"We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey."
-John Hope Franklin (thanks Erika)
Start: Sages Ravine Campsite, MA
Finish: Great Barrington, MA
Today: 14.6 mi
Total: 331.3 mi
A strange thing happened this morning - the trail went downhill! We followed the flowing stream water down Sages Ravine. Before long the trail veered away from the stream, ascending up Mt. Race.
Despite a really bad night sleep, Heather was moving faster than normal. She was a newer, fresher version of Heather - a Flicka 2.0 if you will. Despite her updated hardware (new boots) and a shorter day than yesterday, we felt like we were dragging a bit. Heather and I took extra long breaks up on the steep ledges and down in the shady pine needle carpets.
Heather was unhappy when she saw that Race Mt dropped 400 feet only to immediately ascend 700 feet. I jumped on the the chance to impersonate our friend Socks, a German thru-hiker with a hatred for unnecessary elevation changes: "Zee mowtain gowz up zen down...yes? Zen up again! Why, yes?"
I passed a group of teenagers on my way up the 2600+ foot Mt Everett. They were all part of an Outward Bound program and carrying huge packs - they looked like sherpas! As I passed I asked them how their hike was going and they all agreed it was a "death march."
We arrived to the Alpine zone with its characteristic miniature pine trees, hardened by strong winds and harsh winters. It was our first time walking amongst the dwarf trees this trip and a taste of the lofty climbs we'll cover over the next 300 miles.
On our way down Mt Everett I took a really bad spill. If falling were an Olympic sport (and judging by some of the events it may be) I would have gotten a perfect score. I was shuffling down a tilted ledge when my feet slipped out and up in front of me while I fell square on my back. Thankfully, my pack completely cushioned my fall.
A little while later we began hiking with Miles Supertramp who we stayed with until the trail hit the road to Great Barrington. Heather stuck out her thumb and gave the "tired hiker in distress" look. About 10 cars in a nice old man in a pickup stopped and drove us the 3 miles to town. Being air dried at the end of a long day was fourth best behind our second dinner of pizza, our first dinner of wings and the SHOWER!
~DADDY LONG LEGS
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