Date: 2011-07-13
From: (96) Tom Looward Shelter

To: (97) Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: clear sky

My hideout from the mosquitoes in the shelter loft failed me, but I was able to sleep by using my tarp as a blanket over my body. As for my head, I wrapped my fleece around it like a mummy and unzipped one of the mesh pockets to breathe out of. Around 1 in the morning a loud grinding sound awoke Captain Planet and I, and when I shined my light over the edge of the loft its beam revealed a fat porcupine chewing on the side of the shelter. ¢Hey!¢ I said in a tired voice, ¢Go away!¢ The porcupine, annoyed by my light, waddled lazily away.I hiked fast today, determined to make it to a place called Upper Goose Pond Cabin before it potentially filled up, so that I could get out of the bugs for the night. I ate half of my usual amount of food, and hardly drank any water as I was hiking like a madman. My feet still hurt, but I can tell my muscles are growing strong again. The heat was intense, and I listened to "The Count of Monte Cristo" on my ipod. I passed many picturesque forests and valleys as I went, as well as a fair share of swamps. There are still many pine trees in the area, and the mountains are clearly getting larger, which I enjoy for their views, as well as the mountain man feel that the trail had lost during the middle states. I arrived at Upper Goose Pond Cabin at 3:30, having already traversed 21 miles of mountains (and having taken a wrong turn onto a blue blazed trail for a ways). The cabin turned out to be a two story structure with a porch, living room, kitchen, and fireplace in the downstairs, and a bunk filled upstairs. It is a hostel-shelter hybrid, as it carries many societal comforts, but no shower, laundry, or electricity.At the front of the cabin stretches a large lake as far as can be seen into the mountains. A canoe was docked on the shore of this lake, so Captain Planet and I decided to go exploring. We cast off and headed for an island in the middle of the lake to search for the pirate treasure that would undoubtedly be found at such a place. The island turned out to be empty, so we then paddled toward an opposing shore where there were some cabins along the lake¢s edge. The cabins appeared to be unoccupied, but one of them had been left with its door half open, so we went in to find it furnished, with oil lamps for lighting. It was very old fashioned. Alarmed that the cabin might be occupied after all, Captain Planet and I retreated back to our aluminum vessel. It was raining at this point, and as we paddled back across the lake the storm picked up and we became soaked while paddling against a ferocious wind. (Hunting for pirate treasure is risky business!) We crashed the canoe into the dock as we couldn¢t agree on an appropriate speed or angle, and then tied it fast. By the time we got back the cabin was packed with hikers (easily 14 or more, including Bunyan, Smooth, Red Moose, Vegan, Tridub, etc) They sat in the living room reading, on the porch talking and cooking, in the bunks resting, or swimming in the lake as the storm had passed over (To me it felt like being at a summer camp, and I had a lot of fun). The excitable caretaker, a ten year old boy with a set of keys, ran around unlocking doors and talking to everyone, while his Grandpa (the real caretaker, but don¢t tell the boy) sat on the porch talking and possibly fighting off the urge to fall asleep.With the sun going down, all of the hikers found their way back to their bunks to go to sleep. The room was packed full of people and gear, yet quite and safe feeling. I don¢t know many of the other hikers especially well, or of what character they are, but we are all in the same boat and therefore related. Laying on my bunk (the top one, cause it¢s the best) I had a view out of the screen mesh door of the lake with the moon above it. A cool breeze hit my face, and there wasn¢t a mosquito to be found. I fell asleep. It was well worth hiking today¢s miles fast, as I got to enjoy more time at the Cabin before nightfall. Tomorrow I will travel about the same distance to Dalton, where according to an Email I received on my phone, Portrait has gotten off trail to visit his family in Massachusetts, and says that he will pick me up in Dalton at 4pm and take me back with him. Having not showered or felt the pleasures of the civilized world for some time, I am excited.