Date: 2009-07-30
From: Lee, MA

To: Washington Monument Rd, The Cookie Lady
Miles today: 9.4

July 30 --I am tenting tonight on a soft, level, green grass lawn at the residence of Roy and Marilyn Wiley, the Cookie Lady, on Washington Mtn Rd, where I stopped for water from their spigot, but instead had a hard boiled egg and a can of pink lemonade, $1.25, and 2 complementary home made chocolate chip cookies, and met husband/wife, Juice/MamaLlama, who I had run into on US7 outside of Great Barrington while looking for the Corn Crib. Their tent was up for the night and I was easily swayed to stay after calculating an at dark or after arrival at the Kay Wood Lean-To 6.6m further. It's a nice place, Roy gave me a look inside his hangar where he keeps his Piper Tiger he bought in '73, a beauty, and '67 Opel GT, nice, and old '65 Sunbeam, under restoration, and 2 old tractors and a small steam roller. The blueberry bushes held some huge berries, mighty tasty. I may pick some for "me oatmeal" tomorrow. What should have been a fast get away turned out to be a very late start. The late night rain carried over 'til morning, a hit to the enthusiasm-o-meter and organizing the pack seemed to drag after I opted for the skimpy continental breakfast. Anyway when I finally checked out the sun was peeking through and I walked out past I-90 to the edge of town to flag a ride, which took nearly 20 minutes, an old timer, used to hitch all the time, took me right to the trailhead. I started up the short climb from US20 and heard a large crack of a tree on my way up where I found 2 very large maples landed on and leaning on one small oak and a pine, all of which I had to walk under, then realizing this was the crack I had heard as another crack sounded as the trees settled further. I watched for a few minutes hoping to see a complete collapse, but no. A few yards further I found Turtle, from yesterday, and Wrench, who had found the cooler that Whimpy, my ride yesterday, had left full of drinks and snacks. I left them and soon found the first of 3 impassible, at least where the trail was, streams, swollen from the recent rains. Crossing on logs, sometimes multiple logs, seemed to be the safest and successful manner. The trail was full of water and mud today, more water than I've seen since the Smokeys, coming out of the ground forming streams on the trail, accumulating large puddles, and plenty of mud. The humidity lessened as the day progressed and, for the most part, the mosquitos stayed at home, a most enjoyable day. I took the few climbs at an easier pace, counting 60 instead of 72, and resting more after to keep the sweat machine idling. I began to think too about all the bad things that I was doing to my body, each organ, how they've reacted to the changes forced upon them and the stress they've endured over these months, and if they will recover, esp the kidneys and liver from the drastic change in diet, a diet of bad food, high in saturated fats and sugar calories, and advil, in order to maintain weight and provide fuel. I wonder about my b/p and cholesterol. The heart has been over worked and under rested, and even my eyes have been forced to look down in front of me for most of the day. My skin has been abused with sweat related chafing and accumulated filth and insect bites and blisters and scrapes and has held up remarkably. Perhaps the lungs have benefitted the most, deep breathing fresh air free of city smog. I noticed, or imagined, or noticed I imagined today that the air held a crisp hint reminiscent of an early September day, the hint of Autumn in the air, I sensed it first while at one of the ponds, perhaps Finerty Pond, where I happened to see a strangely maple turning early red, and later I crossed West Branch Rd where I smelled the sweet scent fo the fir trees, like those I know in NH and finally while sitting here this evening with hikers, a cool, gentle breeze blew by before sundown, a suggestion that more comfortable days are ahead in the northern climbs, a very welcome thought, as I am slightly uncomfortably cool, just before I curl into my down bag. So it was a cheap milage day, but worth enjoying.