Date: 2015-07-21
From: Glen Brook Shelter

To: MA 23 mile 1529.4
Miles today: 16.3

I heard somebody wake up at 4:40 and decided that was definitely way too early, but when I did finally start to get ready at 6:15 nobody had moved yet. I left camp at 7:15, my latest in a while I think.I was still tired and contemplated a nero or zero in the forseeable future, and when I checked messages this morning while eating a brownie for breakfast, I had email from Colette. She lives in this general area and had offered to host me before I left for my trip. I had actually tried to send her a text yesterday, which she hadn¢t gotten yet, so the email was very timely. I decided to call her once I got to Great Barrington and see if maybe I could visit in the next couple of days.The trail was mostly downhill in the morning and once down, it was swampy and buggy as promised. It was good to be mentally prepared for that! I DEET-ed up and resolved not to stop until I was out of the swamp. I still got a few bites though, the mosquitos seem to especially like getting under the pack shoulder strap and biting through my shirt. It is impossible to scratch!When I got to the bridge past the road to Great Barrington I phoned Colette, who immediately invited me to come today. Her husband Fred knows all the trailheads in the area and we planned for me to hike another 7.5 miles to MA 23 where he would go for his run and pick me up at the same time. So efficient! With the 7.5 miles I did get a halfway decent mile day in and I still get to sleep in a real bed and take a shower and eat real food! Win-win again!The afternoon was a little more challenging, especially since I managed to get myself turned around on top of East Mountain. I am not sure what happened but I thought I was going down the wrong way. I didn¢t recognize anything though, so I kept going, figuring I either would get to the footbridge I had just passed and know for sure that I was going the wrong way, or I wouldn¢t and all would be good. Just before I got to the footbridge though, I ran into Lightning Bolt who informed that yes, I was in fact going the wrong way. So now I had to climb that section all over again. Joy. I think all told it cost me maybe half an hour, so nothing too major, but annoying all the same.There was a really good view just past where I had gotten turned around, which was nice. Massachusetts has been good for views so far. And aside from the bugs (which is a big aside), I am quite enjoying the state.Of course it doesn¢t hurt that Fred met me about 2 miles before the end and hiked back with me, which made the time go really quickly. And then gave me an apple and a clean dry shirt when we got to the car. And chocolate, fresh blueberries, grapes and a Mountain Dew after we got to the house and I had showered. They know what a hot tired hiker likes!We just had a lovely dinner of real food and Colette suggested almost as soon as I got here that they slack pack me tomorrow. Twist my arm! So, I¢ll be hiking another 16.something tomorrow and sleeping another night in a real bed. This hiking thing is really rough in New England!Also, more ponds await me. Plus care packages in Dalton, where I should get on FridayOpen map in new windowWant to add a map to your journal?