we told him confidently that we would be there on October 13th . He told us to expect special trail magic at noon when we cross GA 75 at Unicoi Gap on the 13th !

A woman hiking with her husband, also sharing our shelter, told us that she Thru-Hiked the AT some time ago and has section hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. She told of the difficulties provisioning on the PCT.

We passed a 4' long Black Racer snake along the trail today. It may have been ill. It didn't move, but was still alive.

Day 114/140, Sept 30, Sunday, Jerry Cabin Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 297.1; Miles Hiked To Date: 1876.9; Miles Hiked Today: 24.7

We left Bald Mountain shelter around 6:00 this morning. The cold discouraged our eating breakfast so we set out early. Light from the moon and stars pierced the darkness making our headlamps almost unnecessary. In the early morning light we passed to two people still slumbering motionless in their sleeping bags alongside the trail. I believe they are with the raptor tagging group that Boomerang told us about. He and Trucker came upon them yesterday just after the team had captured a hawk. One of the team called them over to explain what they were doing. They net migrating songbirds, use them to attract the hawks. They then, net, tag and release the raptors.

As we cleared the trees onto a high meadow, the night sky opened up as the trail ascended to the top of Big Bald. Big Bald's grassy peak, devoid of trees, as the name implies, allows a 360 degree view. The lightening of the sky had just begun and we sat for quite awhile to watch the sunrise.

Brad on Bald Mountain

Today presented us with more than enough unpleasantness. I awoke with a sore back to begin with. Shortly after we started I developed some serious “intestinal” distress. I put off addressing this issue for as long as possible and far beyond any reasonable level of discomfort. I had hoped that walking, as it sometimes does, would alleviate the issue. It didn't. Deciding I could wait no longer I hurried up the hill a goodly distance away from the trail, TP in hand. Quickly digging a cat hole, I addressed the problem and just as I was bending to pull my pants up, I become aware of an ominous buzzing sound in my immediate vicinity. Before my mind could register the cause of this alarming sound, a horde of our old nemesis, the yellow jacket, launched a premeditated and unprovoked attack upon my person. Grabbing to pull up my rain pants, I leaped down the hill holding my pants with one hand and batting the little bastards with the other. I reached the trail with the yellow jackets still stuck in my beard and stinging like crazy. Brad, patiently waiting with face politely averred while I took care of business, had no clue about what had happened. However, seeing my distress, asked with remarkable acuity and irritating calmness, “Did you get stung?” “Did I get stung? Did I get stung?” I responded with rising inflection. “What the *^&^?# do you think?” “Did I get stung?!” Pulling the last (and now quite dead) yellow jacket out of my beard and throwing my bag over my shoulder I stomped down the trail. We found little cause to speak over the next several miles.

The rest of the day proved uneventful. A long steep climb over Big Butt and a 24.7 mile day put us within striking distance of Hot Springs and a little R&R. We saw few hikers and today have the shelter to ourselves. A group of 5 are tenting nearby.

Day 115/141, Oct 1, Monday, Alpine Springs Court, Hot Springs, NC
Miles From Springer: 270.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 1903.3 Miles Hiked Today: 26.4

We left early this morning (just before 6:00). Climbing Big Firescald Knob in darkness, we reached the exposed ridge just as the sun broke the horizon. What a fantastic sight! We crossed the ridge as it grew lighter, bringing a beautiful red/gold glow to the cliff and countryside below. The coolness made for ideal hiking. I consider this one of the best hiking days we've had. By 4:00 we had checked into the Alpine Springs Court looking for a change from the hostel scene. The motel manager looked like he had walked into a door or been hit in the face with a 2x4. He had a large bandage on a nose swollen to twice its normal size; an unhealthy color of red, black and blue. His bloodshot eyes and churlish manner didn't invite the obvious question or any questions at all for that matter. He did express a strong preference for cash.

