Date: 2005-06-22
From: Hemlocks Lean-To

To: Tom Leonard Lean-To
Miles today: 14.3

Gabriel and his Dad arrived last night and decided to tent out because of the bugs. Zack ¢NOBO from Delaware Water Gap ¢ also arrived late and slept in the loft inside his tent. Gabriel proved to be a very talkative young man, and long after I got into my bunk, I could still hear him singing ¢45 Bottles of Beer on the Wall¢ from inside his tent!   Awoke early and was treated to a spectacular sunrise. The front of the shelter faces due east and the sun arose bright red through the trees over the tent, and shone directly into the shelter. It was as if the shelter had been directly positioned for the sunrise, which slowly changed from blood red to dark yellow, to light yellow, before disappearing into a cloudbank.   No one else was stirring as I left in a cool and overcast morning. It was a pretty, and straightforward, hike along the crest of Mount Bushnell, and then a very steep and treacherous rocky descent down off of Jugs End Summit to Jugs End Road. The trail is pretty flat after that for about seven miles, as it crosses the floor of the valley. Just prior to MA41, I found some trail magic. A full, cold, liter of Gatorade on the trail under a tree. It hit the spot and helped relieve my water concerns for the day. On the other side of MA41 was a cooler with the remains of trail magic. Grapes and candy were left and appreciated.   Just before South Egremont Road is a swamp with the worst mosquitoes I have even seen! Their numbers were exceeded only by their ferocity. I even had bites on my face under my beard, despite liberal applications of DEET. On the notice board at the road, some wag had written, ¢You are entering the breeding ground for the entire mosquito population of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts¢   At the road was the Shays Rebellion Monument. It is a simple stone slab, and all the more impressive because of its simplicity. For some reason it reminded me of the Audi Murphy Memorial.   Then some very pleasant hiking through meadows ¢ I love ¢em ¢ and along the banks of the Housatonic River. I finally got a cell signal just before I started the climb up June Mountain.   The climb up June Mountain was easy, but it was followed by a tough hike along the crest of East Mountain. Although neither of the trail guides mentioned it, there is a ¢bad weather bypass trail¢ along the crest, proof positive that the going is tough on the trail itself. The planners took the trail over every bare exposed rocky outcropping ¢ great views, but difficult hiking. On one of the vistas, I met with Tina and her dog Maggie, out for a day hike.   Then a long three miles on here to the shelter, expecting it to appear in every gulch that I crossed. Had some problems finding the water source ¢ ¢to the left of the shelter¢ Whose left? There was a sign, but no trail or blazes, but I did finally find something drinkable.   Zack arrived, and left for the hostel at East Mountain Retreat Center. Just after he left, we had a downpour, easing off now with some sun coming out again. I am sipping my coffee as I write and am well content with my situation. Another 14+-mile day today, and hopefully a repeat performance tomorrow. The last couple of hours my energy flagged a lot, but I can still keep putting one foot in front of the other.Thought for today ¢Thrust in the Lord ¢ She will provide. [Ditto for Trail angels!]