Date: 2007-08-21
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin, Mass

To: Thomas Lavardi's House, Dalton, Mass
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept very well all night and woke up several times after daylight and expected to hear people rumaging around, but that was not the case. It seems that everyone decided to sleep in some. I dont think everyone was up and moving until 8am which is very late on the trail. Jo Anne did wake up and had some hot coffee and blueberry(freshly picked) pancakes ready for "Worldwide" and I. We did alot of talking. Jo Anne was very curious about all of our gear and we talked about this for some time. Joe, her friend, kept commenting on how clean "Worldwide" and I were and how we did not stink. He said the crew the night before was almost unbearable to be around because they stunk so much. I have had many people mention this to me along the trail, especially women. I see these lonely thru-hiker guys and they are complaining about being lonely all the time. I try to tell them to have better hygiene, at least wear some deoderant and cut your nails. I get alot of macho: Im out here to be free and not worry about that stuff. I tell them to do it for others and for the ladies. ANyway, I got going around 10am and was moving very fast. I past quite a few southbounders. One southbounder that I passed had artificial legs below each knee and he was going all the way to GA! What courage! There were a few hefty climbs up Beckett mtn and Bald Top. It also looked like rain all day, though it never did, and it was a cool day in the 60's. I got to the October Lean-To and ate a good mtn house of chopped chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans. As I was sitting there, in came WOrldwide. He was happy to catch me; but, very humble. A young guy and two girls(19-20ish) showed up as we were leaving. I could hear them in the woods while I was eating. I told them we were going to the "Cookie Lady's" house and suggested they do so. I hiked with Worldwide for the 2 miles to Washinton Mtn Rd and walked down to the cookie lady's house; but, she was not home; so, we just got water and no cookies. We then went back and hiked very fast and talked until he lost me on a steep climb. He is another ex-special forces guy and is hardcore and will talk your ear off. He is pretty cool though. I hiked pretty hard into Dalton, MAss cussing the trail maintainers for that going over Warner Mtn right before town. I got into town and went to Thomas Lavardi's home. He let's hikers stay at his house, free of charge. I wanted to go see a guy named Rob who I met at "Trail Days", but, I did not know how to get in touch with him. Next time, Tom. There were about 20 hikers at Tom's. I took a SHower and went and ate at a Chinese Buffet and went back and drank some beers. As I was going to sleep, I listened to one northbound thru hiker(name witheld) talk about his experiences in Iraq. It was totally heartbreaking. There are alot of veterans out here getting over their war memories. I alos met a thru hiker named "Cheese" from WIsconsin. He actually already summited Katahdin(Mar 17-Aug 8) and came back to see TOm. He said that Miss Janet talked about another Zero who was at her house on MAr 17 when he started. I said that was me. HE said that he had heard alot about me from MIss Janet. I said I hope it was all good.