Date: 2017-08-20
From: Great Barrington - Mountainview Motel

To: Shaker Campsite
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

Woke up this morning feeling pretty great. Not gonna lie - the temptation to just stay in bed was strong. But I was awake before my alarms and checked out by 7:45am. Put my pack on slowly hoping that the couple going to and from their car would talk to me - no dice, not even eye contact. Started walking toward town and about 15 minutes in, heard a car pull over behind me. "Need a ride into town?""That would be amazing."(Side bar: Here's my thing about getting rides out here. I'm not gonna stick my thumb out. I'm not gonna beg. In towns along the trail, people know what we're out here doing. We don't need a sign. We're wearing it on our backs.)As we dumped my pack into the back of his 4 wheel drive sports utility vehicle (with the back seats already folded down), he asked where I needed to go."Well, ideally the Rite Aid and then back to the trail on Route 7."He paused for a minute - I suspect for the effect - and answered "I can do this." We got in the car and he pulled out a tiny notebook. "First things first, what's your trail name?"I laughed and said Brooklyn.He laughed and asked why.I said because I live there and we were off. His name is Joe. He's a retired employee of the town of Great Barrington. And now he goes out actively looking for hikers to shuttle as they come on and off the trail. Super stellar guy. I must remember to email him a thank you when I'm back.So - all that is to say I hit the trail at 8:45am with a compression knee brace and new insoles in my shoes. Add a night in a bed and some cool breezes into the mix - the day felt like a million bucks. And to think I'd been worried last night...6.5 miles and 2 mountains done by 12:30. Stopped at a really beautiful shelter for lunch with a tenting platform looking across the valley.Hit the beginning of Mt Wilcox and was warned by some weekend hikers about low to no water at the shelters up top. Stopped at a state park on the way up to fill my CamelBak (2 liters) and an additional 16oz bottle with flavoring. Back on the trail. 3pm. Hit the first shelter and passed it by - if I stopped there, my morning would start straight uphill. No fun. Keep moving. Trail passes by a lake - I think "why didn't they tell me I could just filter water up here" and stop to wash down my legs and soak my bandana. Get to the far shelter. No water here, but I'm prepared! I walk down, set down my bag, and pull out my trail book. I decide this site doesn't make me feel comfortable. Nothing wrong with it that I can point to, but I'm not keen on staying. It's 4.1 miles to a Shaker Campsite and it's mostly flat or down. I eat a Pro Bar and make a deal with myself - 4.1 miles in an hour and a half. I drink a sizeable amount of water and burn pine needles down the trail.Why exactly I did this to myself - who knows. If I'd seen more uphill climbs, I would have stayed put. But I know how fast I can move on flats. And I know I'm really good at short term athletic goals (thank you off season training with the cross country runners...). I also knew I was chasing daylight. I pulled out of that camp at 5:45. I don't like to be setting up camp much later than 7pm if I can help it. And I hit the campsite at 7:15pm almost on the dot. You know what feels great? Being able to hit your goals and knowing you weren't totally crazy for making the decision. What's also great - that puts me at 17.5 miles for the day. The most I will do in one stretch during this section. It's good to know I have it in me. Thru hikers out here regularly put in 20 mile days. I'll need this feeling for the next section I do...Also, this push was 120% worth it. Great site. More people. Open space. This is what I look for. There's a snack stand and a spigot coming up early tomorrow. Upper Goose Pond by early afternoon and I'll stick there for my one and only zero on Tuesday. It's gonna be good.