Hot Springs, touted as a “hiker friendly” stop lives up to it's reputation in that it offered everything we needed for resupply. Tourism appears to be the mainstay of its meager economic base. Literature in the motel said that people have been coming here to bathe in the medicinal hot springs since the 1800s (I assume the Indians had been doing so much longer). White water rafting and other outdoor activities are also popular. We ate dinner at the Smoky Mountain Diner, run by a former long distance hiker. We're taking tomorrow off to relax and plan the remaining two weeks of our hiking.

Morning View from White Rock Cliffs

Day 115/142, Oct 2, Tues, Alpine Springs Court, Hot Springs, NC
Miles From Springer: 270.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 1903.3; Miles Hiked Today: 0

Day 116/143, Oct 3, Wednesday, Roaring Fork Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 251.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 1922.1; Miles Hiked Today: 18.8

We had a very relaxing day in Hot Springs. I expected the town to be more like the 19th Century NE resorts with large Victorian hotels and bath houses gone to seed. However, it appears that the old hotels and resort buildings have been torn down. Prosperity isn't a word that comes to mind in describing Hot Springs. They still have a resort but it consists of a few plywood buildings and trailers. Brad and I did avail ourselves of the soothing mineral hot springs, however,– renting a spring fed hot tub for 1 hour. It was great. The hot tubs are outdoors with a privacy fence and a view of the Broad French River. The fiber glass tubs, similar to a motel jacuzzi are fed from underground springs. The water is a consistent 102 degrees. Very relaxing. There wasn't much else to do in this one street town. They have a nice outfitter's store run by a large bearded person very much looking the part, talking to himself as he stocked shelves; a hardware store; and 4 restaurants (two of which were closed while we were there). They also boast the “legendary” Sunnybank Inn, an AT hostel run by a former AT hiker, Elmer Hall. He only takes reservations from vegans and vegetarians and serves only vegetarian dishes. However, Brad and I had had enough of hostels and just wanted a private room and bath.

So, yesterday we again ate meat at the Smokey Mountain Diner (also run by another long distance At hiker – they're everywhere) and at the Paddler's Pub – catering, apparently, to the white water crowd. The Diner offered typical down home cookin' – white pepper gravy & biscuits. We stopped for grocery supplies, bought fleece caps at the outfitter store, fixed my “new” hiking shoes with JB Weld and did our laundry. A woman at the laundry said she had to bring her wash to the laundromat because her well had run dry! We also stopped by the U.S. Forest Service Office to get our Great Smoky Mountain National Park permit.

One of the interesting things about our experience has been seeing these small, poor towns, both north and south. It's a side of America I had forgotten and Brad had never seen. Old cars with bad mufflers, retread tires, and faded paint. Closed stores and bad teeth. It's interesting and depressing. Still, the people are helpful and friendly.

Back on the trail with less than 300 miles to go! Even with a late start due to having breakfast at the Diner, we made nearly 20 miles. We have a plan that puts us on Springer on the 15th . It looks doable. Not much slack though. On the other hand, the 15th is an arbitrary target. We both agree that if we miss it, it won't be a big deal.

This shelter is pretty nice – fairly new (1985) and clean. However, it's supposed to have a spring but neither of us can find it. The guide may be mistaken or we may just be stupid. Tomorrow we go over the Max Patch that reportedly has great views. We have enough water, so we're not worried. Oh, and I got stung again by a yellow jacket – oh, well!

Day 117/144, Oct 4, Thursday, Cosby Knob Shelter, GSMNP,
Miles From Springer: 226.9; Miles Hiked To Date: 1947.1; Miles Hiked Today: 25

Finally, some rain. It sprinkled a little on and off this afternoon then rained harder after we reached the shelter. This is one of the nicest shelters we'd stayed in: new, clean, skylights, a sleeping loft and a fireplace. Just Brad and I tonight. The hike today was gorgeous, especially once we reached the Park. We stopped for a while at the Bear Farm Hostel (just 200 yards off the trail). The hostel is part of an old farm and lies in a narrow, picturesque valley. The man who runs it wasn't there but his wife told us to make ourselves at home. They sell supplies and food on a self serve, honor system. We bought and cooked a frozen 3 cheese pizza for lunch. No other hikers were there. They have internet and Brad logged on and checked his email.

