Date: 2007-04-30
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Got out around 8 am. I passed on getting water at the shelter. The stream was pretty shallow making it hard to get water without getting a bunch of detritus in it. I still had about 10 oz. plus an orange. I hiked to Brown Gap, where I thought I would find water, but the stream there was even worse, so I passed on that one, too. I was really struggling this morning with whether I wanted to cnotinue on or not. At first I was thinking that I wasn't ready to go home, but I might not want to stay on the trail and I was exploring options in my mind for doing that. I have been feeling like trading, but there are too many distractions at home.Steve told me we couldn't get as much for the house in Colrain as we though and that made me feel like I should be home making some money.. Then I thought, "So what about the things at home that were bugging me--Steve is there and that's all that matters." So I decided, "I am going to Hot Springs and them I am going home." After that, of course, I had an absoutely great day!Max Patch was awesome--360 degree view from the top. Just before, I found a water source and had a nice chat with two day hikers who figured out after talking to me that they were headed in the opposite direction from what they had intended. Down at the bottom of Max Patch I took a long trail break at a beautiful little campsite under the trees, took my boots off and knitted.The hike from Max Patch to Lemon Gap was gorgeous. The trail followed a stream for much of its length with gradual grades and lots of wildflowers. There are trillium, wild strawberries and the first poison ivy I have seen. The blueberries are leafing out. In places there are hundreds of little grasshoppers scattering off the path as I approach.Roaring Brook shelter is in a beautiful spot, but it was only 3:30 pm when I got there so I kept on going. When I was almost to the next shelter I found a great campsite by a stream, but I couldn't bring myself to stop there. I ate supper to give myself time to consider it. When I can't make up my mind about something it usually means I don't want to do it, but I was curious to figure out why I didn't want to stay there. I would have had to hang the food bag, but that is a minor inconvenience. I figured I was close enough to still get into Hot Springs tomorrow if I wanted to so that wasn't it. I thought if Steve was with me how much I would love to stay in that spot and I realized I did not want to be alone, so I kept on going.The rest of the way to Walnut Mountain Shelter was uphill but not far. After the rest and food I felt great and could have climbed even more. In general my knees are giving me trouble. At the shelter I met Thumper, Em and Gretchen, all very nice. Thumper in particular was a ver good listener. He is meeting his wife and daughter in Hot Springs on Wednesday. He hung my food bag on his bear line, which was a bonus for making it to the shelter. Em is southbound at this point; she will be heading to MA soon. I gave her my email and phone number as a local contact. That is the first time I have been moved to do that. Two hikers who came in as we were bedding down tented nearby under a tarp.