Date: 2004-05-07
From: Tom Leonard Lean-to

To: Lee,MA
Miles today: 22.7

Log entry 97Start Time: 0915End Time: 1645Morning Weather: Clear and warmAfternoon Weather: still sunny and warm, but the breeze was great.Evening Weather: clear and coolBreakfast: instant oatmeal (cinnamon roll) strawberry CIBLunch: payday bar, oats and honey bar, milky wayDinner: foot long ham and cheese with onion rings and a Gatorade.Trail description-I am really loving New England. The trail is for the most part flat but the walking is still difficult due to rocks, mud, and roots. The glacial ponds are gorgeous and look refreshing but somehow I doubt that the cold water would feel ¢good¢.People-No one on the trail. There were some people at Benedict Pond and eventually I ran into people in Lee.Animals-a garter snake and a whole lot of chipmunksMoney-$71 for a night at Laurel Hill Motel (that is the cheapest you will find in Lee on a Friday night), $7 for the meal, about $2 for laundry (free soap and dryer was only 50 cents)Narrative-I took my time packing up which I later regretted but was climbing out of Ice Gulch by 0915. I covered the 4 miles to Benedict Pond and hopped on the half mile side trail to the campground to use the phone.There I first checked my pocketmail and then called the Campbells (Scamp and Greylocks) to set up the weekend plans. I left a message stating my intentions to meet them Saturday afternoon. I then called and talked with Mom who gave me some hotels in Lee where I could maybe spend the night. Most were in the $90-120 range but Laurel Hill was manageable. So I made reservations there and headed back to the trail.Once back on the trail I decided that a shower and a pizza really sounded good and that if I am going to shell out that kind of cash for one night I should get there as early as possible. Plus the Piston¢s game started at 20:00 and I wanted laundry and showering done by then.So I hiked fast. My pack finally felt ¢good¢ again and my legs and feet were in good shape. Its funny how motivation works. I pounded out the 18.7 miles to US20 at a pace similar to that of when I was heading for Harpers Ferry. I thought maybe that I had ¢run my legs out¢ during that 3 day stretch and that¢s why the last 3 weeks have been so tough. But it is good to know I still have some left in the tank and that if properly motivated it is scary the pace at which one can move.Upper Goose Pond is a pretty little lake and I imagine the shelter/cabin on it is primo, but I had no guarantees that it would be in operating and I need a shower something fierce. Plus the Pistons were playing man.I got a lot of honks and beeps from passing motorist as I crossed Interstate 90 on the catwalk. I think they were honking at me at least. The evening commute didn¢t look particularly heavy.I called Mike from Laurel Hill and he eventually made his way up the road to pick me up. What a nice guy. Once at the motel I grabbed laundry and headed back into town. I still had 2 hours until tip time. While laundry spun I walked downtown and asked around for a pizza place that delivered. I was hoping to get a pie sent to my room as I watched the game. But there aren¢t any pizzerias in Lee that deliver so I settled for a sub.After laundry was done and I was back at the motel I showered and had about 10 minutes to wash my dishes before the game started. Long story short, Pistons won in a great game and I got a short evening of rest but a full night of ESPN.