Date: 2019-07-02
From: Manchester, VT

To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 125.0

.  July 2, 2019Great Barrington, MAManchester, VT to Great Barrington, MA125 miles        I hiked to the Rt. 23 trail head this afternoon and quickly got a hitch into town. I am feeling Great both physically and mentally.I have not met any southbound hikers yet, but the majority of northbounders I am passing every day, or I meet at the shelters, greet me with big smiles and are happy to stop and chat a few minutes.Going with the flow northbound most days they don't see any other hikers, and we all like to get a little trail info about what's happening up ahead of us.I am only doing a quick cleanup and resupply in Great Barrington before getting back on trail in the morning, so no time for a detailed day by day report.Briefly,6/24 Hiked out of Mancherster, VT then over Spruce Peak, Prospect Rock, and around the base of Stratton Mtn since I have hiked it twice in the past, to Stratton Pond then tented at Story Spring Shelter.6/25 I hiked over Glastonbury Mtn, went up the fire tower, then on to Little Pond Lookout, and I stealth camped by myself at Porcupine Outlook.6/26 I hiked through Split Rock, crossed VT Rt 9, up over Harmon Hill, down past Beaver Ponds and tented near Seth Water Shelter.6/27 I hiked across the border into Massachusetts to the Stop and Shop supermarket in Williamstown, MA. I had panned to get a room in town, but there was a music festival going on that weekend and rooms were going for $200 a night and more, so I hung out at the market a few hours then hiked half way up Mt Greylock and tented at the Wilbur Clearing Shelter.6/28 I hiked over Mt Williams then on up to the summit of Mt Greylock (highest point in MA) and got a excellent breakfast at the lodge. Then hiked on past Jones Nose Overlook and tented near the Mark Nobel Shelter.6/29. I hiked a few miles to the Shell Station/C-store/Duncan Donuts in Cheshire, MA. There is a local outfitter a few miles away who will come and get hikers (Birkshire Outfitters) so I called and they brought me to the store where they put a new tip on one of my hiking poles, and I bought some propane cook fuel. They took me back to thr Shell station. I stopped and got a ice cream on my way out of town, then hiked over Cheshire Cobble to the Crystal Mtn Campsites.6/30. I hiked a few miles into the town of Dalton, MA, had a great breakfast at the Juice N Java. I then bought a couple of hamburgers to go next door at Angelina's Sub Shop and hiked up over Warner Hill to October Mtn. Shelter. I had the burgers for dinner.7/1. Hiked past the Beaver Bog, then over Beckett Mtn, crossed the Mass Turnpike, hiked past Upper Goose Pond, stopped at the AT Trail Stand and got a Coke and some cookies, then hiked up and over Tyrington Cobble, and found a really nice stealth campsite right next to a large brook.7/2 Got up and on trail at 6:30 and got to the Great Barrington trailhead about 1:00pm.I just picked up a few food items at Price Chopper and will hitch back to the trail head first thing tomorrow morning.There are a series of small Connecticut towns coming up in the next week, so I don't know when or where I will do my next overnight stay.My next update will probably be in a week or so.Best,Shilohhttp://www.facebook.com/wes.ri...See my AT 2019 Photos at:https://photos.app.goo.gl/qUmy...