Date: 2007-09-21
From: Mt.Algo Lean-To

To: Stoney Brook Campsite
Miles today: 17.5

mi. 17.5sleep hammockdest. Stoney Brook Campsite day 71 Well its a good thing I don't believe in posien ivy. If I did I would be having some issues right about now. Apparently the woods where I am camped are covered with them. I saw that last night, but I was to flostered with what was going on to care. Later on laying in my hammock I was thinking about it. Also I don't care what anyone says, raindrops falling or nuts falling sounds like footsteps. I woke up a few times to that sound. It was intermittent and all over the place, so that was what I was hoping it was. The woods are also very dark. And when you are staying somewhere where you don't want anyone to find you, it makes it even darker. No shining the headlamp around here. But I woke up before 6 am and packed up. I was walking before 7am. I originally thought about a shower. The power plant I passed said they have a shower on the outside of one of the buildings that they let hikers use. So I walked the .5 or so back to there. I found it and tried out the water. Way too cold to use on a cold morning. Plus it was on the side of the building where anyone passing or people in the building could watch. I am sure it is good entertainment on a hot day in peak thru hiker season. But I wasn't going to try on a cold morning. So I turned around and headed south. Only a little under a mile out of the way. It was worth the shot for a shower. There was a store .5 down the road I was at, but I already had a ton of food on me. I wanted to eat it down and save money. I stopped for a little snack before I got too far. CT has a lot of road walking. It wouldn't be so bad if there was a good shoulder to walk on. Most of the road walks were on busy or busy enough 2 lane roads with a narrow shoulder. All the more fun. I was really feeling the shower. I am starting to feel nasty from all of the sweating. I am aiming for a shelter close to the river, so hopefully there is a swim in my future. I haven't done that in awhile. For the time being I am sittaling for washing off with a little camp sudds by a spring. Don't worry I am a good ways away so not to contaimanate the water. I am feeling really low in energy today too. I skipped dinner since I wasn't in a god spot to cook, plus I pigged out in town. So I ate a big second breakfest. My mom was kind enough to send a bunch of cookies. I gave half plus some other stuff to Mountain Mike. He was hurting for money and was trying to do some old jobs for money in town. Plus he sent some food my way when I was running short on food. The hiking today went really slow. I was hoping with my early start I would get done early or farther than what I was shooting for. I took a break at a shelter 8 miles in around noon. I had a bunch of snacks and am planning on a town stop tomorrow, so I ate up. The hike after that went a little better, but it was a hot one today. I also didn't talk to anyone until after 1pm when I passed a spread out group of weekenders. I was thinking I would see more on a weekend. Oh and yeah having my hammock back for a day and finally feeling close to normal again with my tailbone, I almost screwed it up again. I am actually surpried I didn't. I sat my pack down on a large rock at hang glider view. They used to fly them off of here. It also overlooked part of a 15 mile race track that some cars were running on. A good stop for a break. Me being the genius I am tried to walk on the damp rock instead of around it. And I slid and landed on my butt, then slid off and landed on my feet. Luckily this is a quick fall and not a long fall. A quick fall you do not realize it or have time to think choice words until after you fall. A long fall you have time to think about it on the way down. I think for me a quick fall is around 3 feet and a long one around 6 feet. The middle is a little fuzzy. Luckily though I ended up, get it ended, ok. I was thinking the worst for a mintue or so after. It still stung. I was really feeling it towards the end of the day. Thankfully the last 1.5 or so was on a level trail next to the river. I was greated there with a woman day hiking with her dog running loose. It was really cool that her rather large dog came running up to me and barking rather loudly. I also like the mean look in the dogs eyes. All the while the owner was saying it's ok she will only bark. I'm thinking sure and I'm only going to stab it with my trekking poles. Got to love some dog owners. After all according to them, everyone loves their dog as much as them. Anyways. The plan was to originally go to the shelter and hammock close. That would give me a good place to sit and eat and hopefully repair my pack. So I got to the shelter. I read there the only girl is about 1.5 days in front. Clay, who I hiked with in Maine and goes by Woodward, is 4 days in front. Karl and Jason never really signed in. But from the sound Woodward is hiking alone. The 3 of them were partnered up. I wonder what happened. He is plugging away some big miles and staying about the same infront. So I might not run into him again. I was looking for the water. I learned my lesson on this before. Always find the water source at a shelter before you unpack. I couldn't see it, so I looked in my guide. The source is the stream I passed .4 before the shelter right next to the campsite. No way I was walking all the way down and all the way back just to hang next to the shelter. I loaded up, got water, and headed for the campsite. I was going to swim, but walked all the way up to the campsite first. About .3 or so up. I got there and decided to for go swimming until tomorrow morning. If it is even a little warm, I'm going for it. The campsite has a lot of falling things from the trees way overhead. Some nuts and some stitcks and pine needles. I am still a little gun shy from yesterday. Now when I hear anything falling close, I'm ducking for cover. I topped of the evening with some journaling and lots of food. Not in the order. The foodbag is hung, stll not prefect, but way better than last night. This site is actually pretty nice. Although I am across the river from a road, so I am still getting those sounds. There is also a lot of small planes that fly overhead. I heard a train loud and clear ealier, so I am sure one will wake me up at some point. Now I am comfortably in my hammock and going to read a little before bed. I need to make some progress and finish my huge book. I am going to stay away from the 450 page book next time. I could rip out half of it, but that seems like a big waste to me.