Date: 2008-07-03
From: Lural Ridge

To: Dalton, Mass
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

07/01/08 Lural Ridge to Tom Leonard Lean-to(1495.8)07/02/08 Tom Leonard to Upper Goose Pond Cabin(1536)07/03/08 Upper Goose Pond Cabin to Dalton, MassLeaving Lural Ridge Campsite we were in beautiful woods and crossing clean, clear streams. The hiking was great with soft pine needles and no rocks to speak of. The ferns covered the floor of the forest for acres. It was very quiet, in fact I put my hearing aids in so I could hear just how quiet it was. All the time we are climbing Mt Evert so we will have rocks to climb as we get close to the top and we did. However, the whole ridge is almost sold rock so the walking was not to hard and the views were great. We only had one 1000 foot descent and then a climb back to 1800 feet. Our destination was Upper Goose Pond Cabin, a two story building right on the edge of a beautiful lake. There is a caretaker at the cabin to monitor and make sure the place is not abused. The upstairs was bunked for about 20 people however only about 10 were there the night we were. We went down to the lake to wash off and 6 Iron took a short swim. There was a gas stove in a small kitchen on the firs! t floor so we didn't have to fire up our stove for hot water for the evening meal. Since we had put in a 21.1 mile day it was late when we arrived so we ate and went to bed with the idea of a very early start for Dalton, Mass 20.6 miles away. The game plan was to get there before the PO closed and pick up our mail drop. This is also where we take 4 days off at Martha's sister's home in North Hampton. We really need this break, as we have covered almost 80 miles in the last 4 days. The next morning we were up at daybreak and packing downstairs trying to be quiet when the caretaker came down and started to make coffee and pancakes for everyone. So much for an early start. I asked if I could help and was put to work making the pancakes, which I do very well,if I do say so myself. After about 20 pancakes the caretaker told me to go eat since we wanted to get on the road early. I did and we still left before 0700. What a great place and it functions on donations only.About an hour out while we were stopped for second breakfast up walks Forest Gimp, she's headed for Dalton also. Since she walks fast and so does 6 Iron, I told them to go ahead to Dalton, they might make the PO before it closed. I did catch up with them at the cookie ladies house. That's a house .1 mile from the trail. She makes cookies for thru hikers and lets them get water from her house. After we signed the log book we were back on the trail. 6 Iron and Forest Gimp were out of sight in a few minutes and I looked forward to a 10 mile hike to Dalton where we would meet at the PO. about 3 hours later it started to rain and continued until I got to Dalton. Things started to get slick when I started down hill into Dalton. I only went down one time in the mud,it didn't hurt I just got dirty.Got to Dalton around 1700 and saw 6 Iron at the PO.6 Iron's sister picked us up about 1730 and we were off the trail for 4 days. We should be back out on Mon. the 7th after we pick up our mail drop.Until we come out.CheersCastiro & 6 Iron