Date: 2010-05-07
From: Mark Noepel Shelter

To: North Adams
Miles today: 9.6

I woke to a cold morning - 40 in the shelter and 37 outside the shelter at the picnic table just in front. I started early again, 6:30 - and the knee seemed to be cooperating. The wind ws still blowing in the morning but not as ferociously as in the evening. However I was glad for the shelter of the evergreens on the ridge all the way to Greylock. Bascom Lodge, a tourist atraction on top of Greylock, was not yet open. I knew it was not open until at least next week but I fantasized on the way up how I would love to stop in for a second breakfast of waffles swimming in butter and syrup. Oh well. As it was, I owned the mountain and the cold wind. I took pictures of the views and the lodge and the war memorial and then started down the ridge from the mountain. It was actually a pretty easy descent the first couple miles with a couple peaks thrown in on the ridge. An older day hiker passed me going up and we chatted about light weight gear and he asked me to look for his nalgene on the way down. I did not see it though. And hey, I'm not the only one who loses things. I had started in my long underwear since it was the last day, I was cold and I would not be needing it tonight. But as the day warmed, I shed layers. On Mt Williams I met Kelly, a very young hiker out to run up the mountain. She stopped and talked with me a bit. Then she went on and I realized the trail she had come up was the one I needed to go down. I did not rush all morning but took my time, taking pictures of trout lilies, trillium and spring beauties, shedding clothes, eating, resting the knee. I stopped at Prospect to enjoy the view, I think the lovliest on this trip. My body was tired, the knee pretty fragile. But as I looked at the beautiful view of North Adams and the unfolding mountains going north I wanted to just soak it in and then keep going north. It was my last real view of the trip and it was beautiful. I felt like Kathy and I felt on our last night in the Sierra. If it weren't for bodies wearing out and exhaustion, we could keep going forever. I guess only another hiker would understand that state of mind. I ate my last trail bar and thought how nice it would be just to sit there taking in the view and dozing in the sunlight but the breeze picked up again to remind me I had a very steep descent to town - 1500 ft in about a mile. It was very steep and some on slippery dry leaves but I was thankful it was not on cliffy rock like the descent from Bear Mountain. Leaves, BTW, are very interesting. Most of the leaves still on the ground at this time of year are oak leaves. They decompose more slowly than any other in the forest. On this descent there were oak leaves but also other leaves as well. So I went slowly and carefully and it took me a while to get down. When I got to town and was approaching the highway I was wondering which direction to turn. Either direction had options for reaching a place to meet Steve and eat but either was .5 mile or more away. As I approached the highway a man got out and said, "Hey, AT hiker, can I take you somewhere in town while you are here? Where do you want to go?" Wow! I hadn't even gotten to the corner and I had a ride! My own driver to take me somewhere. Thank you driver! I think he said his name was Dean but I don't remember for sure. Thank you, whoever you were. So I was delivered to the Subway where I had a footlong even though it was only 3:00. I also got hold of Steve and within an hour he was there also bearing my little black pack pouch. Now there is a story about the pack pouch. The bag had been opened, probably by a northbound AT hiker, only one seemed likely. The headlamp, knife, and nail clippers were gone. Then it had been left open and it looked like some critter got the candy and chewed on the chapstick and the medication although it rejected the later two. But the bag was not harmed at all. Interesting. I hope whoever it was really needed the headlamp but he wll have a surprize when he tries to use the batteries in the extra bag as they were dead ones I was waiting to dispose of in town. I was sad because the yellow feather I picked up in PA to give to my grandson was in that battery bag which was taken. I really think the hiker should have taken the whole thing. To pick up something someone lost and may not be returning for is a little understandable but to rifle through it and leave stuff that would attract wildlife shows a lack of couth and kindness for the trail. But how nice it was of Steve to have looked for it, found it and returned it to me! Steve was a real piece of trail magic. So I lost some stuff but made a new trail friend. We drove to NY with a stop for pizza. I paid him a donation for gas and bought his pizza and we chattered trail talk the whole way. At West Point we talked to the gate guards and they let us in, even without my identification, and Sara picked me up at the post gas station. Thank you, Steve! - for the ride and the pack pouch and the friendship of the trail. He drove on to his home, Goin' Home, you see. I arrived at my daughter's, had a shower, kissed William who was not yet asleep and chatted with Andrew and Sara. Now I am on a soft bed, clean and with my family. I can now be an old fuddy duddy grandma and lose things and they will be found and returned to me. My son called me too. It is good to go hiking and it is even better to have family and life is good.