Date: 2015-08-08
From: Willaimstown / North Adams MA

To: Tyringham, MA
Miles today: 59.9
Weather: few clouds

Day 64 8/5 9.6 miles M606.2Late start after breakfast at the hotel. I climbed for miles to summit Mt. Greylock (highest point in MA). Steep climb, but smooth easy trail mostly. Some of the trail is along an old ski run. At the top of the mountain is a warming cabin used by skiers. Back in the 1930's, ski races were held from here. The ski run was called the "lighting bolt". A monument to peace sits atop Greylock. Great views. A road also brings people to the summit. I found a lodge for overnighters, as a restaurant. I had lunch, and order dinner takeout. I met again XX and OSHA and we had lunch together. Interesting to note is that I met a woman, her daughter and granddaughter on Mt. Greylock at the lodge. Her son and son's wife live in my neighborhood, her son's wife's brother is my next door neighbor. The woman's daughter has a son hiking the AT. So we had a few things to talk about. A joyful moment.Day 65 8/6 23.4 Miles M629.6Easy trail all day. Early start. 4 miles, then stopped for breakfast at Dunkin Donuts .2 miles off the trail in Cheshire. Walked through a cornfield today! I missed Furnace Hill Road coming out of Cheshire, so walked an extra .5 mile today. Hiked on to Dalton, MA and had lunch at Angelina's. Took a nap on the lawn of the First United Methodist Church, then hiked out with OJ to drink on the trail along with my ice cream cone. I passed through a fern field on Warner Hill, no trees. I don't recall ever seeing a large group of ferns without tree cover. Nice view of Greylock from Warner Hill top. I hiked on a bit late into the evening after trail was getting very dark. I stopped to camp at "The Cookie Lady's" house on Washington Rd. about 100 yards off the trail.Day 66 8/7 16.0 miles (approx.) M645.6Strong, early start today. Hard to tell where mountains are today, they are generally not marked and are not particularly easy to know when I am at the summit. I stopped to order Chinese Food when I crossed the road 5 miles out from Lee, MA. The Berkshire Lake Lodge was 0.1 miles off the trail, I bought a few sodas, took a nap, and then headed out again. Was feeling sluggish all afternoon, not sure why. After about 6 miles, I decided to stop (short of what I'd hoped earlier), but glad I did. I was tired and my feet hurt. I set up the tent next to a stream by about 4:30 and went to bed around 6:00, and slept through to after 7:00 am, leaving camp at about 8:30 am the next morning.Day 67 8/8 10.9 miles M656.5 Stopped in Tyringham, MA to pick up resupply package from the PO and thankfully finally able to get to a computer to update the journal. Took the liberty to have lunch at the town park early afternoon.   I really appreciate the support and comments from all of you. Pictures will be loaded when I have a chance. Nice surprise today walking through Tyringham, fields and marsh with flowers and hills in the background. Tyringham Cobble gave me a nice view of town after a few hundred feet of climbing. Stopped early for the day, 6 pm. Water is good here. Much of the water in S. Mass has been a brownish color, the soil is very black and many of the streams that cross the AT around here drain ponds or marshes. I can drink the water after filtering, but still prefer a clearer source like the one at this Shelter, South Wilcox. The spring is under a boulder and is nothing more than a puddle, but it's cold and clear. I used my small cup for only the second time on the hike. The small cup is the bottom of a water bottle and worked perfectly.