Date: 2003-08-11
From: Salisbury, CT - Great Barrington, MA

To: Salisbury, CT - Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: light rain

Salisbury, CT - Great Barringon, MA22.1 miles (1505.2 total miles)It was easily the most miserable night on the trail in Salisbury. We woke up on day 128 soaked. There is only so much a tent and pack cover can do in constant pouring rain. It was very hot and humid. The bugs were everywhere. Slugs covered my pack and tent. Everything was covered in mud. It was just plain miserable.We were up early and walked back into Salisbury. I felt dirty and disgusting. We stopped at the coffee shop, where they squeezed me a fresh glass of oj. I stopped at the drug store for some lotion for my poison ivy. Then we hung out in front of city hall for a while. When the sun finally poked out, we set everything out in the lawn to dry. Soon Willow's father and grandfather showed up. We went out to a Chinese restaurant for lunch, then to the laundromat.Soon I was hit with a tough decision. Willow decided to take a zero day at home. I could either take zero day with her on Cape Cod, or I could hike on. I am not sure why, but this was the toughest decision I have had to make on the trail. Either way would mean leaving one of my good friends. I was worried about the schedule, but also really needed some time off. Finally, I decided a day off on Cape Cod would probably be more beneficial. We said a painful goodbye to Last Minute, and headed for the Cape. We'll miss you, Last Minute. But we're only a day back. We'll catch you!Day 129 was an excellent zero day. Henry and Linda were once again over-the-top in their generosity. We took a quick walk to the beach, and watched a movie. But mostly we ate and slept. We were so exhausted that we couldn't do much. I enjoyed going a full day without having to put on my hiking boots. It was the most restful day I have had in a very long time. I really needed that.We headed back to the trail in Salisbury on day 130. We drove slowly through Great Barrington to look for Last Minute, and sure enough we found him at the outfitter. It was good to see him again, and remind him we are trying to catch him soon.We got back on the trail at about 4:00. We were planning on about 3 miles to the shelter. But in just having a zero day, we got ambitious. We decided to shoot for the campsite 6 miles away. We climbed up and over Bear Mountain, the highest in Connecticut. From there it was a steep climb down, and the bugs came out. The rain was threatening. We got to Sages Ravine, but didn't see the campsite. We backtracked about a half mile, but still couldn't find it. It was dark by now. We walked along the ravine again, and eventually found it in a location way off from the handbook. It was hot, and we were once again setting up camp in the dark.We left the campsite on day 131, and immediately crossed into Massachusetts. 10 states down, 4 to go! Then it was on up Race Mountain. It was extremely hot and humid. We walked along a rock face on the side of the mountain. The sun beat down, and there was no breeze. It was as hot as I have ever felt. We stopped often. We descended from Race Mountain, then up Mt. Everett. I sat on the top. Willow came up behind me and told me my face was bright red. I had been drinking as much as usual, but I was still dehydrated. She suggested I drink more.It was a hard, steep descent from Mt. Everett. The rocks were slick. Somewhere while cursing the slippery trail down, we passed the 1500 mile mark. I was exhausted and hot. My head hurt. I drank as much water as I could, but it never seemed enough. The hike down was long and so hard. Finally we got to a road, and walked the extra mile into town. I drank a huge Powerade, and ate dinner. I felt better, but angry. I couldn't go one day from town without exhausting myself. What was wrong? Have I hit my limit? We got a ride back to the trailhead, and hiked into the woods. We found a spot and set up camp just as the rain started again. It would be another hot, wet, miserable night.We reluctanlty got up and going on day 132. We couldn't even eat breakfast at the tentsite because the bugs were so bad. We did about 3 wet miles. There was a sign on a telephone pole saying that the AT was underwater for the next few miles, and there was an alternate road walk. Everything I owned was still soaked, but we chose the road walk anyway. From there we found a man offering us a ride to Dunkin Donuts in Great Barrington. Could we turn that down? Of course not.I really hope the trail gets easier soon. The terrain itself will not, and I am fine with that. But the constant rain (with shelters in inconvenient places) is demoralizing. I keep hearing that the weather pattern is supposed to change on Tuesday. I hope so. I am looking forward to Vermont, the White Mountains, and of course Maine. 667.4 miles to Katahdin!