Date: 2006-07-10
From: Grange Hall Road, MA

To: Mark Noepal Lean-to, MA
Miles today: 16.4

Cell goodI had a very nice visit with DieHard and his wife, Gail, last night and this morning. They served a very filling breakfast as we continued our conversations from yesterday. DieHard drove me back to the trailhead where I got off yesterday, and I resumed my hike. After I left, he went home and would soon be heading out to his starting point. DieHard is back on the trail tonight. He feels strong enough, and his knee isn't giving him any trouble. He told me he will set goals of how far he will go, and decide if he'll go further at that time. I hope he is able to stay out as long as he wants to - I know he enjoys this and wants to do much more of it. Good luck DieHard, I wish you the best! Because I left the trail a few miles before Dalton, MA, the first thing I had to do was to walk into Dalton. The trail goes right through town, and you walk on sidewalks for a while. I had a mail drop at the Post Office, so my first stop was to pick it up. I then had to open my pack, and repack it with the additional food. I think I have way too much food now. Normally I would leave the extra in a hiker box; this PO didn't have one, and I didn't know where I could leave the extra food.The hike from Dalton was pretty smooth, and I was very comfortable. I stopped for lunch next to a stream where I filtered water and made a quart of Gatorade. I try to re-hydrate each day at that time to ensure I'm drinking enough. I use a technique called camel-up. That is when you drink a good amount of liquid, and then resupply your water supply equipment {canteen, Camelback, Platypus, etc.}. The idea is to hydrate when you can, and don't miss an opportunity to do so.At one point I came upon a hiker, "Swiss Miss," who I've seen the over last two days. She was heading towards me, which meant she was heading southbound. She was dropped off on top of Mount Graylock, and was hiking back into Dalton. She will be picked up to go visit some friends tomorrow, and Dalton is a better place for it to happen. Her situation sounds so similar to the time Sue and I hooked up in Damascus,VA.She had just gone through Cheshire, MA, and informed me there was an ice cream store right on the trail. Of course I had to stop there and have a Rootbeer Float! When I got to the store, there was a family buying ice cream. The father asked me where did I hike from and where was I hiking to. When I told him, he got all excited, and he got his kids involved in the conversation. It was nice to answer the kids¢ questions. I was asked where I slept each night, was I ever in danger from wild animals, which animals have I seen, what do I eat, and how do I cook my food.I reached this shelter at 4:45 pm. I chose not to go any further, as I don't like to hike too late. This site has wooden tent platforms for the tents to be set up on. I am in the tent to avoid the mosquitoes again. The wooden platform has its own set of challenges. My tent is not a free standing tent. That means I have to put tent stakes in the ground at a few points to hold it up. A free standing tent will stand up on its own and doesn't need stakes to hold it up. I was able to accomplish getting my tent up by using ropes that are attached to hooks along the edge of the platform. I attached these ropes to my tent at the front and back of it. I then had to use a few hooks of my own to pull the rain fly into position. It all worked out well, and the tent is now up.I'll be seeing more platforms in New Hampshire when I go above tree line. I decided to figure it out now, and have a plan for later.I believe I may be the only one here tonight, its 8:40 pm and I'm all alone. If someone comes in during the night, I probably won't hear them, and I'm usually gone before they get up. This is life on the trail - there are early birds, and night owls, too. We seem to get along okay, and we try to not disturb the others. It seems to work okay most of the time.I had a fellow pass me this afternoon who started at Springer Mountain, GA, on May 9th. That is almost two months after me. His trail name is ¢Crazy Nuts.¢ He went by me so fast that I didn't get the story why. I was climbing a hill at the time and he disappeared out of sight in no time. I doubt I'll ever see him again.Old Goat Sue's Note: Old Goat was so happy to see DieHard and Gail, and have a nice visit with them. He so enjoyed his time there. We wish you the best, DieHard! Hike on! Old Goat warned me that DieHard said Old Goat is heading into an area with poor cell phone coverage, so I'm expecting to have days at a time with no call. This was pretty common in the Appalachian Mountains, Shenandoah Mountains, etc. We learned to deal with it. I miss the calls, but I understand. As for "Crazy Nuts," I wouldn't be surprised if his trail name comes from being nuts to hike the AT so aggressively. I'm not putting him down, I just can't imagine doing the AT so fast! Wow! Apparently he's a very fast hiker and hiking 30-35 miles each day. More power to him! I wish him luck with his quest! Old Goat said he slowed a little to chat for a couple minutes, then moved on and out of sight quickly! Wow! There are so many amazing things about this whole experience...the way different people approach the AT being one.