Date: 2009-07-11
From: Sharon Mtn. Campsite - Trail Mile 703.0

To: Cobble Rd., Salisbury, CT - Trail Mile 689.9
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 21[Watson & Holmes reported their arrival to this point of the trail. They stayed at the home (yes, Watson was allowed in after a sponge bath on the lawn) of: Maria McCabe, 4 Grove St., Salisbury, CT 06068, 41° 59' 8.52" N 73° 25' 25.02" W, 728 ftHer journal entry:]Home of Maria McCabe, 4 Grove St., Salisbury, CTHappy Birthday to me!! Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes by facebook, email, and text.My present to myself was a night indoors and away from the thunderstorm.After a good night at Sharon Mtn., we started hiking around 9 am - took a bit of extra time to have a big breakfast and wash up a bit. Quickly caught up with L-Train taking a break at Hang Glider's View, overlooking a race track where supposedly Paul Newman and other celebrities play.Definitely got my rhythm back - very happy about that. Nice terrain and easy trails in CT made for good hiking. Down off the mountain and it was a nice flat river walk for most of the day. We continued to get good quick miles in, and were at the next shelter by 4:30. Deciding to keep a good thing going, I press on to Salisbury, aiming for Plateau Campsite just on the other side of town. I can't go much further, and need to buy kibbles anyway. Along the way, though, we meet AMC RidgeRunner Milkman who warns us of a big storm rolling in that night. I looked into spending the night in town but was discouraged by price and pet policy. I decide to call and ask anyway, hoping H will be allowed on a porch or in a garage. Ms. Maria McCabe offers her porch for him and a bedroom for me. Thanks, Milkman, for the advice! Off we go, trying to beat the storm into town. We can hike pretty fast when properly motivated!And if that wasn't enough excitement, on the way into town, a loose dog charged across the street from the porch he and his owner were hanging out on. I could tell he wasn't completely into attack mode, so I waited to see if he would stop and sniff. Nope! He barreled right into H but didn't draw blood. H just stood there looking to me, exactly as he was trained to do: no fighting back. I grab the other dog by the scruff, grab H by his harness, and keep them separated until the owner comes. She grabs her dog and I walk away a bit to give them time to calm down. She's having trouble with 'Dozer, and I'm worried about the rain so I just move on. We get to Maria's shortly thereafter, and she is a wonderfully sweet woman. She takes one look at H and says 'He's such a good, clean dog, maybe he would be OK inside on the floor.' I offer to give him a bath on the lawn first (he needs it, anyway!) and she brings out a bucket of warm soapy water. H tolerates this about as well as he ever does, but in short time is good and clean. My turn!! H is left on the porch, muzzled and whining, while I run through a shower. Maria is going into town to pick up some other hikers from the laundromat, and offers to pick up food if I order from the pizza place or Chinese place right near there, so that H isn't left alone. Sweet! Fifteen minutes later I'm enjoying Pesto Chicken and watching the rain outside while H naps. Good stuff. A little later I do some laundry in the sink and settle in for bed. A couple calls home and some emails and I'm quickly falling asleep. Unfortunately, H's stomach has started acting up, so we take two walks during the night. At least he times them in between the downpours!41° 59' 24.97" N 73° 25' 18.1" W, 692 ftFor HarveysMom by Harvey's GrandPop