Date: 2004-08-16
From: Warner Mountain, MA

To: Quietude & Tranquility
Miles today: 15.0

It rained at dawn, providing me with an excuse to go back to sleep. When I awoke, the rain had stopped.I expected more wet conditions on the trail, but decided to wear my hiking shoes instead of sandals. The socks that I wear with the sandals were wet and caked with mud; they would have further aggravated the sore spot on the sole of my left foot. The pain from the splinter had not gone away, but was less acute.To my surprise, there were fewer puddles of water and mucky stretches on the trail. I hiked for three hours and entered the small town of Dalton, Massachusetts to resupply. Outside a luncheonette, two backpacks had been placed near the entrance. I recognized one of them as belonging to Gather. He and his brother, Slimer, were seated at a table and eating lunch. I joined them. The meal was a relaxing interlude from the trail. Gather and Slimer were planning to stay in town, but my visit would be brief.The hike during the afternoon was a special one. I experienced a feeling of inner peace rarely felt on this journey. I am not sure of the reason for this feeling, but here are some observations and thoughts:The forest was unusually quiet. There were rarely any birds heard. There was no wind rustling the branches. When I walked, the wet soil underfoot softened the sound of my hiking shoes making contact with the ground. The quietude was interrupted, or possibly enhanced, by the sounds of drops of water falling from branches.The sky was overcast and the air was misty, which meant the ambient light in the forest was subdued.The woods were somewhat open, unlike the brushy conditions yesterday. I lingered at a few locations, taking in the scenery of the forest and reveling in the quietude. The sun briefly peeked through the clouds when I stood upon "The Cobbles," a viewpoint overlooking the town of Cheshire, Massachusetts. Plumes of mist rose up from the forest between the town and my vantage point. Behind the town, the clouds obscured the high country around Mount Greylock, the highest point in the state.I pondered why I felt such tranquility in the woods today, when most of the time I am grappling with the usual challenges like physical exertion, weather extremes, bugs, and so forth. The terrain was easier today, with few steep inclines. The weather was cool. The bugs were not much of a problem. I had enjoyed a filling lunch in a town. I hiked a reasonable distance¢fifteen miles¢instead of pushing things close to or beyond twenty miles. For whatever the reasons, I felt a sense of peace during much of the afternoon.A few other happenings from today:I hiked by a tree that had fallen over and was lying near the trail. There was a white blaze on the trunk of this fallen tree. The blaze was no longer being used to guide hikers. (Sometimes blazes are intentialy placed on fallen trees). A replacement blaze had been placed on another tree. After this journey ends, I would like to return to this fallen tree and saw off the part of the trunk with the blaze; it would make a nice memento.I finished hiking in Cheshire, where I am staying for the night in the activity hall of the Catholic Church. Hikers have been welcomed by this church for many years. I chatted with the priest, a friendly man.Hikers Carp and Doc Narly are also staying here. Today, Doc Narly had also hiked on the trail from Dalton to this town. He told me that he too had noticed an unusual quiet in the woods.I am going to give myself a sponge bath in the men's room. Then I will lie down on my Thermarest pad that is spread across the floor of a meeting room. Carp is sleeping on the other side of the room.Tomorrow, I will ascend Mount Greylock.