Date: 2005-07-09
From: East Mountain Retreat Center

To: Shaker campsite
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: broken clouds

East Mountain Retreat Center to Shaker campsite Nice short today since we want to hit Goose Pond Cabin tomorrow but didn't want a long day to get there.  It was still foggy, rainy and cold this morning when we left the retreat center.  We'd heard it was supposed to clean up this afternoon so we thought it would be good to stall a little by going into Great Barrington for breakfast.  OK, OK, we really just didn't want to go back out into the rain yet and a hot breakfast sounded a lot better anyway.  We got a pretty quick hitch in for which we were grateful since we felt a little uncomfortable thumbing in an upscale residential neighborhood.  Yesterday when we were dropped off near the hostel/retreat we were trying to figure out just where to go.  Standing in some grass looking down at our guide a Lexus SUV pulled up and asked if we needed help finding something.  Though they were friendly enough there was a distant concern and inquisitiveness in their demeanor and I'm fairly certain they took us for vagrants.  When we told them that we were just trying to find a hostel the man said there was no hostel, with a suspecting intonation.  We consulted our book for the specific name at which point he said "what are you doing? Consulting your Appalachian guide????"  We nervously affirmed then told him it was the East Mountain Retreat Center.  He seemed a little at ease once we said that and pointed us toward the blue sign across the street which we just determined was where we wanted to go when he pulled up and gave us the third degree with a smile treatment.  We suspected that it was their house whose edge of grass adjacent to the street we'd been standing on and that's why they were concerned.  But being identified as a possible vagrant is a lousy feeling so I was especially uncomfortable hitching near that spot this morning, although we didn't stand in their grass but instead that of their across the street neighbors! We were dropped at an eclectic cafe with a distinct Mexican decore but serving a pretty American-style breakfast.  They had FANTASTIC coffee.  I'd say it was the best coffee I have had since we've been on the trail.  The slower service was welcome since we wanted to delay going out into the rain as long as possible.  Once served, we lingered over breakfast, savoring the delicious food and warm drink.  The stalled did finally come to an end, much to our chagrin.  Mist and rain continued to make the world wet and gray.  We found a good spot to hitch back out of town and situated ourselves in the thumbing position in front of a closed video store.  Gravity was examining the ground during a lull in traffic when on impulse he bent down to pick up what looked like a rubber super ball, partly imbedded in some mud.  As I was chiding him that any car that will observe that childlike digression (even if it was initiated by my excitement at finding a bouncy toy) would never pick us up, the first car pulled over.  It was a subdued middle-aged gentleman with a rather nice vehicle.  Turned out he cycled as a hobby and took pity on us out in the weather like that.  Still didn't explain why he would pick up a couple of hikers who he just observed picking random things out of the street mud.  Turned out he liked our legs.  He first commented on Gravity's legs and how you usually see legs like that on a cyclist.  Then he turned to the back seat to get an eyeful of my gams. It wasn't as creepy as it sounds, but no doubt, he was definitely a legman.  Nothing noteworthy on the trail today, just more rain.  The sun accompanied by some pieces of blue sky made a couple guest appearances, but the clouds and rain upstaged them.  We reached camp by 3:30 P M which though early was fortunate as there are several weekenders sharing the site with us.  There are only two tent platforms but four tenting groups.  There is some level area but not much and its pretty muddy from all the rain.  This is the busiest camp we've had in quite some time.  Sadly, no other thru hikers here though.  We still seem to be in a lull and it is getting a little lonely.  I really thought a group would have caught us by now with how much we've slowed down.  Oh well, at least we have fun with each other.  We never get too lonely and continually manage to find new ways to laugh.  Danger