Date: 2007-08-20
From: .5 miles south of Fernside Rd, Mass

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin, Mass
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

I woke up in a terribly poor mood. I was really feeling sorry for myself. The "am I going to get to Katadhin before it closes" syndrome is taking it's toll on me. I know that I can do it. I have done the math and I know I can do it. I am also going through this serious fatigue. I just do not want to get out of my sleeping bag some days. If I could just have a cup of coffee right when I wake up. I think that would do the trick. My body looks great right now; but, in my face, I can see the wear and tear. I still dont look my age; but, I look much older than I did in January. I was thinking last night that I have been on the trail 24 of the last 38 months and when I finish 14 of the last 19. I am ready to just live like normal folks and this day, I would quit this trail if I could. I cant, though, I have all my newspaper followers(1000's); Trail Journal Followers(100's); friends(100's); family(dozens); and "me, myself, and I" that would be totally let down. "I got my sweet baby on my mind. That's why Im walkin'"(Stonewall Jackson, the singer). So anyway, with all this going through my head and out of water again; I get down to Jerusalem Rd and could not find a spring that was in the area. I then decided to go down into Tyringham, Mass(.6 miles) to find some caffeine. This is the smallest incorporated settlement that I have ever seen. I thought Unionville, NY was small! I made my way down to the community pavilion down by the firehouse where the community lets hikers stay. When I got there, I met "nat", thru hiker. He is doing some sort of "flip Flop" due to his knee. When I introduced myself, he went deep into his mind and stayed there for sometime. I sayed what's up? He said, "you are not the Zero that started in January?" I said yes I am. He said that "Apple"(trail Angel) had told him alot of my stories. Nat lives right below Roan Mtn, Tn. It was good to see a good down home southern mnt boy. We talked for some time as we drank Maker's Mark Bourbon. I was wating to see if it was going to rain. After a couple of hours of talking and up lifting of my spirits I decided to get to Goose Pond Cabin which Nat told me is a hostel that serves COFFEE and pancakes in the morning. I said, "why didnt you tell me sooner" and was on my way. And of course as soon as I was back on the trail for a 1/2 hour it began to rain. It was not so bad of an 8.5 mile walk. It did not rain too hard and it is fairly level, although it wasd chilly. When I was about 5 miles from the Cabin; I passed a thru hiker on the trail that was eating dinner. When I went by him, I could tell that he was wondering where I came from. I could see he was a lightweight power hiker and it hurt him to have someone pass him. He did not know that I went into town and that he had actually passed me and I was just catching up. In about 3 miles he caught me and passed me and said that he was going to the cabin as well. When I got to the cabin; I was impressed! It is a giant clean cabin with a caretaker. When I walked in, I met the thru hiker "WOrldwide" and the caretaker Jo Anne and her friend Bob. They stayed up taking and I surprisingly went right to sleep after dinner and slept all night, nice and warm with the sound of the rain falling on the roof.......It was awesome and reminded me of why we hike!