Astrogirl

6/5/2001 ~ Mad Tom Notch (12 miles hiked)

(This section was done SOBO.  These are in NOBO order for consistency)

Not bad mileage for a start after 12pm.

I was worried about the bugs, so of course it’s something else.  Mud.  Thick, black, sticky, boot-sucking mud that covers about 50% of the trail.  I was very lucky that I never sunk in to the ankle, and I’ve never been so happy to see rocks and roots on the trail as I was today.

I saw a woodpecker today.   The only reason I saw it at all was because it was so vocal that I looked around until I found the source of the noise.  I saw many red efts, and I even saw one swimming.  Where?  On the trail, of course.  At least water is easy to come by.  It seems like I cross a "seasonal" stream every 10 minutes or so.

I always forget something, and this trip was no exception.  This is the first time I’ve forgotten to bring any cash, ID or a credit card.  I haven’t so much as a penny on me.  There’s really no use for money out there, but I like to have something in case I need it.  Also, this is going to force me to cut my trip short since I have no money to resupply.  I wouldn’t have made it to Great Barrington to link up to my southern mileage anyway, so I’m not mad about that part of my mistake.

I should make Bennington early Saturday.  I will then have to call Steve collect and hope he’s home and can come get me.  God, I hope he’s home, or I’m really screwed.  All the towns (and phones) are at least 5 miles from the trail up here, which will suck up most of a day to make the round trip.  If he’s not home, I’ll have to call Tino collect and get him to wire me money or something.  Really though, I’ll just have to wait around for Steve because he has my purse, and I’m not going back to DC without that, now am I?

Anyway…I’d rate today’s hike as moderate.  Peru Peak shelter was nice, but I really wanted to make some mroe miles, so I could make Stratton tomorrow.  I made 4.5 between 6 and 8:30pm, including Styles and Peru Peaks, so I’m pretty happy with that.  I wish I could make those miles early in the day, but I’m quite sluggish until 2pm or so.  Yeah, I know.  It sucks to be me, right?

I also saw more deer scat that I’ve ever seen in one place EVER on the trail up on Peru Peak and Styles Peak both.  Weird.  It was all over the trail itself too.  I also saw a small garter (or ribbon) snake today at the base of a rock pile.  I guess that’s enough babbling for now.

6/6/2001 ~ Stratton Pond (15.7 miles hiked)

(This section was done SOBO.  These are in NOBO order for consistency)

The GMC caretaker here was very nice and simply took my name and address and gave me a bill.  Stratton Pond is indeed a special place.  I fear the loons might keep me awake or wake me up.  They are incredibly loud when then are doing their characteristic loony call.  I saw another woodpecker today and several toads.  I saw a loon dive away from me, but I didn’t really get a good look at it.  

There’s a couple here from Boston and a guy from southern PA.  The caretaker came over here from the shelter on the south side of the pond (in a boat) and we all sat around a smoky fire for a while.  The bugs are the worst I’ve seen, and the fire really helped.  

I finally found out what makes those giant piles of scat I’ve seen (looked a bit like deer, but the, um, individual pieces were too large as were the, um, loads).  Moose!  That also explains the very large (not as distinct as I’d like because of the mud) tracks I saw by my campsite last night.

I’ve seen a lot of people today including the cutest, shinest people ever at Spuce Peak Shelter.  They were doing the Long Trail and had just graduated from college (two couples).  Ah, so young and cute.  

I did a lot of miles and I’m very tired.  I’m not very sleepy though, which is unfortunate because I have a pretty big day planned tomorrow.  You know I haven’t seen a single spider here?  That’s SO odd.  There are a few gnats or black flies in here with me, damn it.  Time to do something about that.

I almost forgot!  They (the USFS) is stocking the lake with fish tomorrow and will be dropping them out of a helicopter between 10:30am and 12:30pm.  I wish I could be here to see it.  Hell, I’m considering staying anyway, schedule be damned.  How often does one get to see live fish dropped out of a helicopter, after all.

6/7/2001 ~ Goddard Shelter ~ 19 miles hiked

(I can’t find this entry, but I really liked this shelter and the area and the Glastenbury Fire Tower)

6/8/2001 ~ Bennington, VT (10.1 miles hiked)

(This section was done SOBO.  These are in NOBO order for consistency)

The mud was a little better today, and the bugs were the same:  bad.  It was warm enough that shorts were required.

