Date: 2017-06-14
From: Williamstown

To: Seth Warner Shelter 
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: overcast clouds

6/14Seth Warner Shelter, tenting 6.9 milesIt poured last night. I didn't think much about it at the time, but in the morning when I noticed the wet tables and chairs outside, I was grateful not to have to take down a wet tent. I woke up tired at five and went back to sleep. A little after six I woke up still tired, but started moving around. I was tired enough to seriously consider staying at the motel another day. JD suggested that the heat in the last two days might be responsible. I think it was a contributing factor. I find the heat draining, plus I wasn't eating much. I did have restaurant meals every day, but I think it still didn't add up to enough. Dale suggested lower mileage and more food, and I think he's right. I get anxious about Lyme whenever I get fatigue like that. Having had it four times, I know that fatigue is a good indicator. But so are fever and headache and body aches and swollen glands, and I don't have those. However if I start having additional symptoms, or the fatigue isn't relieved by rest and food, I'll find somewhere to get checked out. The breakfast at the motel was startlingly good. Mostly I was excited about the fresh fruit and dove into the cherries and strawberries. But there were a variety of pastries and nine kinds of bread/bagels/English muffins to toast, plus juices and coffee and spreads and yogurt and cereal. It was better than breakfast at most large motels, and even better than most B&Bs that I've been to. My overall experience at Willows Motel was excellent. It isn't high end, but it's clean and comfortable, and there are many little touches that show they care. After breakfast I decided to thin out the pack a little. I removed excess food and beverages, my extra phone charger (as the higher capacity one I bought in Great Barrington is working well), and $3.31 in change. That's a lot of metal to be carrying around.  The pack felt quite a bit better afterward, even though I added back a bottle of coke. I'm still carrying more food than I need, but I couldn't make myself throw away any Packit Gourmet meals. I had ended up with at least a week's worth of beverage mix, which I ruthlessly winnowed. I also still have an entire bottle of spiced rum. I opened it tonight and it doesn't appeal anymore. Dammit. I should have stuck with scotch. The hiking today was pleasant and pretty, with the added bonus of crossing another state line. Metso and Pierogi were lunching near the sign so I got Metso to take my picture. I ate lunch (aka reducing pack weight) and headed north again. Mindful of my energy, I stopped at the first shelter. The next is seven miles away and would have meant arriving quite late. Several other folks are tented here. I'm set up across a log from Old Growth. The bugs have been pretty fierce, so as of right now, nobody is in the shelter. I wouldn't be surprised if later arrivals sheltered, though. It will be much cooler tonight. The bugs should settle down in a few hours. Tomorrow if all goes as planned, I'll hike to the Bennington crossing and get a ride to town. I would like to wash my clothes again, though that isn't a requirement. I definitely need to get three days of food. If I'm there at the right time I'd like to ship some gear, too. I don't think I need a fleece top *and* a down jacket now. They were nice in late April, but it's June now. Hard to believe. Hard to believe that much time has passed. Or that I've walked nearly 600 miles.