Date: 2004-10-30
From: South Egremont, Mass.

To: Salisbury, Ct.
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: mist

16.9 miles todaySleeping at Moosie's homeSalisbury, Ct.Hippie and I wanted to get an early start because we both had plans and places to go after our hike today. We didn't get started too early, but we had a nice morning and a very good nights sleep.We drove to a market just south of Salisbury and I got an extra large coffee and a breakfast sandwich. We headed back up to Jug End Rd in Mass and parked my truck there.We finished eating breakfast and I made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for today's hike while Hippie finished getting herself ready.We got started hiking south to Salisbury at 8:10am. The weather was very overcast, but very mild for this time of year. I hiked in a litewieght short sleeve shirt and was comfortable in the 51 degree temperature.The forcast was for rain. It had rained overnight because the woods and all the leaves on the ground were wet.Our first climb started with the first step. We climbed from Jug End Rd on up to the summit of Mt Everett. I had eaten one too many donuts and was paying for it in the first half hour of climbing, but then got into the groove of walking without breathing too hard. It was slippery with the wet ground and the leaves made it even more slippery.We got about 2/3 of the way up and Hippie stopped to take a break. I kept on climbing and was surprised by the number of grouse that were near the top of Mt Everett. That must be a favorite roosting place. I've never seen that many grouse before in one place.I saw an overnight backpacker that had lost his friend and while we were talking, Hippie caught up. Hippie told the guy where the side trail was that his friend was supposed to be on and we hiked on.It was worse coming down Mt Everett with the slippery leaves. I had to walk slowly to keep from sliding down the steep trail. We didn't make very good time for the first couple of hours hiking today, but as the day went on the trail got easier.When we got to the bottom of that hill, we climbed back up and ran across a ridge for a while.There were no views except that of the clouds we were in.We got to walk by Sages Ravine today after we crossed out of Mass and into a new state...Ct!! It's always nice to walk into another state because it gives you a sense of progress.I got to say hello to Pamela as we crossed the border.We walked by Sages Ravine and I tried getting some pictures of the waterfalls, but today was a gloomy day and the pictures didn't turn out as nice as they could have.We started the climb up to the highest peak in Ct...Bear Mtn. Once again it was a slippery walk. We ran into more hikers today than I've seen in the last couple of weeks all together. There must have been 40 hikers, mostly just out for the day.Hippie and I got to the summit of Bear Mtn. and it started raining litely. That didn't last long and we didn't get rained on anymore today.We hiked back down and took a break at the Braasie Brook Shelter. We ate our sandwiches and realized that this was the first time we sat down in over five hours of walking.We weren't there long because we only had a little over 4 miles left to Rt 41 in Salisbury.We finished our hike today and headed back to pick up my truck.I am pulling away from Hippie with the number of leaves I've caught compared to her. I've got 74 and she has 61. She's so easy to beat. All I have to do is reach over her head to get the leaves as they come down.We got back to my truck and I gave her a hug goodbye. It's been great hiking with her for the last couple of weeks and we're hoping to hook up again in a few weeks.I drove to New Milford, Ct from Salisbury in about an hour and got to Moosie's home. Goldilocks answered the door and said Moosie was taking a shower...hummm, I guess it is Saturday.Moosie and Goldilocks are doing a nobo A.T. thru hike in '05 and they are counting down the days until they start. They are a father and son team and are very good hikers. They also don't carry alot of packwieght.Mrs Moosie had made two different kinds of beef stew, mixed vegetables and two homemade pies.Everthing was delicious. You just can't get that good home cooking in a restaurant.Thanks to all the Moosie's for making me feel at home and feeding a hungry hiker so well.We all talked for a while and then at bedtime, I asked to use the computer and checked my other email account.I am taking a few days off to visit with the Moosies and to let Hippie get some miles in on me, so when we get back to hiking, we should be at about the same place on the trail to hike together again. I'm doing my best to teach Hippie about backpacking, but she's a slow learner and has a bad memory and she doesn't have a whole lot of energy for a 34 year old girl, but I'll keep trying.Another great day on the A.T.