I was under the impression that I was going down Glastenbury Mountain today, but no.  There were three bumps on the way down, damn it.  

Last night in the shelter, the moon was so bright when it rose that it woke me up, and I had to re-position my bag and pad!  The shelter thing worked out well this time.  Another guy showed up right about 8:30pm.  He was very nice, also an AT section hiker, SOBO, and a quiet sleeper.  As there were no rodent visits during the night, I did get as much sleep as I get in a tent.  It took about 1/2 the time to get going in the morning and I got started at 8:15, which is early for me.  Since I arrived at the Nauheim shelter by 12pm (8 miles), I took a break so I could wait somewhere nice for Steve instead of arriving at the road early and having to sit around in a gravel parking lot.

There were many people out today, and many people passed by while I was sitting near the shelter.  I’m kind of glad I’m done today.  I’m sure the weekend will be very crowded out here as the weather is great.  Oh, and I think I saw the "weird" guy.  I think he just had too much crap with him and was generally unprepared for the rigors of the AT.  He didn’t seem especially weird to me.

All in all, a good trip.  I covered 53 miles in 72 hours, which may be a personal record.  Not that that’s important or anything.  ;)

8/16/1999 ~ Great Barrington, MA (7.2 miles hiked)

OK, this time I’m really done. I’ve had a revelation: I’d rather have a job and all the comforts of home than live outdoors. There is great freedom on the trail, and I’ll certainly miss that, but I now know why man came out of the forests into the cities.

I’ve been wet for a week, as has all my gear (the stuff that really needs to be dry is only slightly damp). I could probably deal with that for a little longer, but what I can’t handle is descending piles of slippery wet rocks. I wiped out several times coming down Jug End, and I keep having these visions of hurting myself and being unable to get off the mountain on my own.  I ended my hike at the Corn Crib on U.S. 7 near Sheffield MA. I celebrated by having a nectarine (OK), a plum (good), and a peach (maybe the best I’ve ever eaten) and some Berkshire Pumpkin Ice Cream, which was great. It’s also something I’ve never seen before, but pumpkin works really well for an ice cream flavor.

I have nothing but respect for people who can hike the whole trail. I can’t imagine the mindset necessary to do six months of what is very difficult hiking (any of you west coast people with your big mountains, I challenge you to hike 100 miles of the AT and then tell me it was easy). Ultimately what got to me was the deprivation, but make no mistake, the hiking is very hard. It’s tremendous work, and it’s virtually constant.

I’ve walked about 400 miles of the AT and I’m proud of that, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish the trail. I don’t want it badly enough for one thing. For another, I’d have to do sections over time, and I think that might be harder than thruhiking. You have to start cold every time, and by the time you get into it, it’s time to go home.

Anyway, best of luck to all the great people I met. Hikers seem to have better dispositions than any group with which I’ve ever had contact. Thanks again to all the people who sent me cards, letters and stuff. It means more out here than you can imagine. I’ve also learned that I don’t hate the East, I just hate Washington. The people in rural areas out here are just as terrific as midwesterners. Of course, I’ve never been to Boston, the largest city in New England, so it’s hard to make a gross generalization, as always. I do love NYC though.

Today, I’ll be taking a bus to Pittsfield, MA then an Amtrak train to Springfield, MA then another Amtrak train to Washington.

8/15 ~ Glen Brook Leanto (2 big miles hiked (Woohoo!) )

Well, I got it together and hiked out. I’d been avoiding Mt. Everett in wet conditions, but it wasn’t getting any drier today.

The ascent of .7 miles and 800 feet took me 45 minutes. That’s a long time, but I didn’t want to fall on those rocks. And it was all rocks going up — rocks like PA rocks. The descent was only rocks for 100 feet, then it changed to gravel. The descent was much easier than I thought it would be. I like when that happens.

I’m heading for Tom Leonard Leanto tomorrow, 13 miles, rain or shine. It’s supposed to be the "AMC Showplace" shelter in this trail section. This shelter is tiny and full. I’m on a tent platform, which works for me. The shelter is in a lovely spot, which is always a plus. It’s a big hemlock grove, my favorite kind of site.

