Date: 2015-07-28
From: Sages Ravine Campsite

To: Stealth Camping South of Shays Rebellion Monument 
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: broken clouds

I slept very well last night and woke to a beautiful sunny morning, which was a nice change after the past few wet mornings. The Ridge Runner told me about swimming holes and waterfalls along the brook in Sages Ravine, and I was looking forward to checking them out as I hiked north this morning.Some hikers take advantage of every body of water along the AT to take a swim. It is refreshing and an opportunity to rinse off. But I have been skipping the swimming holes.   Some of the water is questionable. Some water even has warning notices posted. The water is also usually very cold, especially to this Florida girl. With the mosquitoe bites and the ruptured ear drum still healing, I do not want to take a risk of getting an infection if there is bacteria in the water. So I am not swimming, although it looks so inviting.The AT parallels the brook in Sages Ravine for at least .3 miles. It was absolutely amazing. The rocks, ferns, and moss along the brook, combined with the tall tree canopy, the cooless caused by the water, and the sunlight slicing through the trees was spectacular. At times the water rushed over, under, and around the large rocks. At other times there were quiet pools - the swimming holes mentioned by the Ridge Runner and the AT guide. And then there were the waterfalls - they were not particularly high, but they were still beautiful. I tried to take pictures, but the photos did not accurately reflect just how beautiful the ravine and brook really are. I was fortunate to have that portion of the AT all to myself, and I hated to leave. THIS is one of the reasons I am hiking the AT - to see and experience places like this. If I had never started the AT, or if I had quit, I never would have seen this beautiful place. This is definitely one of my favorite spots on the AT.Then the climbs started. Mount Race was a steady climb for about 2 miles. The AT guide mentioned "views along ridgeline", which I assumed would be exposed rock veins along the ridgeline and a safe distance from any drop offs.   Instead it was exposed rock veins along the edge, sort of like a ledge. One misstep and it would be a very long fall.I had no choice but to put on my big girl panties, try to enjoy the gorgious view, and hike on, despite my fear of heights. I was very grateful that it was a warm sunny day and the exposed rock veins were dry. I thought I was doing well until I noticed a weird feeling in my chest. I stopped to figure out what was going on and realized that the weird feeling was my heart pounding like a piston. I REALLY do not like heights!Eventually the AT went back into the trees and started down the other side of the mountain. The descent was rockier and a little steeper than the climb. At the bottom was the turn off for the Race Brook Falls Trail. That is where I met 2 guys taking a land break from a boating trip. They were on a trawler and doing a leg of the Great Loop. I took a break and had a wonderful chat with them about boating and their adventure. They invited me to ditch the AT and join their boating adventure. It was tempting, but I had to say no thanks.Then I started the steep and rocky climb up Mount Everett. Sometimes it is best to just climb up the rocks. The pace is slow because of my short legs and tight hamstrings, but reaching the summit still seems to happen faster than with the gentler climbs. Of course the descent on the other side was rocky and steep too.I stopped briefly at the Hemlock and Glen Brook shelters and then continued on. It was too early in the day to stop. The AT eventually dropped off the ridge and leveled off, skirting farm fields. But at the lower elevation the humidity and bugs became almost unbearable.According to the AT guide, several streams were coming up. I suspected that would also mean mud and more bugs. I had enough of the bugs for one day.   So I found a flat spot, pitched my tent, and dove in to get away from the tenacious biting mosquitoes. I did not even want to make dinner.  Almost as if to say not all bugs are bad, before I fell asleep, fireflies danced in the trees all around my tent and put on quite a show. I love fireflies.The AT is calling. I am so glad I am here to see and experience breath takingly beautiful places like Sages Ravine - but I am not liking the mosquitoes.