Date: 2009-07-11
From: Just shy of Prospect Mountain

To: Riga Lean-To
Miles today: 9.2

So once again TMax leaves and the skies upon up with her revenge. I will let you judge for yourself whether this is coincidence or not, but I am ready to bet my money on the or not part. The next few days went well though, even if I did drag my ass from time to time. No wonder they do not let athletes spend time with their girlfriends before a big game! Unfortunately, the Kent post office did not have the memento I was to carry the rest of the trail for Longhaul, even though he overnighted it to them last week. There goes the last reliable government institution in this country. My feet are sore again from the new boots, but at least the hordes of flying mind driving crazy insects are keeping me from concentrating on that. These little towns in New England are nice, but watch out how much you pay for those homemade chocolates. There is something to be said for the same old snickers bars. So I won't mention that I once again fell victim to my water and electronics thing. The Yankees will have to wait for a few days until i can listen to them again, but more disturbing was the rattlesnake I came close to stepping on as I headed to a shelter for a quick rest. It was between five and six feet long and my hand would not have fit around its belly. I sure am glad that it rattled at me before I came too close. 18 inches was just fine for me. Topo was laughing at me. He said that I moved pretty damn quick when I wanted to. He wanted to know what all the fuss was about, it was just a snake. Sure, the rattler would not want to ingest him, but I am sure he would have enjoyed my blood just fine. It is good having Topo as a companion, but from time to time he shows some dark humor. The pictures came out rather well. and in a week or two, TMax may get a chance to share them with you. I took a shower last night at the spigot by the hydroelectric plant. Then I walked up the 1000 feet (a little over two miles) as slow as I could in order to feel clean at camp. It was tough walking so slowly, seeing that I had on my nylon pants and my bug jacket to keep the bastards at bay. This has really been the worst I have encountered anything like this, sans black fly debacles, and last night some day residue found its way into my dreams when I found myself atop a mountain and staring at a black cloud coming at me, buzzing all the way and scaring the crap out of me. I was starting to think that the black flies were not all the bad, until I remembered the welts that last for over a week. I will stick with the skeeters, even if they are noisier. Today was a short day into town, and I need to do five more miles before the thunderstorms and hail come this evening. The rest of the week will be interspersed with 20 mile days and very short days, as I plan to stay at the Byrd Cage in Dalton (recommended by the Mayor of Unionville!) before meeting up with TMax Thursday night for our hike over Greylock (her home mountain which she has scaled numerous times) and into her dad's camp on Friday. I have decided that I have only taken one zero day so far, but the 18 TMax days have kept me sane on this trip.Solo appears to be a day ahead of me (but he will lengthen that while I linger this week) and Sir Richard is not too far from my reach. CuppaJoe and Duct Tape (I like that name better than Paulman) have far outdistanced me and may never be seen again, but Spitfire and No Toys should pass me soon, since they took a longer than expected vacation recently. Even Monkey Wrench is coming up strong. It would be nice to see them all again. With luck I can keep in touch regularly, but one never knows once I get into more remote areas. Thank all of you for sharing in this journey with me. I miss you all and hope to have a reunion in the fall, after Terri locks me away for a week or so, allowing us to just hold each other and making sure that I understand that I am never allowed to leave her for this length of time again. Thanks my love, you are the best, and I really do not know what I would do without you. Without you and Topo, I would have given up long ago. Less than seven hundred miles to go, and that state with only one syllable looms closer and closer. I sure hope all those Stephen King books I read have nothing to do with reality, but I will be vigilant all the same.....topofgothics