Date: 2003-07-10
From: Glen Brook Shelter

To: Tom Leonard Leanto
Miles today: 0.0

AN ALL AROUND GOOD DAYSaw part of the sunrise this morning. Got going at a good pace. It started off fun - going down rocks that had dried off - whew! Then, the terrain was pretty flat. Really cool hiking. At times, it seemed like someone would turn off the lights when we'd enter more dense parts of the woods. At other times, this sweet fragrance filled the air. We kidded around saying that someone was hiding near us, and the fragrance was perfume. It wasn't. It was nature's fragrance. I loved it.I picked mulberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Who needs to bring food when you have all these berries? Amazing views. We'd walk through these corn fields - green as could be - with the mountains of blue off in the distance. What a day so far! The guys and I decided to go to the Pub .8 miles away. As soon as I held out my thumb this lady - Susan - pulled over. Getting pretty good. She drove us to the Irish Pub on US7, and it was closed, so she took us into Sheffield, MA to Lou's Pizza. Enjoyed real food. Fell asleep on a grassy area in downtown Sheffield. Had an easy hitch back by a guy driving a newspaper van. Even though the afternoon was a lot of ups and downs, it was good. Great breeze and views. Mosquitoes did get pretty bad. The shelter seemed like it took forever to reach. A bunch of hikers here tonight. Jesture - making his hacky sacks, Jesse, Truckin, 2 x 4 (Taiyo), Clover, and Snout. Really windy - cool view from the tent sites. I lay in my sleeping bag listening to the hum of mosquitoes as they tried to get in my tent. Hahaha.We reached 1500 miles today, so I thought I'd write to you all what an average day is for us. Those who've hiked before will understand. Wake up at 6 to 7 every morning, no matter how tired you are. Eat a poptart or oatmeal (you've eaten this all 4 months). Pack your bag without even looking at it - you're so familiar with it. Put on the same clothes everyday. If it rained the previous day, they'll still be wet along with your socks and boots. They reek so bad but you soon become used to the smell. Going to the bathroom - hoping there is a privy. Good to have to use but leaves you nauseous because of the smell. Then, you begin your hike. Some days the terrain is easier, others it's hard. Easy meaning you don't have 1000 ft climbs that go straight up. You still have the rocks - huge rock faces that at times you climb on all fours. Keep in mind that you are carrying 35 to 40 pounds on your back. Anytime you stop for a break, a view, you get attacked by either black flies or mosquitoes. You wear sunscreen and bug spray, but they are soon gone as you sweat - leaving you blistered and eaten up. Useless climbs over rocks - you find out that instead of going north, you are actually going in a circle for no reason at all. It seems like whoever mapped out the trail found the most ridiculous climb, all the rocks they could find, and put the trail there. Just hoping that the rocks aren't wet. When you fall, no matter how bad it hurts, you must get up and keep going. You twist, turn, scrape, scratch, and bruise your body. As you hike, you crave foods to find out in reality all you have in your food bag is Ramen or tortillas. Get to pull ticks off yourself just about daily, along with the many mosquitoes you've killed. When you lie down for a siesta at the hottest part of the day, the ants decide to crawl all over you - leaving you with no sleep.Your skin becomes so dark from the dry mud and dirt that has accumulated throughout the day. After walking 7 to 10 hours, you make it to camp. The day isn't over yet. You have to set up your tent, go to the stream to filter your water, find a tree to hang the bear bag, boil your water, cook, clean, then all you want to do is massage your feet. Doing this everyday 7 days a week with occasional 0 days. Pretty tough.Not telling you this to complain but to let you know that hiking this trail isn't easy. It's not a walk in the park. A lot of hard work but a lot of rewards and satisfaction. We get to see the world in a different way. So many beautiful sights and great people. Those things make you forget all the hard, dirty stuff - makes the trail unique, interesting, and fun.