Month: July 2017

For fast-acting relief, try slowing down. ~Lily Tomlin

Well my husband went to the baseball Hall of Fame I said and did absolutely nothing in the RV all day. I absolutely loved it!

Will walk tomorrow. 

The woods are lovely, dark and deep / But I have promise to keep, /And miles to go before I sleep, /And miles to go before I sleep. – Robert Frost

Miles hiked today 18.9. 

I got a 5:45 AM start this morning, in my new shoes! It rained all night long so the forest was very wet and shimmery. It did not take long before my shorts and shoes were both damp. It was so quiet,  around 7 AM the birds finally woke up and started making themselves known.

The spiderwebs this morning have been incredibly bad. They are thick strands. It’s more like pulling hair off your face than silk. Around 8 AM I passed a young man headed south. All I could think of was no more spiderwebs!. He had cleared the way!

The last thing my husband said to me before I left the RV this morning was Sweetheart don’t want your rain gear? I told him I looked at the weather and there was no rain in the forecast today – just supposed to be cloudy. At 9 AM the skies opened up and for 30 minutes it rained. I was drenched.

I came up on Upper Goose Pond. It’s a beautiful lake in the middle of the wilderness. 

Right next to the pond/lake there was this chimney. Once upon a time there was a wilderness club that met here.

With all the rain lately the streams are running full. Finding water has not been a challenge.

Around 10 o’clock the sun started trying to shine. But it really never came out fully the entire day.

There were no visitors today but Infinity Lake proved to be a beautiful spot to take a break.

The trail was quite overgrown in spots today. This poses a problem I’ve never drying out. Already wet from the rain, brushing by these plants just makes you wetter.

And let’s not forget the joy of a muddy trail. Hugh laughed when he saw me walk up to the RV. My legs were covered in mud. My new shoes surely got a broken in today.

I think today was the first day that there wasn’t an incredible view on the Appalachian Trail. Today was simply a forest walk I was definitely in the green tunnel today.

The mountains are calling and I must go – John Muir

Miles hike today 20.6.

5:30 start this morning. First stop was the top of Bear Mountain. What an absolutely gorgeous Vista. The clouds are floating over the land. I could’ve stayed atop Bear Mountain all day just looking at the scenery, unfortunately the bugs were bad at the top, so I moved on.

The valley between Bear Mountain and Mount Race is called Sages Ravine. Walking in/along Sages Ravine was a pure pleasure.

It was a moss covered Wonderland with a creek running alongside the trail for entire mile. Everything glistens from the mist of the water.

There are waterfalls at every turn and the sound of rushing water was soothing to walk too.

At the end of Sages Ravine, the beginning of the climb up Mount Race, was a welcome to Massachusetts sign.

Right before you hit the summit of Mount Race-there is Mount Race Ledges. Rocks that form a perfect viewing platform for hikers to take a seat and enjoy the grander of Massachusetts.

After summiting Mount Race and then coming down, it was time to go up Mount Everett. This was a very steep climb! Thankfully the ATC volunteers had bolted in steps on some slippery rocks. This made the climb much easier and safer.

There used to be a fire tower at the top of Mount Everett. It is no longer there. I actually had to go down a little ways to get a view.

Climbing down Everett I had the pleasure of meeting Earl, Jeff, and Logan. They were section hiking and I showed them the app I used. It is called AT Hiker by Guthook. I have no doubt that both Earl and Jeff will purchase the app. They loved it!

Next I ran into Abu. She was also section hiking. We walked about 3 to 4 miles together.  It was nice to have the company.

After finally hitting the bottom of the mountain- I had a pretty flat 4 mile walk. I went through some pastors.  I also did some road walking…

… and had a boardwalk through a swamp!

I put in a lot of miles today – but it was a good day!

We need never be ashamed of our tears.-Charles Dickens

Miles hike today 16.3.

My day started out at 10:45 on the trail. I awoke at five like normal, but it was raining. Weather forecast said it was supposed to rain until 11. I thought we should go pick up my shoes in Salisbury, Connecticut. And then come back and drop me off so I could start hiking after the rain stopped. I was so so so excited to get new shoes.

Just looking at my old shoes, sopping wet from yesterday with holes in the side, made me giddy thinking I was going to have not only new shoes, but new insoles!. We drove to Salisbury, Connecticut and had to wait for the post office to open at 8:30 AM. The general store next door was open so I went in and bought a postcard for Violet and another little trinket for her. Then… The post office opened!

Do you hear Angel singing right now? I did. We walked in and asked for our packages. They were not there. She said she still had two more carts to go through if we can come back in a half an hour we can get them. No prob-blem-o! I can wait a half an hour for new shoes.

