Date: 2006-06-24
From: Riga Lean-to

To: The Hemlocks Lean-to
Miles today: 10.0

June 24, Hemlock Lean-to Went to bed with rain on the tin roof. Woke up this morning to the sound of rain on the tin roof. I had a ten mile day planned so I crawled back in the sleep system. So I got a late start. It was still raining. The first big climb, Bear Mtn. In the rain. The climb going north wasn't bad but the climb down was a doozie. Might as well call it as I saw it, it's bouldering. I lost the carbide tip on one of my poles going up. I wasn't about to go back down to look for it. And I didn't need it going down. Basically I threw the sticks down to the next level and clambered down. Throw the sticks, clamber down. Then fall down, turtle style, on the pack. Normally a turtle fall, one can roll over and get up hand and knee. On Bear Mt. I lie in the rain and slowly put my hand on both sides and scoot butt into a sitting position. And clamber down. Now that was so much fun.    Then a walk through Sages Ravine. The Sawmill Brook runs down the ravine. I wouldn't call it a brook at this time. With all the rain, it was a raging brook. This ravine is marked as a sensitive area. "Stay on the Trail" The forest along this stretch is very different. I saw what looks like Spring Beauties. I recognized some type of lily leaves, but no flowers. Lots of moss. Then cross the ravine into Massachusetts. I take a break. I knew Bear Mtn. was going to take a chunk of time, but the rain made for even slower moving. The ravine is a beautiful place. I think in the sun and summer time, it would be a great place to take a dip. But today, it's raining and dark. Makes it feel mysterious and wonderful. Next is Race Mnt. It's an easy gentle climb. Mountain Laurels are so profuse with their white blossoms, it almost looks like snow. The rain has quit. But it's still a grey day. The bushes crowd in. When I get to a vista, I take a lunch break. I can actually see something! Another hiker comes by. A shake down hiker. He tells me more rain, so he is in a hurry to get to his camp site. But we have a nice chat about being outdoors. He does some volunteer work on the trails and tells me about laying stairs. I knew it was back breaking work but he made it sound fun. Going across the top of Race Mtn is rocky. Not in the painful way. There are huge slabs of rock. The trail even follows right on the edge. It would be frightening in the rain. So I'm glad it quit while I'm going across. Then down. Up ahead is Mt. Everett. The topo says it will be a stinker. I run into the ridge runner, Greg. He's planning to stay at the same shelter I'm planning to be at. But he has to check up on some campsites, so he'll be late. Then there it is, Mt. Everett. It's a rock slide. And with no sun, the rocks are slippery and slimy. It's very slow going. Several times, my foot slips out from under me. But I finally make it to the top. There really is no views but I do run into some new flowers. Yellow ones. The leaves remind me of the leaves from the butterfly plant. And then there is another plant that is really strange. It has a fruit of some sort that is ugly, to put it nicely. I broke one apart and it looks like the inside of a mushroom. Interesting. To let you get an idea of how tricky going up this hill, at one point when I took a breather, I saw an orange little thing rolling down one of the rocks. When it landed on a tiny ledge, it was one of my little orange salamanders. I had to laugh. It's tough for him too. While up there, I saw a pretty green garter snake on the trail. He must have been chilled. He didn't move when I came up on him. Later   Racer snake shot off the trail as I stumbled around.And then the down hill side. Not as brutal as the going up. In fact it is nice. But then it may be that I know I have one mile left.The last mile is an easy stroll. The pines are tall and mixed with red and white maples. And then the shelter sign. I was told to stay at the first shelter. There two side by side. Well, 500 feet apart. It's nice. A newer one, split level. Greg shows up, the ridge runner. We chat. He's from Canada. He likes to come down during the summer to do this job. Normally he's a school teacher. Information Technology. When I go for water, I run into SherpaChef and Barefoot. They are debating about staying here. I talk them into staying here. Arlo, SherpaChef's dog is chewing logs. The third guy did go home. It's a sad day for them. Later, two more thu-hikers show up. Snickers and Pondwater. Ah, dinner. Everyone tonight has a book. We're readers. Means it will be a quiet night. Waiting for the rain that is supposed to show up.      Namaste'