We had great views and dramatic skies all day. We really needed the rain and we found good water here (not flowing but at least a spring fed pool of cold, clear water). These shelters feature a bear cable that enable you to hoist your food bag on a steel line up about 20'. The bears are notorious here for getting hiker food due to bad practice of people feeding them. A hiker in Maine told me about being in the Smokies and watching a bear amble up to the bear cable, look up at the food bag hanging there, then look at the steel line, back to the bag, then, he pulled on the cable watching the bag move with it. He then tried, unsuccessfully, to climb the cable. He had figured out how the system worked!

Day 118/145, Oct 5, Fri, Icewater Spring Shelter, GSMNP,
Miles From Springer: 206.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 1967.4; Miles Hiked Today: 20.3

Beautiful shelter sitting on the ridge with great views. It rained quite awhile yesterday evening but had stopped by morning. We got some sprinkles (just as we sat down for lunch) but we stayed pretty dry. Early this morning, we had glorious views of the mountains and valleys. Soon, however, fog rolled in. The trail generally follows the ridge-line and has many exposed sections. It would have been spectacular had it not been for the fog. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the hiking. The trails are in good shape and the grades pretty reasonable. Many of the trails double as horse trails and I think this ensures more gradual inclines. We did get a break in the weather just before we reached “Charlie's Bunion”. The Bunion, a dramatic rock formation, provides a great view of the steeply sided mountains.

View of Charlie's Bunion

There's a bit of fall color now – mostly yellow – contrasting nicely with the evergreens. We also saw a number of places where air pollution has apparently weakened the hemlock trees (as explained by park literature), making them susceptible to attack from a non-native insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid. Large areas of dead trees pockmark the hillsides.

John & Brad Resting on Charlie's Bunion

We saw quite a few people on the trail. It's Columbus Day weekend. There is only one other person at the shelter now, but he believes the place will fill by evening. All shelters in the GSMNP require a reservation, except for Thru-Hikers. If it's full, I hope everyone will be accommodating. The fellow here is very knowledgeable, having hiked here for years. He says not to worry.

We were going to try to do another 7.2 miles but neither of us felt like a 27 mile day. We had a lot of uphill today. We want to get as close as we can to Fontana Dam tomorrow so we can have an early arrival there Sunday. We want to celebrate completing over 2000 miles!!!

Day 119/146, Oct 6, Saturday, Derrick Knob Shelter, GSMNP,
Miles From Springer: 185.6; Miles Hiked To Date: 1988.4; Miles Hiked Today: 21

Seemed like a relatively short day, but we made over 20 miles and we reached our goal. Tomorrow, we have a 24 mile day to Fontana Dam. There's a resort complex there where we hope to stay and celebrate. Jim, a Ridgerunner staying at the shelter, said the next six miles are the hardest in the Smokies. We'll find out tomorrow. Today was a good day.

Great weather. It started out a bit ominous when we found the restrooms at the New Found Gap pull over were closed due to a lack of water! We had about a quart between us, expecting to find running water at the Gap.

We started up the mountain after watching a beautiful sunrise. Soon we caught up with “Plugger” whom we last saw in Andover. He had originally started in MA – made it to Katahdin, then came down to Damascus and headed south. He was worried about cold weather up north and hoped to finish the southern section before it got too cold. What a surprise! We talked awhile, catching up on each other's adventures. He suffers from a blood condition, a form of anemia, that reduces the ability of hemoglobin to carry oxygen, causing a shortness of breath. He definitely has his work cut out for him if he wants to finish the rest of the trail this season. You really have to admire someone who can stick to it with such a disability. Plugger met up with Lopsided and they shared a room in Gattlinburg. I thought Lopsided was way ahead of us.

