Date: 2008-06-22
From: Stealth site .1 past Stony Brook Campsite, CT

To: Belter's Campsite, CT
Miles today: 14.7

Man, despite being past exhaustion, I had a hard time going to sleep last nite. Not sure why. It obviously finally happened, and I woke before my alarm, (damn birds!) and then the alarm went off @ 5. I was feeling some intuitive nervousness concerning the weather today, and for good reason. It was 60 when I woke by the way.Sidenote...I know my temp report is boring, but I do it for those that might use my journal for researching for their own hikes.Anyway, I just got my ass kicked all over the place again today folks. I felt strong.....until now. In the course of 14.7 miles, I had 11 climbs and some smaller ups. Now, not all of these climbs were horrible, but my gosh, Conecticut is definitely when the friendly trail goes away (compared to the mid-atlantic states).Because I had alarms going off in my head this morning because I felt there might be bad weather (I had no idea what it was supposed to do), I somehow stepped off @ 6:19 a.m. (don't ask me how).I still had a few miles of the flat river walk trail, and it was beautiful, but it did curve out into a farm field where you could see the mountains with fog hovering over them. I watched 2 deer run in their amazing way thru the field.First climb was Silver "Hill". HILL MY ASS!! This thing had me throwing my poles up for verticle rock scrambling, mine and your favorite thing to do first thing in the morning right?Then it was down (oh, this routine of climbing until you can't breathe anymore and then right back down just so you can climb right back up? Yeah..just hit the "repeat all" button, it was never ending today.)One positive thing about today (I'm honestly struggling a bit to find it) was that there several gorgeous streams and rivers. When I descended from Rte 4, there was a fantastic river to ford. Almost none of these are in my guidebook, so it's a nice surprise.3 more climbs and I was @ Ceasar Rd. Campsite where someone was camping. Nice spot.Then I climbed Surdam Mtn., and just as I got over the top, I noticed the weather change. It had been very hazy and humid all morning with the sun blocked by the haze. I then heard thunder and knew I'd better get down in elevation. The wind picked up and I'm doing my normal running down the trail due to adrenalin song and dance. Then in an instant the wind stopped, which always happens right before the storm hits. I guesstimated my location on the topos and figured I was in the lowest possible elevation without going back up, so it's always totally quiet when its still and then BOOM it hits suddenly. I knew I had 1 option to put my tarp up..with half of it actually hanging over a stream and 2 stakes in the water. This was because of the direction of the storm, so I hopped across the stream, tied the tarp to a small tree, then hopped back over, and got everything set. Pretty hilarious actually, to stake out 2 corners of the tarp IN the sandy bottom of a stream, but he! y it worked.The moment I got it set, the storm hit with a vengeance. I grabbed my pack, and I had moved a log over to sit on, and I sat there trying to be calm. I just told myself to relax over and over again. It was 11:20 a.m. by the way. The storm was a fast mover, but not before giving me one REALLY loud crack of thunder, which means the lightening is close.Finally the thunder was past me, but the rain was really coming down. I kept looking @ the water level of my stream that I was sitting right next to, hoping it wasn't going to suddenly rise and flood me out. I decided to try to eat something since it was about lunchtime. I'll admit, I get so uptight with these storms I feel like I'm going to hurl, so I forced some beef jerky down. Finally the rain subsided and I stayed dry due to my incredible tarp...again.I started hiking again @ 12:20 p.m., got to West Cornwall Rd. and started another steep climb. I havn't had cell service since yesterday morning, so I stopped and checked again on top of this mountain and I barely had 1 bar, so I called Karen to let her know I was ok. It was a short conversation because the reception was horrible, and I got a look @ the sky and it was obvious another round of storms was coming in.I hiked around this curve and then had great cell service, so I decided to call the people in my guidebook that I'm hoping to stay with tomorrow nite in Salisbury, CT. I got through and the man was super nice and said they'd hold a room for me. Oh my gosh...what a relief! Now I knew I'd have a place with laundry and all, and it was only costing $35.00 instead of the $90.00 of the B&B in town.I started hearing thunder again, and I knew Pine Swamp Shelter was about .9 down, so I took off. It wasn't significantly lower in elevation, but it would have to make do. Again, windy, then totally calm. Just as I got to the shelter, it hit again. I will admit my timing was impeccable today. Furniture ad his girlfriend (from MA) were there trying to dry out from getting caught in the last storm. I was relieved they were there, other people sometimes make me feel safer.It was another violently rainy, windy, thundery storm. Another hiker showed up (I met him yesterday..can't remember his name) and he