Date: 2017-08-17
From: US44 - Salisbury, CT - Bearded Woods 

To: Glen Brook Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

1. Date: Starsday, Wedmath 26 (8-17)2. Day 1143. Morning temp: 574. Weather: cool, clear, calm5. Time start: 08206. Time stop and miles: 1608/13.17. End point: Glen Brook shelter Log:I have noticed that when it comes time to leave a Hostel, I get both antsy and reluctant. It seems that I really enjoy being that plugged into the Matrix at these places. But I know that I have trail to walk, so I also want to get going.So as Big Lu dropped me off just outside Salisbury where I had left the trail yesterday, I was a little bit car sick and a whole lot home sick. I started slowly, wearing my rain jacket to keep warm until I got the sweat flowing. I soon shook off the unhappy feelings and started to enjoy the morning. I made pretty good time up past Lions Head and two close together shelters. I soon passed Kitchen Sink who was heading sobo today. Descending Bear Mtn was a bear, as it was steep and rocky for quite awhile. It was slow going for a long while and then the grade moved towards level and I started cruising. Just around the border of MA I came to a bunch of roots exposed across the trail. A half second of lapsed concentration and my left foot hit a root off center and tried to turn on me. My natural reaction when this happens is to quickly stab my poles in the ground to shift my weight. I did this, but my momentum kept me moving forward and I started to go down. These things always seem to happen in slow motion, so, as I started falling I opened my hands and fell onto my pole handles. My right knee also took some of the fall. I lay on the ground for a couple of seconds waiting for any pain to tell me if anything was damaged. I seemed ok, so I unbuckled my pack and slipped my hands out of my pole straps. I stood up and assessed the damage. My ankle felt fine. The weight shift had worked. The heels of my hands hurt a little, but there were no abrasions. My right knee didn't fare so well. It had taken the brunt of the fall, but again no abrasions and it wasn't too bad. I continued on, saying to myself that I must have tripped over the border. I would survive.Sages Ravine was pretty cool. There were a couple of real nice water holes that would have been refreshing, but the day wasn't hot enough yet.I stopped for lunch at one of the campsites and after I got going, I caught up to Scrambles and Grouch. I stayed behind them as we climbed and descended a few mountains.Eventually we passed a couple of hikers who I remembered from yesterday. They were Q-Tip and Donkey. They were also with "Kris" aka Sinatra the notorious serial killer hiker that has been blowing up the Class of 2017 FB page by the cyber hikers. Or so they want you to believe.I got behind the others as we started climbing the last Mtn, Mt Everett, which totally kicked my ass.Near the shelters, there is a picnic area by a pond and someone left several gallons of water and two coolers with very cold water in them. We all rested here for awhile and then headed on. All the others were heading to Great Barrington, another 8.5 miles, but my day was ending in .5 at the shelter area.I came in a little after 1600 and found a nice spot for the hammock. I had dinner and am ready to get a better night's sleep than I did the last too nights in a bed.Rain is in the forecast for all day tomorrow. I can't wait to see how that goes.Fauna: garter snake, squirrel, chipmunk VOD: Top of Bear MtnSmell: bacon at breakfastSound: My panting breath High: Finding a nice setup spot at the shelter area.Low: Climbing Mt EverettHope: That the rain is manageable tomorrow