Date: 2004-05-30
From: Bear Rock Stream Campsite

To: Mass 41
Miles today: 9.0

This was another great day! We went up Race Mountain, Mt Everett (2,602¢) and then down Jug End. The views from Race Mountain and Everett were just fantastic and we took our time enjoying them. The valley stretched long and green below us with little dots of lakes, tiny houses, and recently plowed fields showing us just hour high we were. Sometimes we were at eye level with soaring birds and at other times we were even above them looking down at their out stretched wings as they took advantage of the air currents. Once we even were looking down on a small plane as it flew over the valley. We enjoyed the company of other hikers from most of the viewpoints. Crankin; his two buddies and a thru hiker named Hog Walker were at the top of Race Mt. when we got there. Hog Walker started in GA in April and has been doing some big miles. It was great just sitting in the sun chatting with them and enjoying the view. We also met a 2000 thru hiker named Moses and his girlfriend, Jeness at the top of Mt. Everett. Moses has not only done the AT, but has also done the Pacific Crest trail. He plans to do the Continental Divide Trail next year to be a triple crowner. They gave us a couple of Jeneen¢s big chocolate chip cookies and two bagels. They really hit the spot! We also met Easy One who is thru hiking this year. He started in Jan. and is only doing about 10 miles a day like us. He is doing various sections and patching it all together instead of doing a north or south bound hike. We will probably see him again. The trail was beautiful but tough, lots of ups and steep downs over rocks. We got to Mass 41 about 5:00 and were looking for the campsite Easy One had told about but couldn¢t find it, so we asked someone if we could tent in their yard beside the trail and offered to pay them, for the campsite. They said yes and refused to take our money. We really appreciated their kindness because we were tired. As we were cooking supper, we saw one of the girls who was camped with us last night walking up the road with her pack. She came over to ask us how far it was into town. Their dog, Raven, had not been doing well on the trail. She¢s a Malemute with a heavy coat and she just couldn¢t walk anymore. They had taken a side trail down to the road and her sister was waiting with the dog while she walked to get their car. We suggested she leave her pack with us and get it on her way back which she did. When she came back for the pack after picking up the dog and her sister she had a great surprise for us, McDonalds big macs, milkshakes, French fries, sodas, apples and a gal. of water. Wow! Thanks girls! Their dog was sleeping in the car. We hope they will e-mail us so we know that she is alright. They were right to take the side trail down, because the rocks coming down Jug End would have bee n really hard for the dog to do even if it had been a well conditioned trail dog. There were a lot of spots today where I was just hoping my boots would grip the rocks and the poles wouldn¢t break. We each slipped one time on slippery rock as it was. This is not a section I would want to do in the rain both because of missing the great views and for safety.