Date: 2016-08-09
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Mark Noepel Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

Entry written on Sept 1st from PA. Slept well again with another cold night and was up at 5:30-45, a little late for me. Had just oatmeal and coffee today for breakfast. My shorts and t-shirt were cold and clammy again this morning changing into them from my long pants and shirt, but warmed up right away with a short climb of 200' immediately after leaving the shelter. I was 3 miles from the Vermont/Mass boarder and met Feather and Sky, another nice young couple from Virginia and talked to them for awhile. This was getting to be a routine now for that past few days, meeting a lovely young couple hiking north shortly after staring my days hike. A nice way to start the day. After crossing the boarder into Massachusetts I started seeing my first rhododendron bushes and noted that the soil had changed. It had been somewhat dry as I hiked through Vermont, but it was still muddy with thick black gooey mud which left your legs filthy at the end of the day. I would always wash my legs off at the end of the day to get the dried goo off. Approaching Eph's Lookout I passed a patch of blueberry bushes on the side of the trail, a few with berries that were ripe - small, but not bad with a slightly woody flavor. From the Lookout I had a 3 mile descent for 1500', would cross Mass 2, and immediately climb 2000' up Mt Prospect for 2 miles. At the bottom of the valley, I crossed through a town. I walked over a metal foot bridge to pass over a large Hoosic River and got to Mass Rt 2. Looking to my right I realized that there was a shopping center 1/4 of a mile away with a Stop n'Shop - I was saved. I made a beeline for the grocery store, bought a jar of peanut butter, flatbread, honey, trail mix, a bottle of Gatorade and pre-cut watermelon. I parked myself out in front of the store on a bench and ate a big lunch. I was finally full, a feeling that I last when I ate the three dinners a few days back. It was a beautiful sunny day, I was feeling good and was looking at a combined 3000' climb up Mt Prospect and Mt Greylock combined. I didn't care and powered up the 2 mile 2000' climb up Mt Prospect first followed by Mt Williams. The Mt Greylock summit was just under 3 miles away with another 700' to climb and it was getting hot. I was sweating like a beast feeling pretty hot from the climb when I pass a white trash bag on the side of the trail. I looked inside and found that some lovely person had frozen Gatorade overnight and left them on the trail for thru hikers. By the time I got there, they were perfectly slushy and freezing cold. I grabbed one, poured it down my gullet, and immediately got brain freeze - I was refreshed and happy. I took off with a smile on my face with less than 3 miles to the summit of Greylock. At the top, there is a large monument (which was in the process of being restored) and a lodge. There is a road leading to the summit with a bar, restaurant, bathrooms and a nice view. Walking by I thought, "why not" and stopped in for a cheese burger, fries and a grapefruit San Pellegrino. There were a number of other people in the restaurant and they were curious about my hike. They peppered me with questions about thru hiking, which I was happy to answer. This went on for about 30-40 minutes. Getting ready to leave, I thanked the cook for a great cheese burger. They asked me if I would like a lemon bar that they had just baked for my journey which I graciously accepted. I was on my way with 3 1/2 miles left out of 16 1/2 and had my best food day yet on the trail. I had gone from being hungry to nicely stuffed. At the shelter, I watered up, yes, made dinner and was in bed at hikers midnight. It was a great day and the trail had provided me with a beautiful sunny day along with a full tummy. Tomorrow I would hike into Dalton Mass for my next food drop.