Date: 2014-07-05
From: MA 2 hoosic river

To: congdon shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: clear sky

After a good day off i was ready to get back at it. I had a number for a guy that lives in north adams that does shuttles so i waited till 8 to give him a call for a ride. I got his answering machine so i hung up figuring i would call a cab. First number i got a fella that said he didnt have the time to take me. Really? Ok. Next number was no longer valid. Next try i got someone that had four of his eight drivers call in after the fourth. He was 'flustered' he said, he gave me a price of fifty bucks but said he couldnt afford to send a driver on a trip like that. Huh? I called the first guy again, no answer. Hmmmm, ok. Last ditch, i sent looper a txt and asked if they could run me back. I didnt want to bother them on their day together but i was out of options. He said he could pick me up at one. Awesome. I really appreciate them going out of their way to help me out. I got back on trail at two and with perfect weather i made good time. There was a climb of about 1500' first thing but it wasnt horrible steep so with fresh legs i stomped right up it. At the top of the first climb i met a girl out hiking that was from syracuse. Even though its closer to home it always surprises me when someone is from near me. After that it was only a mile till the MA-VT border. Three states to go, crazy. This is the point where the long trail begins and follows the AT for a hundred miles. I really cant believe im in my 12th state. I have enjoyed this entire trip but have been excited about these last three states right from the begining. About seven miles in i got to a road where there was a honda suv sitting but running right where the trail crossed. I hoped for trail magic from someone that was oit day hiking. I got the magic but it was not from a hiker, it was from a support crew for a guy trying to break the record of the fastest thru hike. They meet him at every road cross to give him drinks and food or whatever else he needs. I talked with them for a good while and asked a lot of questions about strategy. First of all i want to say that i hope he makes a go of it, buuut, he is not hiking on sundays. His plan is to take a zero every sunday. Im not sure i agree with that. Ive never heard of somebody sitting down for five minutes when they were trying to win a marathon. My feeling is that you can rest and recover when its over, unless you really need a day off you better be making miles. The current record is 46.5 days! Im double that right now. I left the crew wishing them luck and headed on with my own record setting hike. Im nearly positive that i will set the record for a 37 yr old male starting on april 1 with an irish twin sister. There was a thousand ft climb in front of me and nearing the top i met up with 'family man', the guy trying for the record. I snapped a quick photo with him a talked for only a second. I wished him the best as he sped off. I hiked on and got to a nice beaver pond, i stopped and looked for moose as i will at every pond from here to maine. No moose. I carried on and eventually got to the shelter where i wanted to stay. I found a good tent spot and set up while cooking dinner. It was late due to my late start so i was already ready for sleep. I ate, set my pack against the tree next to my tent, hung my food and hit the hay. I was awoken to the sound no thru hiker wants to hear, the crinkling of a baby ruth wrapper. I knew immediately i had forgotten it in my side snack pocket. I grabbe dmy light and exited the tent to find a hole chewed in my pocket and shiny wrapper bits all over. Dam. I grabbed out the leftover bar and the bag of candy orange slices that were not harmed. I looked down to see the culprit, a fat little mouse that was not scared. He was inches from my feet so i swung the bag of orange candy and made him dead. Yup, i killed it with his treasure. I felt a tiny bit bad till i found something had also chewed a tiny hole in my food bag, not happy. I piled back in my bed, mad at myself for forgetting the food and mad at the mouse for chewing the pocket when it could have went in from the top. Oh well the situation was fixed....... or so i thought.