Date: 2012-07-08
From: Dalton, MA

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night was so wonderful that Dickel, Byline, Flint, his brother, and I were pretty much loath to leave. we hung around most of the day, watching one more movie and resting. Looking at my guidebook I had 24 miles to Williamstown where I was hoping to meet with a favorite college professor who had just relocated there. That distance was too far for one day as it included a 4000 Ft climb over Mnt. Greylock, but also too short to really pressure me into heading out too soon since I figured I'd break it down into a 10 and 14 mile day. Finally around noon I gave in and packed up to head out. The boys who are much faster hikers than I am were all, "come on Magpie, stay for another movie, we'll knock out those miles in no time." I had to leave though saying no, you guys are all so much faster, but I need to head out now if I want to make these miles.The road walk through Dalton was easy and enjoyable followed by a gradual hill. Soon enough Dickel passed me and we traded teasing comments about my slowness, then came Byline who slowed down and we ended up hiking together a bit. I let my geek flag fly as we are both into a lot of the same scifi, fantasy, anime type things. It's such a relief to have a new topic of conversation, anything else to think and talk about than the same old thoughts. Last night we hikers were talking about how bored you can get on the trail and with the lack of much new things entering your life you kinda get to the point of deciding which same old thoughts you're going to recycle that day. So it was a blast to have new books and series to talk about. My reading let just doubled I think though.Well we got down into the town of Cheshire just 10 miles or so away. I ran into Whoopie and Resource as they were coming back from their 23 mile slack pack and they said both the boys were thinking about calling Rob to see if he'd pick us up and we'd be able to spend another night. I was so excited by this idea I practically ran the rest of the way, finding them at the ice-cream place unmotivated to move. A very brief discussion and awesome call later and we were back in the van again heading to the best hostel I've been at on the trail. Ha, great decision all around. Tonight much of the same crowd is here having zeroed, slack packed, or like us three idiots, carried our full packs 10 miles and then deciding we wanted to come back. But most everyone got in early so we had time to sit around the kitchen table while robbed played great tunes on his guitar. He's a very good player and knows a lot of great classics and other songs. Nothing like a hiker sing along to waste away the time. I cannot express enough how good this stop was, how happy I was, how wonderful Rob is, how amazing it was to sit with all my fellow hikers relaxed and in good company. He had some great quotes around the house, this one being my favorite:"Enjoy life and all that it has to offer. My feeling is that life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to slide in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "woohoo what a ride.""I've heard it before but it was always good to see it again. And then above the door on your way out was a sign that I will try to hold onto at the end of this journey. It read "Don't be sad that it is over, SMILE that it happened."Until the next time I have signal.