Date: 2006-07-22
From: East Mountain, MA

To: Maggie's House, Tyringham, MA
Miles today: 15.7

Oh what an exhausting day. Poor poor Leon. We packed up this morning in light rain, and it really started down on us just as we began hiking. You could tell it was the sort of rain that could last all day if it wanted to. Bizarre, since it¢s been so consistently hot lately. Donkey claims that Leon owes him a coke for bringing rainy weather. We stopped at Benedict Pond and swam to get all the bug spray off ourselves, and when we left it started downpouring that heavy Pennsylvania rain. I bet for the rest of my life I use that state as a way to describe a heavy rain. You can¢t blame me.Rain always changes your plans. It either makes you stop at a shelter earlier than you wanted, or it pushes you on further than you should go. Leon was a great hiker all day and had no foot problems at 13 miles when we got to the tent site where all the platforms were full, so on we went. It was 3 more miles to the town of Tyringham, where the fire chief lets hikers sleep on the pavilion.We should have stopped at 13, but I was still shell-shocked from PA and Leon seemed okay to get to the pavilion. As we continued, however, he got a bit silent. I could tell he wasn¢t walking comfortably and I decided what the heck, lets try to get a hotel in town for the night. It was partly to get him motivated, partly a real treat for myself. We finally made it to the road where I stuck out my thumb and got the first hitch.I think Maggie was baffled at why anyone would be outside in such a torrential rain and brought us to Lee to find a room. Tanglewood has concerts this weekend and everything was booked. I'm not kidding, everything. In the meantime while I¢m brainstorming options with Maggie and the deskman at the Super 8, Leon is sitting outside trying to recover after nearly passing out in the air-conditioned lobby. Our only option was the fire pavilion, so she brought us back. As we approached it, however, she didn¢t slow down and told us she'd take us back to her place for the night to get dry and sleep. Wow. We had a really lovely night in her beautiful home. We had wine and beer, and she kept offering Leon an assortment of food, including part of her steak! I tell you, he always manages to get the best treatment. He is still sore and woozy and I¢m not sure how tomorrow will go. It seems that I pushed too much and I feel really awful.So I discovered a couple things today. First, that Leon is a fragile boy! Hah. Every time we go somewhere he seems to get sick...in Ireland, in NYC, and now on the trail! I¢m teasing, but I do think he pushes himself pretty hard. People suggested we do half what we did today. Then again, how many days have I done the same thing to myself? It¢s easy to talk yourself into just a few more miles, and it¢s the reason we all have these ailments on the trail. Secondly, though people have been great to me this whole time on the trail, I discovered just how far a stranger's generosity can go. I cannot believe she took us into her home, and Leon and I are both extremely gracious.The day has been exhausting for me as well. At one point in the heaviest rain, Leon said that Kerra was probably laughing at us and the improbable situation... Leon and I out backpacking in the pouring rain, me even hiking the AT to begin with. If you¢d known us in high school you¢d agree. She probably was laughing, perhaps so hard she was crying? In which case, she's responsible for the rain and owes Donkey the coke.Good night,Chardonnay