We summited Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT @6643', around 11:00. We had found a spring flowing along the way so water wasn't a problem. Clouds came and went all day but we had some great views from the observation platform and the ridges. About a mile past the Dome, we met a nice couple who were just taking a short hike. We talked awhile and they asked a lot of questions about our experience. They also gave us a bottle of water, very nice.

Most of the rest of the trail was up and down mixed with some ridge walking; not too bad.
We got to the shelter a little after 4:00 to find that, according to Jim the caretaker, the shelter would soon fill up. He said we'd have to sleep out if everyone showed. That wasn't a problem for us. We had tarps and the weather was fine. Just after dinner, a large group arrived, making good Jim's prediction. We started to gather our gear when one of the late arrivals volunteered to sleep out. With that, Jim volunteered to sleep outside also, in spite of our protests. Jim was retired from the Navy and works as a professional photographer. The Park Service had picked one of his pictures of a Smoky sunset for their publication. He showed us a copy.

Small world. Four of the men staying here are from Gallipolis, OH, where our family owns a place on the river! At first I was skeptical of their being Gallipolitans because one of them was reading a thick book and none pronounced the city to rhyme with "police". However, they did know about the 'Mothman', but didn't want to talk about it. They were out for a multiple day hike. When registering with the Park Rangers, they were told that they would find no water on the trail. The Ranger instructed them to carry 2 or 3 gallons of water each! They bought gallon jugs of spring water and tied them to their packs! Man, that must have been hard going! It was great talking to them about the Silver Bridge collapse. They didn't know any Hambricks but had heard of the Waughs. We were very impressed with the kindness of everyone. Several offered to sleep outside and let us have a spot in the shelter, even though they were on vacation and had reservations.

Day 120/147, Oct 7, Sunday, Fontana Dam,
Miles From Springer: 161.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 2011.5; Miles Hiked Today: 24.1

View from Fontana Dam

Fontana Dam NC (water level 65' below normal)

Day 121/148, Oct 8, Monday, Brown Gap Shelter
Miles From Springer: 149.3; Miles Hiked To Date: 2024.1; Miles Hiked Today: 12.6

Thirteen miles. Short hiking day due to a very late start. We didn't hit the trail until about 11:00 am. We'll try to make up the shortage tomorrow. Saturday night, after we settled in, one of our shelter mates from Ohio tuned in the Ohio State-Purdue football game! For the first time in years, I fell asleep listening to OSU football! The score was 14-0 in the first quarter. The others had built a nice fire in the wonderful fireplace, and we, being in the loft enjoyed the glow of the fire while stargazing through the skylight (these are first class shelters).

About 3:00 am, however, the father of the late arriving group got up and started talking to others in his group, calling out to them, asking if they wanted hot chocolate or coffee. His loud voice and banging pots and pans disturbed everyone. Soon someone told him to be quiet, but he just kept it up. Finally, unable to get him to quiet down and unable to sleep, Brad and I decided to pack up and go. So, we were on the trail around 4:00 am. While we were packing up, the old man tried to talk to me about our hike. I just told him that we shouldn't be carrying on a conversation while others were trying to sleep. I was polite. I didn't tell him that we don't usually get up at 3:00 in the morning and start hiking!

Nevertheless, we had a beautiful star studded walk, three hours before dawn. We made Fontana Dam by 1:00. We felt pretty good about covering so much trail and having passed the 2000 mile mark! We took a self portrait in front of Mollie's Shelter, 2000.1 miles from Katahdin. We celebrated by checking ourselves into the Fontana Dam Resort. We ate cheeseburgers at the snack bar and had a terrific dinner in formal dining room at the lodge. We also took care of the usual business of laundry and provisioning, getting to bed around 10:00 pm. A long day.
Brad took advantage of the massage therapy service addressing his sore shoulder.