I’m now trying to talk myself into cooking dinner. I’m hungry, but it’s wet out, and that just makes everything a little harder. I sure can’t complain about being hot. I sweated a lot coming up Everett (or maybe not that much — 100% humidity means all of it hangs around), but cooled way down on the descent. Now I’m actually cold. I guess cooking food would be a good idea.

8/14 ~ Race Brook Campsite (about 8 miles hiked)

Rumor has it that there is a brook here, one that has falls even. We couldn’t find it, but the boys were nice enough to bring me a couple of liters of what they did find. It’s filterable, so it will do for me. I have a bit to drink while I let the dirt settle out of this.

I met these two guys at Riga, Rock and Salty Bear. Rock has done all the trail from Springer, but Salty Bear skipped the middle third and is just getting back on. They are taking it slow, and they are good guys, so we hiked together today.

Today was a real bitch because the thunderstorm make the mossy rocks super slick. It’s like they were *oiled*. The climb up Bear Mtn (yes, another Bear Mt, this one is the highest point in CT at 2500 ft or so) wasn’t bad, but the decent was evil and wiped out a few times. It was godawful muggy all day. There was no view from Riga this morning and the long views today were all socked in pretty well with fog. Sages Ravine was very pretty, but with all the rocks and roots wet, it was tough hiking even though it was mostly flat.

It’s pouring again, but I’m now in MA, so I guess that’s something. I’ve never been here before, after all.

I’ve been unable to dry my clothes or pack for days, and the pack is so soaked with sweat that it’s getting through to my sleeping bag. I know that’s really gross, but it’s true. I’ll probably stay at this site as long as I can tomorrow and try to dry out my gear. Overall, the stretch of heavy humidity is making me miserable, and I want to quit.

Maybe things will look better tomorrow.

8/15/1999 ~ 9am, Race Brook

Things look slightly better. It’s raining again (it stopped for a few hours early this morning), but since I’ve decided to take the day off (or nearly so), I don’t care.  There is a privy here, so that’s pretty good. I couldn’t see it yesterday because it was dark and raining when we got here at 5pm. Also, I set my tent up on a platform, so I’ve got drainage for the rain. That is a very good thing.

I’m still amazed that I managed to pitch this tent on a wooden deck, but it worked out perfectly. I also got the best night’s sleep I’ve gotten since coming back out on the trail.  

Salty Bear and Rock took off about 15 minutes ago. I really feel for them. I know Rock needs to make the miles, but it’s a lousy day to hike over Mt. Everett. It’s like Bear Mt. yesterday - rocks all the way. Very hard in the rain.

I may go on to Glen Brook Leanto later this afternoon if it dries out a little. That’s only 2 miles, basically up and over Everett.

I want to hit Upper Goose Pond Cabin on a weekday, and it’s 3 hiking days away, and I need to get there before 5pm. I should be there Wednesday.

8/13/1999 ~ Riga Leanto (19.8 miles)

I feel like I hiked for 18 hours today. I did start pretty early, and I barely made it by dark.  There was a hell of a view on the way up here at Lion’s Head, but the weather was looking very threatening.  The ‘Plateau Campsite’ wasn’t really an option because it was very close to a road.  While I’d rather have waited for this last climb until morning, I know I wouldn’t have slept well down there.

I really had to get in to Salisbury because my water filter seized up. I was expecting that though (though if I’d gotten one more day out of it, today would have been easier), so I had a SafeWater Anywhere filter in this drop. Riga has a fabulous view straight east, so I decided to stay in the shelter and brave the bugs.

8/12/1999 ~ Pine Brook Swamp Leanto (10 miles hiked)

In 10 miles, I climbed 3000 feet for a total elevation gain of 600 feet. As you might guess there were a few ups and downs. There was more water today, as well as many more bugs. Also, we had to carry water to this site up the last 800 feet which was pretty much straight up. One section was a tight squeeze that also included a ladder.

I’m tired and the bugs are bad here, so I’m trying to talk myself into eating dinner. I’m hungry, but it seems like too much trouble at the moment.