6/8/16 Willows Motel 12miles
We summited Greylock this morning! The trail to the summit was beautiful and very fairy like. We woke to a cold and windy morning, thankfully without hail. We hiked out alone and as we climbed from the shelter the wind increased. Occasionally looking back to make sure we were not holding up anyone (the wind was the only thing we could hear) we found ourselves looking back to only fog.
Right before the summit, we passed by a beautiful lake with a small cabin on one side. We later found out from Roub last year this was more of a shelter, now it had been gutted leaving only an eerie presence. We hiked on to a non-existent view thanks to the fog. After Darwin filmed the small view we did have, we made our way down still never seeing any other hikers.
Our descent from Greylock was steep and about a half mile or less from a road walk into town it happened. We gave the right of way to a dayhiker with her lab which instantly led me to thoughts of Bowie. I continued with one last glance back when I took a step and everything went into slow motion. I felt weightless, I saw dirt, I saw dirt moving past me, I saw tree, I felt tree, silence, I felt my the full weight of my pack and body.
Darwin was instantly in front me assessing the damage. I was having a Christmas Story Moment in my mind and tried to hold back my tears as I checked my glasses, surly I had broken them when my head hit the tree. Thankfully, I did not need to blame an icicle, my glasses were in one piece. I then heard the day hiker behind ask if I was okay as my emotions caught up, I became super pissed at myself. I couldn’t respond to either Darwin or the dayhiker or I was gonna cry. The only thing I could manage was to hold my bent trekking pole up in the air towards Darwin like a robot, up and down waving my mechanical arm. After a few minutes I was able to choke out “I’m so pissed”.
I finally got my senses back and stood up. I had scraped my shoulder, my leg, and my ass was already super sore. Darwin bent back my treking pole and checked on my ever growing goose egg on my forehead. We continued on into town hiking out with lady day hiker and her dog. I felt so stupid, not even a week out and I had not only busted my ass but my head too.
6/9/16 Congdon Shelter 14 miles
Today is me and Darwin’s wedding anniversary! We both forgot! Haha! We have both been so excited about the trail we overlooked our anniversary. Darwin was however the first to remember while having breakfast this morning. One year ago today we crossed the Mason Dixon Line and today we crossed into Vermont. We have been stuck in Massachusetts for the last 11 months in our heads and it is wonderful to finally mentally and physically move on.
The trail today was cold and windy with a drizzly rain at times. We felt almost like were were in New Jersey with exposed ridges. We watched a doe go cross a meadow today. Although we have been hoping for a moose, we were glad to see her. She was lovely and graceful. Yes, I had a Helen Hoover moment. We also walked along trail made of boards next to a beaver dam. It gave me the sense that I was walking in the lake close by as it was technically waist high. The beaver dam is an impressive thing. I couldn’t imagine if that dam broke while hiking along side of it. A hiker would be washed away for sure. Now if only I could see a real beaver…
We got to camp around fourish and traded hiking stories with Bean-Dip, Birdie, Two Decades and few new hikers: The Berenstain Bears (brother and sister team), Arizona, and Roller.
6/10/16 Kid Gore Shelter 18 miles
We busted out our biggest day yet due to our food situation. We had a lot of rock climbs and rock stairs today but it’s still better than the trail in Pennsylvania! I was pretty pooped but with the help of the good ol’ I-Pod and a long break, the last four miles of the day were pretty cruisey. I have yet to really feel like the miles are a chore; I am really enjoying the hike this time! We snagged a great tent spot and spent the evening enjoying the best view on trail since the Smokies with Roller a hiker from England.
I do at times forget that Roub, Cruise Control, Mufassa and other hikers from last year are not out here with us. I catch myself turning a bend in the trail expecting to see one of them. We have found a few shelter logs with their entries from last year which is always interesting to read.