Unfortunately, the Resort doesn't offer regular shuttle service to and from the trail. Therefore, we had to wait until someone was available to take us the 4 miles back to the trailhead. The driver wouldn't be available until 9:00. So, Brad and I slept until around 7:00, had breakfast and waited. The shuttle driver didn't show until 9:30. We were back at the Fontana Dam information center at 10:00. We visited with some section hikers for a while (a Ray Burst and his friend). Then, we stopped at the “AT Hilton”, a very nice shelter overlooking the lake, chatting with “Boots”, another thru hiker. Boots was waiting on a care package from home and today being Columbus Day, no mail. So, that's our excuse for a late start and a low mileage day.

All and all, it was a good stop however. We got a chance to celebrate our accomplishment in style with Brad getting a 1st class massage and good advice on why he was experiencing the shoulder pain. It was as well spent $70. He felt much better. Of course, within a few miles, his shoulder pain returned.

We'll get an early start tomorrow-maybe up again at 4:00 am!

Day 122/149, Oct 9, Tuesday, Cold Spring Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 122.4; Miles Hiked To Date: 2051.6; Miles Hiked Today: 27.5

We made up the lost 9 miles yesterday by walking nearly 28 miles today. We arrived here around 6:00 and are pretty beat. Brad's chest is bothering him again, worse than before we had him examined in Wytheville. He took some advil and applied some Ben Gay. It seemed to help - a good sign.

Today's strenuous hike took us over two peaks with 2 to 3000' elevation gains. Wasps attacked us again as well! Offsetting that experience, we reached the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) in Wesser by 11:30 and had lunch at the river side restaurant: Double bleu cheeseburgers, fries and Cokes. We watched kids playing in the river while we ate. This is a big kayak and canoe livery. The river looked too shallow however. As we discussed this, the river began to quickly rise, obviously dam controlled. Shortly after the river level went up, a couple of canoes rounded the bend. After lunch, we had the snack bar make up a couple of sandwiches for our dinner. They also offered us ice water for our Camel-Baks. Another good hiking, good eating day. We have to assume that Brad's pain is related to carrying a heavy load and not SPT.

Water remains scarce. No one at the NOC could tell us about water sources south of here so we'll have to take it a day at a time. This shelter has water covering us for tomorrow's hike. We can only hope for water at the next shelter.

Some kind people left several gallon jugs of water at one of the road/trail intersections giving us an opportunity to fill up. It sprinkled a little today, but not enough to do any good.

Day 123/150, Oct 10, Wednesday, Big Spring Shelter,
Miles From Springer: 97.5; Miles Hiked To Date: 2076.5; Miles Hiked Today: 24.9

The weather cooled considerably making for good hiking. The sky cleared and we had a wonderful sunrise. With the beginning of the Fall colors, we tread fallen gold poplar leaves in softened sunlight. This morning we ascended Wayah Bald. Topped by an interesting stone observation tower, we had a fantastic view of patchwork farms and stands of trees. Low lying clouds filled the valley and the mountains rising beyond were breathtaking. An information plaque explained some of the history and ecology of the region. Bertram, that 18th century intrepid naturalist, stopped at this very spot (sin tower). Earlier, DeSoto may have traveled through this same area. The history offers a euro-centric and therefore, benign view of how the land transferred from Cherokee hands to European ones. Apparently, the Indian farms and villages were “replaced” by “settlers”.

View from Wayah Bald

We met and talked with a couple who were taking a short hike. They were very interested in our adventure. They asked if they could take our picture. She thought I was “too young” to be Brad's father!!! She thought we were brothers!!! I really liked these guys. I should keep walking.

We made good progress today, nearly 25 miles. We screwed up leaving the observation tower on Wayah (probably because I had my head turned by the comment about my youthful appearance). We misread the map and a blaze, starting down the park road, thinking it the trail. Two men with whom we had talked earlier, straightened us out. We ended up waking about a mile back up the hill. Frustrating.

The big problem we have is finding water. We're also running low on food & fuel. I forgot to buy alcohol for the stove when at NOC. We can get by on what we have if we do without hot tea. Brad is short on snacks. We may go back to our original plan and head into Hiawasee. We could still make our October 15 date. It'll just mean a couple of longer days to make it up.

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