Date: 2009-07-12
From: Cobble Rd., Salisbury, CT - Trail Mile 689.9

To: Laurel Ridge Campsites - Trail Mile 680.3
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

Day 22[Watson & Holmes have arrived.Photo received with this caption: "H is much faster on these rock scrambles than I am!!"Another photo received with the caption: "Top of Bear Mtn, highest point in CT."A third photo received with the caption: "Entering Mass. - After crossing Sages Ravine."Her journal entry:]Laurel Ridge CampsiteWoke up surprisingly well rested despite the 1 am and 4 am walks. Very happy with the decision to stay in town - those thunderstorms were pretty bad!I took H for another walk first thing, then left him muzzled on the porch while I dressed and packed up. Maria offered a breakfast of bagels, eggs, orange juice, and bananas. Awesome. I skipped the eggs to save time and because I was hoping the ice cream shop in town might be open by the time I finished the rest of my shopping. Off to the pharmacy and grocery store for a couple things, but most importantly: dog food, ibuprophen, a nail brush, more toothpaste, Clif bars, and some fruit. H is not happy to wait outside (big surprise) but receives many compliments. Along the way he sits nicely as a two-year-old girl meets her first real dog. Awww. I also met another AMC RidgeRunner in the grocery store. He mentioned the woman up the street with the dog is worried and wants to make sure that the hiker and the dog that her dog attacked are OK. Sweet of her. H is fine, btw. Unfortunately, though, my ice cream shop has since closed down. (I'm using the pdf version of the guidebook which is only as up-to-date as last year's printed book.) Instead, I was treated to a quick call from DD. Totally makes up for the lack of ice cream.Back at Maria's I feed H his recently acquired breakfast and repack my bag. We're on our way out of Salisbury around 11 am and on our way we reassure the woman with the dog -which is stuck inside today- that we're fine and no harm was done. We're soon into the woods and up a bit of a climb. By 1 pm it's rather warm and we're at Riga Shelter, which comes highly recommended. It's a bit early for our afternoon break, but we stop in to check it out and find our friends Ducky & Madison already there. They made it up the ridge the night before, and spent the night sheltered from the storm. They also got to see the beautiful sunrise from east-facing Riga Shelter. Now they're waiting for Ducky's friend to join them for a day. We chat a bit while I make lunch, and soon in walks L-Train. We chat a bit more. H looks like he could use a bit more of a break, and to stay out of the mid-day heat I settle in for some journal-writing. A bit later we're joined by Angry Beaver and Prairie Dog (a couple) who tell the story of the rabid skunk in their tent. The journal writing effort ended there. Sorry, all!OK, it's 4 days later and I have yet to finish this entry. I'm going to jot down some highlights and get caught up. Hopefully I'll be able to fill in more later:Quick walk from Riga to Bear Mtn summit & monument.Trail magic (beer & soda) carried up by Chef (AT'07).Advice not to camp at Sages Ravine (buggy) much appreciated!!Finally entered Massachusetts!Long chat with Mom, Dad & Uncle John, and slept well.42° 4' 0.31" N 73° 26' 16.89" W, 1778 ftFor HarveysMom by Harvey's GrandPop