Date: 2008-07-27
From: Mother Hen's Home, near Tyringham, MA

To: Napping near Lee, MA
Miles today: 9.7

I woke up in the middle of the night to some heavy thunder and lightening. I'm not sure what time it was...but I was snug in my bed at Mother Hen's home, so I didn't really care. :-) I did wake up shortly after 5am and walked out and pushed the button on the coffee maker. No one REALLY understands just how tough this hiking thing can be. ;-) I went back to my room and started packing my stuff and going through my food bag for the next couple days. I had some good, strong coffee and Mother Hen made some delicious blueberry pancakes for breakfast. We got all packed and Key-Mho-Saw-Bee and Mother Hen drove me back to the trail-head. I got a picture of them before I thanked them for their hospitality. They really made me feel at home....Thanks! I headed into the woods and saw a note from Mrs Gorp. Larry had dropped her off so she could walk back to her home in VT with me. She had been dropped off 45 minutes before me and she said she would be walking north on the Appalachian Trail...and for me to just try and catch her. :-) I started walking at 8:25am and had to climb 1,000 feet right off the bat. It was very wet in the woods from all the overnight rain, so I was being careful not to slip and ruin my "no fall" record this year. I submitted Baldy MT and caught up to Mrs Gorp at Merry Brook. Thank goodness she sat down or I may not have seen her till we got to VT! ;-) Mrs Gorp crossing over the highway It was great seeing her again and having her to walk with for a week or so....I gave her a big hug even though I was wet from sweating up the hill. We walked on together talking and catching up on what's been going on. We crossed Goose Pond Rd, Cooper Brook, then an unnamed hill before coming out to Upper Goose Pond. I was getting hungry and was carrying potato salad, bagels and blueberry muffins that Mother hen had sent along with me, so we sat down and I ate. (Thanks for that lunch Mother Hen! ) We passed by the side trail to Upper Goose Pond Cabin. I had heard that there was about 25 hikers at the cabin last night. We walked on. I was going down a hill and saw a hiker standing in the Trail. I could tell right away that it was Blue Jay LeFay...a good friend of mine and Mrs Gorp's. Mrs Gorp didn't recognize him at first, then when she did, she gave him a hug. :-) Blue JayWe sat there talking and swatting mosquitoes for about 40 minutes. Blue Jay has walked over 1,100 miles on the Trail this year! I didn't even know he was out walking....I thought he was still working. I was great running into him. He knew I was coming today after talking to some nobos who knew I was going to Mother Hen's home last night. We walked on and crossed the Mass Turnpike. I got to thinking about my ole' buddy Chief. I like comparing his "achievements" to others I know. Today I started thinking about Mrs Gorp's new hiking shoes. They are just days old and they have 10 miles on them already. Chief's hiking shoes are 3 years, 8 months, 13 days, 4 hours and 17 minutes old and as of today, they have 10 miles less than Mrs Gorp's brand new hiking shoes. 8-) I then started thinking about Mother Nature's brand new hiking boots that have 50 miles on them already. They have 50 miles more than my ole' buddy Chief's shoes that are going on 4 years old. Mother Nature's boots are almost worn out already, but that's only because she likes to stop at WAY too many restaurants. Why do I feel I just made a BIG mistake. ;-) My brand new shoes are only about 5 weeks old and have well over 500 miles on them. Hey Chief, did you read that? That's what a REAL hiker does with his new hiking shoes! :-) Okay, since I'm talking about my Ole' buddy Chief, I've got to say that I see where he's been saying bad things about me in my guestbook again Things like he's the REAL hiker, and he's the REAL man because he's been "talking" about hiking the Long Trail starting in early August. Well, it's getting really close to "early August" and I know what my ole' buddy Chief is starting to think...it's the same every time it gets close to time for him to actually walk the talk. He's beginning to wonder what in the heck has he gotten himself into once again by opening his mouth and talking about really walking a Trail. Frogcaller is starting tomorrow and you can hear the excitement in the words she writes. My ole' buddy Chief still has a week or so before he's supposed to start and you can hear the apprehension in the words he writes. Chief, just get out and get those brand new 4 year old shoes dirty for a change...you can do it! Just give me a call tomorrow and I'll talk you through the toughest part of the hike for you....you know....the part where you actually go out and walk! :-) Make me proud Chief....show some excitement! Last time I saw you actually get excited about anything was in '05 when you took me to resupply for the last part of my 2,175 mile sobo thru hike and he saw a 2 for 1 special on dried prunes. Today's journal entry is dedicated to my ole' buddy Chief in hopes the pep talk will help him get out and walk so he might actually see his shoes again when they're on his feet. 8-) A REALLY great day on the Appalachian Trail....because a close hiking and biking buddy is out walking with me for a week or so! :-) NOTE: As you have read Mrs Gorp is out on the trail with Stumpy. That leaves me as back up transcriber. I am NOY as proficient at pictures as she is so bear with me. HH