Date: 2015-07-11
From: Shaker campsite, MA

To: October Mountain Shelter, MA
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at 7:30am after the opinionated teenagers nearby got to talking, I would quickly pack, down a pop tart, and retire to the privy for a morning deuce. Yoohoo and I would hit the trail by 8:30am, a little after Rabbit and a bit before Miles who refuses to start hiking before 8:30am. We'd begin by climbing a steep little hill named Cobble Hill. A few hundred yards from the campsite Yoohoo and I would round a corner into an open field and see a baby skunk wobbling around on the trail ahead. It'd turn around to eye us before quickly scurrying for cover in the longer grass lining the trail. As we slowly passed we saw not only it, but a brother or sister peeking out from the grass as well. Just yesterday I was telling Yoohoo how I'd seen many skunks in this part of the country a few years ago and was surprised I hadn't seen any yet.We'd continue up Baldy Mountain, the highest point for the day, where we'd find Rabbit taking a break. Just like yesterday, Yoohoo and I would seize several opportunities to be lazy. As we rested and snacked, Safari would appear from behind us and we'd all be surprised thinking one another was farther ahead. He was in the midst of a couple days of solid trail magic and was slack-packing for the day before returning to the home of a lady who was hosting him. Miles would catch us soon after and we'd continue 5-deep for the next few miles before nearing the area of Knee-Deep Pond where we'd break again for lunch. After we ate, Safari would shoot ahead in order to take advantage of an easy day slack-packing and we wouldn't see him again. Yoohoo, Rabbit, and I would continue on, leaving Miles behind who wasn't feeling too good and we wouldn't see him again for the day either.With the steady Rabbit leading the way, happy-go-lucky Yoohoo in the middle, and silent companion me in the rear, we continued this way over the next couple miles. Even though Yoohoo is only 2 years younger, I've sometimes felt I've been in the older brother role, keeping levelheaded as he sometimes breaks out in running or dancing while on trail. We walked along the banks of Upper Goose Pond, watching a father and his 2 children kayaking, wishing we could be doing the same. We soon exited the woods, crossing over I-90 and reaching US 20, where we'd stop to break again. As we did, a section hiker coming south asked if any of us would like a ride into nearby Lee, MA. We thanked her and said no and she walked off. However, as is the usual with Yoohoo, he reminded me that I could get a Coke and something to snack on beside the junk in my food bag. We trailed the young lady and would catch her in a nearby parking area and she was happy to drive us the ~5 miles into town. Duo, a section hiker and trail maintainer, had a car covered in decals including 1 she made which read, "Farting girls are rockstars." She also had a trunk full of shiny hullahoops as well. She dropped us off at a newly-built Big Y, a grocery chain, and we'd spend the next ~2 hours eating sub sandwiches, sharing a 2-liter of Coke and 6-pack of Yoohoo's, and charging our gadgets. We soon decided we better begin returning to the trail for it was after 4:30pm and we still had ~7 miles to cover.We returned to the street and began walking in the direction of the trail. After no more than ~5 minutes with our thumbs out, a lady would merge over 3 lanes in order to stop to pick us up. We chatted about the trail and nature as she told us of her experiences photographing areas around the AT as a nature photographer. We were soon at the trail, our music in, and were climbing ~800ft up to the summit of Becket Mountain. We'd continue over Walling Mountain before reaching a beautiful pond named Finerty Pond. Yoohoo and I walked off trail to stand at the water's edge where we let our go-to hollers: "Yoohooooo" and "Ew weeeee." We were rewarded with the new best echo location on the trail as our voices bounced off the water and woods on the opposite side. We let out several more yells and were bummed we couldn't hang out and simply yell things. The terrain would noticeably flatten out after this point and we'd cross Washington Mountain and Bald Top, both barely noticeable as more than hills dotting an otherwise flattened ridge. We reached October Mountain Shelter just after ~8:00pm where we'd meet Jesus (a hiker with an uncanny resemblance), Whistle Tits, Taking It Easy, as well as Rabbit that would rejoin us after a longer stay in Lee. I downed a simple dinner of a granola bar, brushed my teeth, and quickly put on my rain gear and cocooned myself in my sleeping bag liner to ward off the mosquitoes. I've decided to attempt sleeping in the shelter tonight, but it may prove a bad choice unless the temperature drops a bit, keeping the bugs at bay. Another relaxed day hiking wise, but finishing just shy of ~20 miles is still a good day. The terrain will soon return to mountainous as we close in on Vermont so enjoying the last of the regular, easy terrain has been a nice change of pace.Here's to cute baby skunks, roast beef footlongs, and echos that seem to roll along forever.