Date: 2010-08-14
From: Cookie Lady's house

To: Tom Lenardi house in Dalton
Miles today: 9.0

Day 26 - Sat Aug 14Plan: Hike into Dalton and stay at a hotel or at Tom's hiker friendly place. Weather: clear skies and cool.We wake up and everything is wet with dew. The air has been very humid all week and with this sudden cool dry air it has left a lot of dew on everything. We are not in a hurry to leave this beautiful place. Genevieve fixes breakfast of fresh eggs scrambled and multi-grain cracker. I see that Roy is getting his mower out from the barn up the hill a ways. I walk up and and ask if I can help. Roy has a leprechuan's twinkle in his eye when he allows that I can mow the back field if I want to. I ask him if there are any special instructions. He replies, "You know how to mow?" Sheepishly I answer, "Yes, sir". He has an old push mower with the wheels all catiwampus. I soon find out why. The blueberry plants are layed out in grid pattern on roughly 7 foot centers. I can see right away there is going to a lot trim work around these bushes which wears on the wheel bushings. I start by trimming around each of the bushes. There about 15 rows by 10 columns so about 150 bushes to trim around. Hmmm...that takes about an hour but as I am trimming around the bushes it is hard not to sample some of the berries. They are huge and incredibly delicious. I find that blueberries are a better thirst quencher than water. I asked Roy what variety they were he said "I don't know but aren't they good?". After I finish trimming around the bushes I mow the rows but of course there is that remaining patch between the bushes that represents the unmowed part of the columns. I have to come back and catch all of those spots. Just as I finish up the mower runs out of gas. I remember that Leprechuan's smile...well it was a fun thing to do. Meanwhile I can see that the ladies of the professional blueberry pickers guild have arrived. They have special baskets that hang off their shoulder. Genevieve has packed up all of our gear and is also out in the field picking berries. I go to find her and get a nice video of her picking berries. I'll try to post soon. A SOBO, Charlie, gives Genevieve some tips for hiking up north since he has just hiked through that country. We eat some berries and cookies for lunch and get back on the road by 12:30. Our base plan is Kaywood Shelter at 6.8 miles but I have been feeling very good last two days and we will evaluate and if we feel good will hike on into Dalton. On flat to downs I am hiking 2.0 - 2.5 mph. We hike together for a change and I keep a good pace that gets us into Kaywood at 4:30. Genevieve heads down the ravine for extra water and I take a 45 minute nap and snack. I have learned even on short breaks to drop my pack and take off my boots to let my feet breathe. I find I quickly chill after hiking so I change out to a dry shirt and cover up with the rain top. These afternoon laps are a big help to me. I wake refreshed and hike a 2.2 mph into Dalton. Genevieve is waiting for me at the edge of town. There is trail magic at the end of the trail so I pick up a Sprite and take a short break. We call the two hotels in town but they are booked so we decide to head up Depot street to Tom Lenardi's house. That turned out to be an excellent choice!! Tom has been taking in AT hikers for over 30 years. The trail goes right down Depot street in front of his house. When we arrive there are four tents already setup in the yard and a bunch people we have already met on the trail hanging out inside watching "The Big Lebowski" movie. We go out to dinner at the Mill Tavern with Bismark and Blue Sky. Chili Pepper also join us. Chili Pepper are a father son team. Chili is 11 and Pepper is about 50 I would say. They both look sharp in their hiking kilts. We eat heaps and heaps of food washed down with Sam Adams beer. Genevieve stays up to hangout with the young hikers. I hit the sack and it is soon lights out.