Date: 2003-07-01
From: CT 341Kent CT (Fife & Drum Inn)

To: Pine Swamp Brook Lean-To
Miles today: 17.0

Day 110 Avg Mls/Day 13.3Weather: Absolutely beautiful morning...clear, cool, with a blue sky. A few clouds later. High around 81 but best of all low humidity.Today's Nature: Hiking along the Housatonic River...a beautiful wide river.Falls Today 0 Total 4When Charlie and I went to breakfast at 7, it was gorgeous outside. The sky was so blue; the mountains well defined...no haze, crisp and clear. If I didn't have to wait for the Outfitter to open at 9, I could have been hiking in near perfect weather.There was only one place in town that served breakfast and it wasn't that good...Pricy ($4 for 3 small pancakes) and the pancakes that were barely edible...too moist inside. Renegade's Hungry Jack's were 10 times better. Kind of fits with the town itself.After eating we went to the IGA to pick up a few food items. I went to the Outfitter and waited for them to open while Charlie took off for the Trail. They had my Visa card (that I left behind yesterday) and I walked the 1/2 mile out of town and was on the Trail by 9:30. I think it was at Caleb's Peak that I ran into thru-hiker El-Dude. He had been hiking with Dumpy whose parents I met back at one of the NY State parks. He was relaxing on a flat rock taking in a spectacular view. We chatted a few minutes and I hiked on. After the peak the Trail went sharply down hill. I found myself maneuvering down the rocky side of the mountain I had just climbed. I passed a couple of guys section hiking and soon El-Dude passed us all. When I got to the bottom and the Trail went along the base of the mountain, I passed a group of young people training in rock climbing.   It wasn't long before the Trail took a turn down a gravel road and I could see Charlie and El-Dude up ahead getting water. After we took a break, I hiked with Charlie the rest of the day. His knee seemed to be better and the brace must have been worth the $42 he paid for it.We really got a break in that the next section was the longest "continuous stretch of level trail" on thr AT...5 miles. It was nice...went alongside the Housatonic River. We passed a couple of day visitors to the area. I can't remember exactly when, but a NOBO thru-hiker, Brother John, sped by us. I think he started from Springer a month after we did.As soon as we turned up the hill into the woods we found a couple of rocks to eat lunch on. I have to start eating up some of this food I'm carrying. I'm getting another drop box next week. A youth group hiking SOBO stopped and asked us all kinds of questions. We passed 2 more groups later, one NOBO and one SOBO.We got to Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to shortly after 6. We both are tenting in a fairly decent site. The water is a different story. It is from a stream downhill in front of the shelter and it is the worst looking water so far on the Trail. It has sort of a yellow tinge to it. Of course we treated it. The further north you get the fewer actual springs you find. Not like Virginia where you had many springs right out of the ground. I had a cold supper...pepporini and Velvetta on Townhouse crackers while Charlie had his favorite...mashed potatoes.Tomorrow we are going into Salisbury CT for the evening after about a 17 mile day. Hope it's nice and cool sleeping tonight. BTW, the mosquitoes weren't bad all day. It was pest-free hiking. There were a few around camp but not as bad as they could be this time of the year.Thought for the Day: When you've got your health, you've got everything.