Date: 2014-06-23
From: Tom Lavardi's Dalton, MA

To: Thunderbolt trailhead
Miles today: 17.6

Tom Lavardi's place is just plain awesome! If you don't stay there then you are just not hiking the AT. Or should I say not experiencing the AT. I started to get everything packed when Tom came back with some fresh doughnuts and coffee from the local shop and invited us in to eat. He doesn't accept donations or anything, just enjoys helping out the hikers. Stories abound, even a few about Earl Shaffer who stayed there on his 3rd and last hike in 1998. Just a wonderful trail angel.Fifteen missed all the goodies as he left out early to get ahead, and by the time I was heading out a new group of thru hikers came by with Rocket Girl being one. Look like they were going to shower up and hit the trail later that day, but I was anxious to keep moving and headed out of town.I caught up with Fifteen before too long and hiked with him a bit till we got to Cheshire. He's retired, and an ex Navy vet who lives in Idaho, but had roots in Alabama. Not a terribly tough 9 mile hike to the next town of Cheshire, but we did see a baby rattle snake! It tried to rattle and scare us, but seems like it just didn't have the strength yet to do so. Either way it was pretty cool to see another one. We arrived in town and stopped by a place called Dianne's Twist for an ice cream float. Fifteen couldn't help himself and got another one! I gave him the $55 I owed him which felt good to get that off me, and we headed back up the hill for the second half of the hike. The next shelter I stopped in for some dinner and was debating weather to stay or not. It was kinda early and I really was interested in getting to Mt. Greylock the highest point in Massachusetts for either a sunrise or a sunset. I felt a burst of energy after eating my dehydrated spaghetti and pushed on another 3 miles to the summit. Mt. Greylock was very gorgeous. I arrived about 7:30 which means I needed to mosey around for a bit since the sun doesn't set till almost 9! The stone monument tower is closed for 2 years for some reason so no one was going on top of that thing, but views were abound anyway. Seems to have been a great ski spot back in the 30's, but is no longer in use for a slope. Times have changed. There is a fancy diner and a place to overnight if you wish, but I was just waiting for the sun to set. I did get a few good pictures, but had to move on as it was getting very dark. The next shelter was out of reach so I was on the prowl for a stealth camp. It didn't take me long before I found this small spot just left of the trail. Within a few minutes I was set up, without the rain fly, and got horizontal. 20 minutes later I hear a noise as if someone is walking on the trail, but I turned my headlamp on and saw nothing. It had to be big, maybe a deer? Another noise came just after that. It just occurred to me that I was very much near a highly visited park, which means one thing. Lots of wildlife. I almost considered getting up and moving further down the hill, but I just stayed. Again, another noise and I got a glimpse of a very big and ugly porcupine. I shooed it away with my light but every couple of hours it came back and sniffed around. I usually sleep in a corner of the tent, but tonight I stayed in the middle away from the sides. I hope this thing just stays away. I'm tired!SOTD, Mountain Music, -Alabama