goes, "Well, since I'm soaked, I might as well just keep going," and off into the lightening in this elevation he went. I guess we all have a feeling of immortality at some point huh?Next, Toots (ME) and Burples (NH) showed up soaked. What's funny is the first time I met them @ RPH Shelter, they were walking in soaked from a storm too. They are college buddies who will both graduate in May. Really cool women.We all sat there till the storm passed, and I left right behind Furniture and his g\f. We had the highest point of the day to go yet, and the weather just got weirder. We left @ 1:40 p.m. and I jokingly told everyone where I keep my cell and to dial 1# for my family if lightening decides to get me. I was joking..sort of. So even though the storm was past us, it kept randomly lightening and thundering.I hiked behind Furniture as long as I could. We made it over Mt. Easter and then I stopped for water @ Sharon Mtn. Campsite. I thought I'd better check my soaked and raw feet, and glad I did. My right heel had a flap of skin about the size of a 50 cent piece. I didn't have blisters, just the skin was so soft and wet it just ripped. I got my first aid kit out and put a band aid over it along with multiple layers of duct tape, which by the way doesn't stick so well when the surface is wet.I hate having any sort of foot issue, but I tried slowing down and being more careful with all the climbs in wet socks\shoes.So honestly, I'm feeling totally exhausted and negative again. All I could think was, "Shit, if little old CT is kicking my butt like this, how will I ever make it through the hard stuff ahead of me?" I'm worried about it actually.So I think I need to change what I'm doing out here. I've been trying to go 7 days about 100 miles each time, and it seems it's not working for me so much. I used to do 5 days, and I wanted to go longer between resupplies, but I think I'm going to have to go back to 5 days. I'm just not enjoying myself like I should be, and it's all about my mental stamina honestly. I know myself, and know that no matter what I'm dealing with in life, I do well with short intense bursts of energy, but need time to rest. So I think I'll change it back and see how it goes. I can't be out here hating what I'm doing. It's pointless you know?So I knew I had about 3 miles left, and I really had to talk to myself. I had to tell myself to stop thinking about anything more than these 3 miles...not tomorrow, not the Whites, not anything but these last 3 miles. Folks...I can honestly say this hike is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I hope I have what it takes to see this thru.So, finally I was headed down towards Belter's Campsite. I got here and it's beautiful pine trees again. It's low in elevation too, but the water source was a trickle.I got set up, exhausted, feeling sick to my stomach from having pushed so much today (I don't think I'm eating enough either). I made dinner and just broke down again. Man, this trail is going to land me in therapy! LOL I've never cried so much in my entire life! I really wanted to talk to Karen, but no cell service again...crap.It didn't rain or storm anymore, but the mosquitoes are horrible. I'm using Ben's, and it does fine, but I sweat it off as fast as I put it on. As I was cleaning my feet, I looked down and saw the smallest tick yet on my croc. If I get out of this hike without contracting Lyme, it will be a miracle.How tired am I? My freakin food bag is hanging from the ridgeline of my hammock. I just don't care...if a bear wants to come eat me...that's ok. Getting to the point there's not much to eat except salty deet-covered skin, knotted hair, and skanky feet. You should all be SO GLAD you don't have cyber-smell....you'd gag. Tomorrow...tomorrow I shower!So I crawled into my hammock @ 6:30 p.m. I felt horrible, so I got my i-pod out. Music, a drug to me, has allowed me to actually try to add humor to this entry. I know I know...this is as nerdy as I can possibly be, but do you know what song I've been listening to? Yup, the theme to Wonder Woman. Man, I love this song. It's a groovin 70's song with a killer bass line. It also allows me to remember my childhood excitement for watching Lynda Carter do her thing. She can't act, but who cares....she can block bullets with her bracelets man! I so wish I could meet her in person. LMAOHey...THAT'S what I want for my birthday! I want to meet Lynda Carter....so this 6 degree rule has to apply right? I mean with all the people who read this thing, surely someone has a connection right?I know...I'm rambling, but it feels really good to talk\think about something other than hiking right now. I need to feel human again, and right now I feel more like Mogley, the jungle boy who has been running with the bears and who has ever used soap.The mosquitoes are trying desperately to get to me. I think the Deet is killing my sinuses or I'm allergic to something in CT. I've not been able to breathe thru my nose for the past 4 nites. Can you say cotton mouth?Alright, I'll end the misery, it's 74 degrees @ 8:13 p.m. And I go to sleep with the following line going thru my head, "In your satin tights, fighting for your rights, and the old red white and blue....Wonder Woman...Wonder Woman....."~Certain