"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO, HOO, what a ride!"
-Sign on AT
Start: Great Barrington (MA23)
Finish: Shaker Campsite
Today: 9.1 mi
Total: 348.8 mi
We were in no rush leaving Great Barrington (for the last time now). We ate an early lunch with Miles Supertramp at Subway and said goodbye to him for now (hopefully he'll catch up to us soon). Walking out of town, I felt like the main character of a movie because so many people on the street came over to us and started conversations. The waitress from last night said hi to us and waived as she rode her bike down the street. A landscaper began talking to us about the trail and how big the Moose are up in Maine. As the sun rose higher on this hot morning a lady on her way to the bakery stopped us to talk about where we were going and where we'd been. As this nice lady was finishing up her conversation with Heather a man delivering soda to the Rite Aid stopped to ask me about the journey, what animals we'd seen and wished us luck. Finally, on the edge of town, a woman swirved over to the side of the road in front of us, rolled down her window and said "Hop in! What trailhead you going to?". Heather's hitching thumb was holstered so this was the best sort of trail magic - unsolicited trail magic! Shamrock, our trail angel, had a bunch of water bottles in the back that she was delivering to a another trailhead for us thirsty hikers. It's been dry out here.
After thanking Shamrock and saying goodbye, we stood there at the trailhead on this blazing hot afternoon. I instantly didn't feel like moving an inch. The second we were under tree cover and out of the sun, the temperature dropped a few degrees, my legs found their rhythm, and my spirit lifted.
3.3 miles in we stopped at South Wilcox shelter for a break and to check the logbook and sign in. Walking down the blue blazed side trail back to the AT I took a bad fall and skinned my right arm.
Walking on bog bridge after bog bridge with nothing but bone dry dirt beneath told me how low the water table must be right now. The Mosquitos all seemed to convene at the one or two streams that were still flowing. Unfortunately, that's where I needed to pump 6 liters of water (10 minutes). In the sun rays that filtered in through the leaves I could see hundreds of Mosquitos dotting the light. Every few seconds I would brush 5-10 of them off my shirt (the Mosquitos in this state are no joke, they suck their blood right through your shirt).
Each day is so unique. My favorite place we hiked through came just a mile before we arrived at the Shaker Campsite. The slope was a sea of green hedges spotted with towering old growth trees like a beautifully manicured garden. The ribbon of brown trail beneath my feet snaked its way down this fantastic landscape.
~DADDY LONG LEGS
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