Date: 2014-06-29
From: glen brook shelter

To: MA 23
Miles today: 16.3

We got going early with a plan to hike 16 miles to the east mt retreat center. Cindy was to meet us at the road and drive us the mile and a half to the retreat. We went down over mt bushnell, a really rocky mt with a steep descent and down to the low land of mass. It was hot early and some of the trail ws out in the open for the sun to beat on us. We passed a marker for shays rebellion. I like to see the historical markers but wish i knew more about what happened. The gist of the rebellion was about the govt getting into peoples business. Kind of like big brother, not much has changed. I again crossed the housatonic river, for the third time. We checked a garage sale before we turned back into the woods but there was nothing we needed. Then a gradual thousand foot climb up east mountain. I was sweating like mad by the top. The woods offers shade but also seems to be more humid. Its definitely a sword with two edges. Tom Leonard shelter was two miles away but seemed to take forever to get there. Its mentally torture when youre expecting to be someplace and it takes way too long to get there. I took a little break when i finally found it and got ready for the final push to the road. Just before we got to the road i saw a bear running away. I only saw him for a quick second, he wasnt hanging around for photos. We waited at the road for cindy and she picked us up a few minutes later. Shortcut showed up just in time to get a soda and some fruit she brought. Then we set off for the retreat. Looper had called ahead as he usually does, there was room for us. We showed up and it got weird. The first thing was the lady came out on her upper deck to talk to us and asked if we were the ones that called ahead. We were. She said we were cheating by using a cell phone and a car. Huh? Then looper wanted to reach up and pet her dog. She said no, she had a thing about not petting her dog, ok. Then she asked if cindy was a hiker. Obviously she was not hiking the trail but the three of us are. We were going to tent and looper and bubba were going to stay in the bunk room. She was hung up on cindy not being a hiker, i said we would pay extra. That was not good enough. Dont you have hiking boots she asked. No. Shes not hiking! Then she got irritated with the car. You have to get rid of the car she told us. Take it back to the road, its only a half mile away. I cant see the car, you need to get rid of it. That went on for a few more minutes before we said ok, we will go get our gear before we move the car. We left. There was no way we were gonna stay with that fruit loop. We ended up finding a nice motel in great barrington for $65 bucks. It was a nice clean room and right across the road from a gas station. That is a great perk for a hiker, we could just walk over and get a load of stuff to drink and snacks. A shower and dinner finished out the night. For some reason i have not been sleeping well indoors for a while now and tonight was no different. It irritates me when i cant sleep in a real bed, whats the matter i ask myself? Oh well, i will be back in my tent soon enough. Felling sooiled, feeling lucky to be with good people, feeling like this is a dream im living.