Date: 2015-07-05
From: East Mt Retreat Center

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

7/5, 19.1, Upper Goose Pond CabinAfter a rainy day but a nice visit with JP's friends all day yesterday, we all slept well and were up at our usual 5:30 eating, packing and strapping boots on. We hiked out of the retreat center at 7:00 and started the 2.5 mile driveway and road walk back to the trail. We stepped back on the AT at 8:00 and headed north once again. Our goal today is a highly appreciated and reported cabin operated just for AT hikers at Upper Goose Pond 19 miles up the trail. With three significant climbs and a lots of smaller climbs on the rolling ridges between, we knew today would be a test of our endurance. Since we were all off trail for some time, we have been building back up to a higher pace that will allow us to finish as soon as possible. Much of our conversation today was about minimizing delays, hiking long and hard as we can, and finishing as early as humanly possible. I have been up front with IB and JP about my struggles with the lack of desire to continue and today IB agreed, it is time to finish this thing. We are in a good "bubble" of hikers that is not too large and still ahead of the big bubble by a couple weeks. Staying ahead and even gaining on those ahead of us will make it a little easier to secure lodging when it gets more limited to the north. Camping will become more limited, as well as shelter space, so being in a smaller bubble or group of hikers from day to day is a plus.We hiked strong today and the weather was fantastic! Temperatures were in the mid 70's, a slight breeze, and sunlight filtering through a thick forest canopy. The only downer today was the mosquitoes, but even they were not as bad as just outside of Great Barrington a couple days back. We broke for lunch near some large boulders just right for sitting taking about 20 minutes to eat and rest. During the day we eat "snacks" like protein bars, fruit snacks, trail mix and such. For lunch I have been making tuna salad wraps and eating Cheezits along with my Gatorade. We hiked on enjoying the trail even though it was quite wet and muddy in places. Soon we were watching for the side trail to UGP Cabin which we finally headed down at 5:30. When we arrived at the cabin we were greeted by Grampy, the volunteer resident caretaker for this week. He settled us in explaining the spring water provided and inviting us to stay for pancakes and coffee for breakfast. We quickly chose our bunks and headed for the pond for the first day end swim of our trip. We have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to rinse off at the end of the day and this was certainly it. The lake was perfect and refreshing and helped ease the achy joints and feet. I took a couple of strange falls today, both in the same manner, when I stepped on a slightly angled rock and my boot slipped down taking me off my feet to my side. The first time I landed awkwardly on my hand and the second I caught myself with my arm. I hurt my pride more than anything but will definitely have a couple bruises. I am starting to wonder if my boots are just worn down so much they no longer have the traction as before or the wetness from yesterdays rain caught me off guard. Probably a little of both. Updating my other aches, my right Achilles is responding nicely improving slightly each day as I keep it taped and my back is manageable as long as I continue stretching during the day, and more importantly at the end of each day. After my swim, I settled my gear, grabbed my food bag and headed out back to fix dinner. I made a peanut butter tortilla wrap to eat while boiling water and preparing my mushroom with rice and shells soup. Along with a couple bottles of electrolyte water, either Gatorade or Mio usually, this is a typical dinner. It is now 8:30 and I have texted Kathy so she knows where I am, have prepared for sleeping and after writing this journal will lie down and read myself to sleep. Wayfarer, Otter, Penguin and several others are here for the night. Some of them will hike into Dalton tomorrow but our plan is to stop at the shelter a few miles before Dalton, then go into town Tuesday morning to pick up our mail drop, get breakfast, and resupply for four more days. The weather is supposed to hold tomorrow bit Tuesday will bring some change we believe. We are all hoping the nice weather will hang on for a while. Silverback