Date: 2015-06-10
From: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter

To: Salisbury
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: clear sky

I woke up repeatedly last night and had to put my earphones in and listen to music. The sounds of the forest were too disconcerting for me to sleep properly. I eventually left about 7.15. I wasn't worried, as I knew I had plenty of time to get to Falls Village by 12. The sun was shining brightly, and it was a beautiful day. Of course the trail was still damp, and the green coverage makes it impossible for most of the trail to dry out properly. Fortunately this also means I am saving a ton of sunscreen. The trail felt very generous today. There were several short sections that were arduous uphills and steep slippery downhills, but there were more sections of gentle inclines or declines. Even some nice flat sections! I met my friend in Falls Village for lunch. When I got there, I discovered that the entire village was basically shut on Wednesdays, so we ended up having to drive for miles to find somewhere for lunch. After, we stopped by the 'Great Falls' which the village was named after. The falls are now largely used to power a hydroelectric plant, so don't have much water anymore. Still, the shaped rocks were a mildly interesting sight. I was also able to point out the white blazes that I would be passing later that day. Whilst my friend was driving, a doe and then a fawn dived in front of the car. We were all lucky that she wasn't speeding at the time. It's the first time I've seen a fawn out here.I went back to the trail from Falls Village about 2.30. The sun was blazing fiercely. I sometimes can't believe how powerful the weather is here- the rain storm yesterday, the burning sun today. The seven miles to Salisbury were quite nice. There was a single hill to climb over and then it was all just nice gentle trail. I discovered that my little chocolate snacks had all completely melted from the heat, which was a bit funny, except I have no way of reconstituting them so I can eat them. I got to Salisbury sometime after 5, and went straight to the house of Maria McCabe. She is one of the two women in town who provide beds for hikers, at a fee. Maria is the cheaper one, but I have no idea if her service is any less than the other. She is an 86 year old woman with a remarkable amount of energy. She drove me to the shop so I could buy some new (unmeltable) snacks, before heading off to a family birthday party. Her house is very homely, and has many elements that I associate with very old people. It is quite clean and comfortable. I am currently in the living room space, where there is a bed set up. All of the male hikers have other rooms upstairs, but that's because they were here before me. At least I won't have to hear them snore. Before she left for the party, Maria looked at me and commented that the bugs were coming out. She knew this, because I am covered in bug bites. There are about 15-20 bites from black flies and mosquitoes on my body right now, including multiple ones on my scalp and around my hair line. I cannot tell you how impossibly itchy I feel. I have my little Benadryl itchy stick right beside my head for when I inevitably wake up with an uncontrollable need to itch. It happens every time. Sometimes when I have an itchy bug bite, I cover it with a plaster/bandage so that I can't scratch it. If I did that now, I would look like a burns victim from all the bandages I would need. I have no idea where I'm going tomorrow. Today I celebrated my 99th day on the trail. I had a very nice meal. Actually, I would have even celebrated with a McDonalds, but the fancy place was the only one open at the time. Tomorrow I have to go into Great Barrington to resupply. There is nowhere to stay nearby except for the hotels in the town. I may instead try to stealth camp a bit before town somewhere.