Date: 2013-08-16
From: Norwich, VT

To: North Adams, MA
Miles today: 9.6

I came out to the trail to spend a lot of time alone, thinking and praying and doing my own thing. I love to be able hike when and how I want and not worry about anyone else, and to enjoy the people that cross my path. I tell people, when they press me, that I'm on a "date with God." After nearly a week of hiking with Snakebite, I was feeling constrained by his seemingly constant presence despite a few attempts to create some space between us and knew that if I kept hiking with him so much I would lose focus on what I came out here for. I wasn't sure what I would do about it but I knew that, although I still enjoyed his friendship, I just needed more space, to be on my own. But I unfortunately I couldn't quite bring myself to say just that; I didn't have the words then. I think I was too frustrated. And since I had already told him much of this before I doubted that speaking to him would be effective.So when I started hiking in the morning I tried the passive option (not something I'm exactly proud of) of hiking fast, but he caught up just before I got to Mt Greylock (Massachusetts' highest peak). We took photos of the monument and then went to the Lodge, where Memphis bought us sodas. Then Snakebite bought me lunch (I told him he didn't have to but he insisted). It was yummy. After lunch, Fat Man Walking arrived and we waited for him to eat. Then the three of us hiked down together. At the top of Mt Williams, the guys took a break, but I decided to keep going, running down the mountain, as I needed to get into Williamstown before the post office closed to pick up and to mail a package (and I wanted to see if I could perhaps put some space between us). At the bottom of the mountain, Limpin' Eagle pulled up to the trailhead in his Jeep just as I was walking by. I was happy to see him again and he offered to take me into Williamstown, but I still had to walk a mile before I got to the road that connects Williamstown and North Adams, so I kept going. When I got to the road, as I was anxiously waiting for Limpin' to show up, Snakebite and FMW arrived, marveling about how fast I got there. (Sigh). Limpin' picked us up and took us to the grocery store and then the post office, and then we went to a bar because FMW offered to buy us each a beer. FMW was going to leave the trail for the weekend to go to a funeral, so he was waiting for his dad to come pick him up.Snakebite and I took Limpin' out for dinner at Desperado's Mexican Restaurant, which gave us a half-price hiker discount, and then our goal was to find place to camp. We drove around looking for stealth camping options and were relieved when a hiker told us about a Deadhead who was letting hikers camp in his backyard. When we got to the house we saw a truck out front which was covered with Grateful Dead stickers. As soon as I got out of the car I saw a bunch of guys sitting in the backyard, who yelled "Poppins!!!" when they saw me. (I feel so popular on the AT sometimes!) I met Bill and his wife (I forget her name) who let us stay there. They were definitely hippies--so friendly and nice. A couple of the guys went on a beer run, at which time I knew I would not get much sleep...It was a fun evening, talking around the fire, but I was tired, so I went to bed and at 11pm I somehow managed to fall asleep.