Date: 2007-08-25
From: Potaywadjo Lean-to

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 19.5

Another poor night of rest. I guess I'm not really surprised, I never sleep well at the beginning of a hike. My body stiffens up and occasionally spasms throughout the night after the pounding it takes during the day. I got up around 6:15 and was hiking by 7. I bid Camo a farewell; he said he probably wouldn't push the 19 miles I intended as the previous day's 18 took a toll on him. I can understand that since he is 58. An interesting fellow, and I hope his hike goes well for him. There was a little rain to start the day, but then it started clearing up. It figures, however, that as soon as I take my pack-cover off, the rain starts again. I passed more northbound thru-hikers before noon today then I have on the trip so far. I stopped in for a nice break at Cooper Brook Falls lean-to before pushing on to East Branch lean-to. While I was at Cooper Brook, who rolled in but Camo himself. I wasn't too surprised since I chilled at that shelter for close to two hours, resting up and trying to wait out the rain. We chatted a bit and then I had to push on. It wasn't a bad eight miles from Cooper to East Branch, but the humidity was high and I was soon soaked with sweat. The chafe was really starting to get to me. It's about the only thing that really gets me down on the trail. I'm going to have to pick up some gold bond or something in town because it's nearly unbearable at times; damn near feels like someone is using an acetylene torch on my nuts. By the time I reached East Branch, I was damn near spent. I hadn't intended to push so hard this early in the hike, but my body is starting to re-adapt and my pack is getting lighter by the day. Besides, it feels good to push myself to the limit. There's nothing quite like pushing yourself to the limits of exhaustion. you may feel dog-tired when the day is over, but it's a good tired, a kind of tired that you know you've accomplished something that day. That's why I love jobs that involve physical labor; it was something I missed when I was working for a newspaper the past two years. I have the shelter all to myself this evening, since the only other people here is a couple with a dog that are southbounding the 100-mile. I think they tent wherever they stay because of their dog which is pretty considerate since quite a few people let their dogs run rampant in shelters. The water source hear is the East Branch of the Pleasant River, and doesn't look to appealing since I don't, and never have, treated any of my water on long-distance hikes. I'm fairly picky about my sources and fortunately I filled up at a spring about two miles before the shelter or I could have been SOL. My hiker appetite is back. I put some tuna in the soup I was cooking for dinner and made sure to tear apart the foil packet and lick the inside clean. After three packs of ramen and three oz. of tuna, I'm still pretty hungry. I could go for one of those one-pound burgers at White House, but I'll settle for some town food in Monson in three days. I'm toying with the idea of knocking out the 47 miles to Monson in two days, but I'll probably settle for two reasonable days and a shorter day into town. But then again, I've lit a fire under my ass before, and the thought of drinking a cold beer and eating a burger 48 hours from now might be too much to resist. I'll just have to wait and see how I feel in the morning.