Date: 2014-07-15
From: Crystal mountain camping area

To: Mt. Greylock
Miles today: 13.7

In which I didn't sleep a wink but had an awesome day hiking in the rain.All I have to say is what a night! It was a night I'll never forget and a night I hope not to repeat. So Little Bird and her friend arrived at the camping area around 8pm. Steve had a fire going which he worked very hard and diligently to get going. This was great because it was helping to keep the very annoying bugs away. I bathed myself in smoke hoping to make myself less attractive to the bugs. As I sat and watched hiker TV, aka the dancing flames from the fire pit, Steve asked if I had read the hiker log book. I said I glanced at it but didn't really read it. He mentioned a bear around camp and down by the power lines a month or so ago. Well, I thought nothing about about it and really didn't want to think anything about it either. So off to bed I went around 9pm.My tent was tucked farther back into the woods. Steve's was by the picnic table and Little Bird was set up near the privy closer to the fire pit. I dozed off to sleep listening to camp chatter and the fire crackling. Well that ended quickly. Around midnight or shortly thereafter, I awoke to a clatter and the sound of something brushing by my tent, snapping twigs outside of my tent and a headlamp shining my way. I remember sitting upright in my tent and yelling out "Oh no, wait a minute, what's going on?" I wasn't really awake yet, maybe dreaming and trying to process what was happening. Little Bird was calling out asking if I was okay over there. I couldn't figure out if someone was just coming in to camp for the night or what.I flipped on my headlamp, opened my tent and asked Little Bird (LB) what was happening. I shined my light out around my tent trying to see the source of disruption and figure out what just happened. Nothing. LB said they heard the bear box being hit then snapping twigs out my way.It also was now raining lightly and I not very coherently made the decision to empty the contents from my tent and drag my freestanding tent over by LB's hammock where her friend was sleeping underneath. I relocated quickly and set up my bed then proceeded to chat for a little while. I think we dozed briefly but were awakened once again by the sound of a rock falling. We finally figured out the sound was the log falling in the fire pit. And eventually we dozed briefly yet again.At day break we awakened to the sound of Steve packing up. He was blissfully unaware of the goings on last night. Yup, he slept through it all. He said he heard us chatting at one point but didn't think anything of it. We got up and promptly went over to the bear box where our food was stored. Sure enough we were not dreaming! The bear was attempting to get at our food. He even knocked over the box, which is chained to the tree, on the side. We had to lift it up in order to get our food out, which we did after taking photos.So that's how my day began, or the night before ended. I'm happy to say the rest of the day was rather uneventful in comparison, yet still exciting none the less. As I was descending the hill into Cheshire I was graced by another bear's presence as it ran across the trail ahead of me. It was a young one and no mama was seen. I also had high hopes of food from Diana's Twist. Well no such luck. The shop was not open. Rats! So I had to settle for a granola bar from my pack and I plopped down on the picnic table outside the shop watching the ominous clouds roll through town. My toe was killing me so I took my shoe and sock off to survey that situation. Well, that didn't look good. My toe was red, swollen, blooding and really painful. I felt like knives were jabbing in the side. It hurt even to wiggle my toe. So I attempted to cushion it, put my shoes, socks and pack back on and headed down the road denying the existence of this little problem foot. It did continue to remind me with every step that things were not right in my foot's world.But up the mountain I went for the start of a long uphill climb. I met Whiskers at a water source. He lived up to his trail name and was finishing his 17th year hiking the AT. We parted ways just as it was starting to rain. The rain was intermittent so far and I was thankful for that as parts of the climb were rather slippery and steep. I made it to the shelter before Mt. Greylock and had a lovely lunch of peanut butter and honey tortillas. No one was around. It was just me and the chipmunks and mice, very quiet. Well, sort of, the chipmunks made quite a racquet chattering so maybe not so quiet. No people noises were present.The rain had begun to fall harder now. I was getting chilly sitting for lunch so I donned my rain gear and set off for the final climb to Mt. Greylock. I really have been looking forward to this climb as I hiked it last year with my uncle. It was late April and snow still dotted parts of the trail. We had spectacular weather and views that day. Today was very different. The walk through the roots and rocks was gorgeous in the rain and fog. It was very soothing and magical in a way. I really enjoyed this 3 mile stretch. It was a lot of fun to walk in my thoughts in the rain. I got to the summit in time to watch the clouds rolling in then obstructing the monument. The monument was in and out of the clouds as the winds blew, the rain subsided and the temperature felt cooler. It was so beautiful. I walked around the summit for a bit fully intending on continuing down to the next shelter for the night. Instead, I decided that I was done hiking for the day. I was going to get a bunk space.Well, score! My bunk room was now converted to a private room. The lodge was over booked last weekend. So they tore down the bunks and made an individual room. Boy did I get lucky. I have a double bed all to myself with a view out three picture windows straight ahead. The bathroom and shower are right outside my room and the restaurant serves food! I am so happy to be here especially as I listen to the rain pounding on the windows of my room. The wind is swirling strongly and blowing sheets of clouds intermittently by. Life is good! I was fortunate to have gotten here before they stopped serving lunch. So I showered and went an ate a huge burger with potato salad and slaw with an orange Pellegrino. I'm so fat and happy at the moment. Data and Steve are two other hikers here tonight. I briefly talked with Steve about the bear incident last night. He said he saw two bears this morning by the pond we passed shortly after the camping area.I went back up to my room and made some phone calls all while enjoying the show outside of my window. Thunder and lightening were now passing through and the rain continued to fall. I'm listening to the chatter from dinner below, to a gentleman playing the mandolin and others singing folk songs as he played. Quite a nostalgic evening. All from the comfort of my bed with my foot elevated and a cold compress on my toe, which by the way looks like a very ugly Vienna sausage, not that you really want to know that. Time for lights out to enjoy the show displayed outside of my windows.Right after I eat my raspberry ice cream of coarse!