Date: 2008-06-18
From: Lee Massachusetts

To: Vermont
Miles today: 250.0

Greetings from Lee, Mass. Some sad news to report, Digger (hiking partner from the beginning) had to "get off the trail" due to some medical problems. It was a tearful farewell, but the right thing to do. Hiking with him was an honor and joy. He is a great friend and epitomizes what it means to be a fraternity "brother". Clearly, he is missed. Currently camped out at a local state forest campground in lower western Mass, while we continue to "slack pack" New England. Good bye to Connecticut when we finish the last 15 miles there probably this Friday. We have done about 30 miles in lower Mass and will be in Vermont sometime late next week. As of today, probably about 675 mi from Katahdin and about 425 from Harpers Ferry. If we average just 12 mi/day we will be though the northern leg of the journey sometime in the later half of August (two weeks or so behind schedule). It does occur to us that there is some tough hiking ahead, and it may be harder to keep up the current pace. Everyone we talk to, tells us it is harder, prettier, and more rewarding the farther north we go. Sounds like a great trade-off. We keep hearing how tough the "Whites" (White Mountains in New Hampshire, where the "Presidentials" are located - includes Mt. Washington etc.), but virtually nothing about the "Greens" (Green Mt's. in Vermont, no has nothing to do with Dave Green, but he probably thinks so); so let's hope they are just rewarding versus difficult. Last major hurdle in Mass, from a hiking perspective, will be Mt. Greylock. There is a great lodge at the top of it, but unfortunately it is closed for renovation - oh well, these things happen. We are starting to see major elevation changes, and the diversity of the geography is definitely changing. More conifers and ponds (lots of beaver dams, but no moose yet). Since being in Conn and Mass along US Route 7 we have seen some amazing small towns with a lot of history and charm. Too bad we don't have the time to explore and discovery more of what they are. Back to hiking. We have always wondered what it would be like to get caught on the trail in a major rain storm (we have hiked in the rain, but that mostly was drizzle), but never a major downpour. Well, no more wondering. It happened two days ago. Starting out, it was a beautiful day, but several hours into it, the skies got very threatening. Then the bottom fell out; including lightning flashes that were not separated too far from the sound, hail, rivers of water flowing down the trail, and darkness when there still should have been several hours of day light left. The rains continued until around midnight, and the tent back at the campground ultimately was sitting in a puddle. However, a hot campground shower, dry clothes, and a dry tent (REI builds 'em good), and all was well. Just, FTR, we have endured a record low (38) for the date in Del Water Gap, a record high for the date in NY (almost 100), and the thunderstorm talked about above is viewed by the locals as one of the hardest any of them can remember. Maybe folks ought to get concerned from a weather standpoint when we get close to their town? Yesterday, we did a 16 miler in the mud and water left over from the previous night. If you can't hike in the rain and the wet; effectively, you can't hike the trail. Wet boots and socks are just part of the of ante if you want to participate. There are so many places and sights along the trail that make it worthy; it's just hard to talk about them in other than list form; which wouldn't do much for the vast readership for this journal. One other thing that needs to be mentioned is the psychology of "slack packing". It makes it much more comfortable to do, and enables you to do more each day. My fellow "slackers" (BTW, slack packers are viewed favorably by fellow hikers - virtually no hiker would refuse a slacker opportunity) and I have become great trail companions. Chipper is pretty much all business about getting to Katahdin, and Peaches (his lovely spouse) provides great trail support, as well as, hiking with us on most days. The down side, it clearly costs more to do it this way, you miss the shelter/lean-to (a lean-to is the New England name for a shelter) experience, and obviously you don't get to know some of the other thru hikers as well. Given the choice, slack packing trumps any other way to do it. Obviously, you need a vehicle and at least two hikers willing to walk the same section of the trail in opposite directions. By the grace of the good Lord, we have the means to keep slacking, so that's what we'll do. btw, on most "day hikes", I'm still carrying about a 20 pound pack, clearly less than the normal 35 pounds, but more than a some of the hard core types. Time to log off. Ever Onward!