We pull down the street and uploaded yesterday’s blog.  At the designated time we went back.  I had given her the tracking numbers and I knew the packages would be there waiting for us.

They were not!

She had looked up the tracking numbers and I had sent them to Salisbury, Massachusetts not Salisbury, Connecticut. I was crushed…really, really crushed. Trail runners are supposed to last 500 miles.  I’ve had mine for almost 1000 miles. The postmistress was incredibly nice.  She said to call them in Massachusetts and have them forward to the place on the trail.

Back to the RV I went and called the post office in Massachusetts. The lady, Donna, was there by herself and was very unhelpful. At first she told me she could not forward them. Then when I questioned that, she told me she was the only one there to call back in an hour.

It was time to hit the trail.

Let’s be real honest here I was upset! No new shoes, it’s raining and I’m getting out of the RV. So I out I went, in the rain and down the trail. It did not take long before the tears started to fall. They started when I had to cross the stream. I was worried about slipping. I never worry about slipping. It was just my emotions getting the better of me.

The tears didn’t fall for long.  I knew I had to suck it up. But the disappointment was huge. My feet were already sopping wet from my old shoes but at least the rain stopped and Connecticut is absolutely beautiful.

I finally got a hold of Donna at the Massachusetts post office. She said she could forward them!  And then she asked for the address. I said forward them to Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It’s a trail town. She said, “I need the address”. I said “It’s just general delivery to Great Barrington, Massachusetts”. She said, “What’s the ZIP Code” and I said “Ma’am I’m hiking the Appalachian Trail right now, I don’t have that information”. She says “Well I can’t send it without a ZIP Code”.

Please remember I’m talking to a postal worker! How can she not have a book that gives her the different ZIP Codes of towns? Especially in her state?. I politely said “Donna I will have to call you back. I’ve only got one phone to look that up on and I’m talking to you on it.  So I’ll call you back.” She said OK.

01230 just in case you were wondering – is the ZIP Code for Great Barrington.

Donna did not help my mood but the “Orchestra” did! I ran into for kids who were hiking Connecticut. They all went to music school together and played instruments. The oboe, clarinet, bassoon and I missing one. They cheered me right up, making me laugh.

Connecticut has some gorgeous waterfalls I saw some small ones today.

Then it was time to go through split rock. It’s a narrow crevice that we get to climb through. After split rock it was just more wonderful hiking on the Connecticut pathways.

I also passed by a famous race track. You can see a little bit of it in the right side of the picture below. Hugh says it’s called Lime Rock. It was Paul Newman’s home track.

Then it was down to Falls Village, CT. I had some walking on roads and then finally I made it to the meeting place.

Today we met at the falls they were absolutely gorgeous.

“The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.” – John Muir

Miles hiked today 16.7

Got a late start today at 8 AM. But got all the chores done with the RV and laundry which is always such a good feeling.

The first interesting thing on today’s hike was Dover tree. This tree is massive. And I think they’re trying to preserve it somehow. That piece of paper on the tree is an 8 x 10 sheet. It is one big tree.

Then it was through a swampy area. I met a man waiting for his son to get done with a horse lesson and he never been to what he called the “big swamp”. We chatted for a while he had a map of the Appalachian Trail and I told him where I started – he was amazed. Couldn’t wait to tell his son and take him on a hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail. (my job was done here so I moved on-Grin)

I want said that you could go around most of the stiles, not today. If you notice the sign it says electric fence. I climbed over for electric fences today.

The trail then opened up to pastures.

Where I met a couple of called Rockette and Rocket. They are full-time RV years. They parked their RV in Florida and hit the trail. We had a nice conversation about our RV and how big it was. They want to smaller one.

Then I had the pleasure of running into Bodybag and Zombie. Zombie’s the one with four legs. And let me tell you for legs are very helpful when you’re walking across slippery planks of boards.

Then the trail opened up into a beautiful winding path. Absolutely no complaints about the trail today it is simply gorgeous.

I did get stung twice. I’m not sure what it was that got me. It was very very fast and by the time I turned around it was gone. It bit me once in each leg.

Once again – a shout out to the volunteers that make this trail so wonderful – look at the bridge an unbelievable amount of hard work. The volunteers do rock.

I came down the mountain and got to walk along the river. Let me tell you it has been hot today. And the breeze coming over the river was such a relief.

There was a lot of white water on the river. I couldn’t believe no one was out rafting or kayaking. It was incredibly beautiful.

I am loving Connecticut.