Date: 2015-08-01
From: October Mountain Shelter

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: few clouds

I got my tent packed up just before the rain started. (It was not supposed to rain.) I waited at the shelter for the rain to stop, then decided to just hike in the rain - it was just a steady light drizzle. I was off to see the Cookie Lady. She is an elderly lady who lives just 100 yards off the AT and gives cookies to hikers. She and her husband also own a blueberry farm adjacent to their house, and they sell ice cream, soft drinks, and hard boiled eggs at very reasonable prices to hikers. They also let hikers camp on their property in exchange for doing minimal chores.It was an easy 2.3 miles to the Cookie Lady's house. A few other hikers, including Gray Goat, were already there when I arrived. I did not have the pleasure of meeting the Cookie Lady, but I enjoyed meeting her husband. He brought out the cookies along with the ice cream and Coke I bought in a little basket lined with a cloth napkin. I also got a picking bucket and picked blueberries. The berries were on large bushes rather than low shrubs like the wild berries out along the trail. The berries were also much larger than the wild berries. I paid for the berries I picked and carefully packed them in the top of my backpack to eat later. I was surprised to learn that some rude and ungrateful hikers made some rather unkind comments in the Cookie Lady's trail journal about begging for cookies, complaining that she only gave them 2 cookies, and complaining that she was not home when they stopped. Shame on them!Shortly after I got back on the trail it began to rain - this time very hard. (Once again, it was not supposed to rain.) Of course the trail became a slick muddy mess. The padding on the straps and waist belt of my pack, which are not covered by the pack rain cover, absorbed the rain, making the Blue Beast even heavier. And the rocks were wet and slippery. My progress slowed considerably.Eventually the rain cleared but the humidity remained. I also think doing over 18 tough miles the day before was catching up with me. I just wanted to lay down and take a nap.Then I reached Barton Brook. Somewhat similar to Sages Ravine, the brook was full of moss covered boulders. The AT crossed the brook, parallelled it for a while, and then zig zagged up the ravine. At one point the trail went up and over a steep rock formation via jumbled boulders trimmed with moss and ferns. It was a weird combination of challenging, treacherous, and intense natural beauty. My heart was pounding but I was in such awe I did not want it to end.After crossing over the rock formation the trail leveled out and started the descent into Dalton. The only motel in town was full for the night. Fortunately a kind and generous man by the name of Thomas Levardi allows hikers to camp in his yard. I had previously called him to make sure he had room for me. All he asked in return was that we follow a few simple rules so we did not disturb his neighbors.I pitch my tent, stowed my pack, and headed to Paddy's restaurant for a burger and Diet Coke. Afterwards I went directly to bed.The AT is calling. It will have to wait until I get a shower, wash my clothes, and pick up my resupply boxes and new boots at the post office.