Date: 2003-07-03
From: Mt. Greylock, Bascom Lodge (3491') 

To: Seth Warner Shelter (2180') 
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: clear sky

Aloha! You know the routine so say it with me once again - ready - Aloha Massachusetts and Aloha Vermont! Wuhuu! Another one bites the dust! Eleven states down and three to go. Granted three of the hardest but three nonetheless. Wuhuu!   For a relatively easy day, this has been a long and exhausting one. I'm not the only one saying this either. Several of my campmates think the same thing. I'm betting on the heat and humidity myself but since it's not back up in the mid 90s I'm not going to complain... to much. I understand that tomorrow will be pushing 90 and the humidity rising. Guess I'll worry about that then.   Today though started off slowly and refreshed with one of the best night's sleep since I began this Grand Adventure. Since I had agreed to join the breakfast gathering I actually slept in until 6:30a. Breakfast wasn't being served until 8a so that allowed for another hot shower and several cups of coffee first. Once served, the scrambled eggs, French toast with chocolate whipped cream and sausages were enjoyed by all. It all made for a great start to the day.   It wasn't until around 10a that I finally got myself up and going north. It's hard to leave a really nice place with good food and people. I had thought for a brief moment of taking a zero day but decided against it. Time to move on and I wanted to cross another state off my list. I succeeded at both.   The hike began with about 6 miles of down with a few small UPs thrown in to keep you on your toes. Some steep but for the most part pretty nice. Throw in a mile of flat terrain and then it all went back UP. Down from 3491' to 650' at Williamstown and then back UP to 2300' only to go back down to the current 2180'. The ol' feet and bod are tired!   As for the trail itself there's really little to tell you about. For the most part it was a green tunnel with some PA rocks thrown in now and then because they could. The only vista worth mentioning was about halfway down the mountain and the only reason to mention it is because the turkey vultures were low flying over me as I stood there. Smell me again?   Pile-up joined me about that time and we completed the downhill portion of the walk together. Upon arriving at the bottom in Williamstown we headed for the grocery store .2 miles off the trail. Pile-up needed to shop and I needed anything wet and cold. The Stop and Shop did the trick nicely. I was back on the trail huffing and puffing my way to the top by 3:30p. Several hours later I was crossing in to Vermont. Wuhuu!   At the Vermont-Massachusetts state line, the AT joins the Long Trail (LT). The two trails share the same route for 104 miles to "Maine Junction," just north of Sherburne Pass. Here, the AT heads east and the LT continues north, reaching the Canadian border in another 165 miles. Completed in 1930, the Long Trail is the nation's first long distance trail and served as an inspiration for the AT.   Bears are also mentioned in Vermont. Now we all know there are no bear on the AT but supposedly Vermont had its first reported bear incident in 2002 involving an AT hiker. I'm thinking it's all hooey myself. There are no bear on the AT!   My arrival at the campsite was a blessing. I didn't realize how tired I was until I tried to find a camp spot. I just couldn't seem to think. I wandered for a good 30 minutes only to return to my original start and be as lost about where to put up my tent as I was when I first arrived. That's tired for me. Finally the tent made it into an upright position and dinner (Spicy Thai Shrimp) was started. While waiting for dinner, numerous folks arrived to join the already crowded site. Tenting or hammocking around me are four southbound section hikers, two Long Trail hikers, Pile-UP, Ben and Dumpy, a new-to-me thru-hiker. There's only one person willing to fight the bugs in the shelter. This is probably the most crowded I've seen a shelter this year. It would be a party if everyone hadn't gone to bed and crashed by 8pm. Oh well, maybe tomorrow night. It will be July 4th after all.    Speaking of, somewhere down in the valley someone is starting the celebration a day early. Fireworks are booming everywhere. Pity we can't see them too. Cut down all the trees and this would be a great spot to watch them from.   Ok, I can barely see straight, I'm totally exhausted and I need to call it quits for tonight. Don't know what I have planned for tomorrow's distance but you can count on it being moderate. The 21 miler some are talking about to watch the fireworks isn¢t happening. Not tomorrow.But that's tomorrow. Tonight I need to say good night. I'll be snoring before you finish reading this. Guaranteed. Watch... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....BSandTs: do I even need to mention sweat?AandPs: damn arch tops and sides are going to get cut off. I swear!MandGs: tired, really tired... eye diving, ear buzzing, body biting bugs...waah!Critter count: 2x teeny tiny toads, 8x chipmunks