Date: 2012-05-25
From: Falls village - toymakers cafe

To: Hemlock shelter
Miles today: 21.7

Today was a great day, in fact it was one of the best! I camped out last night and of course it rained. But that is ok it was only my tent that got wet. I packed up and went into the Toymakers Cafe to get a bite to eat, what a great choice. The owner told me that had great waffles, that decided my order. Minutes later I had a freshly made cinnamon Apple waffle. It blew me away with how good it was. I also had some local sausage and a fresh cinnamon bun.. frosted and warmed up of course. What a way to start my day. Just before leaving I ran into Drop out. He is a cool kid. Like me he carries a trinket with him that he got in boiling springs. I carry a rubber chicken.... he is carrying a kiddy pool. Asmall plastic freaking pool. He has all the thru hikers signing it, I an kinda jealous of it. I departed and hiked eight miles over some mountain and into Salisbury.Getting a hitch into town proved a lost cause as I held my thumb out hoping for a ride. No luck. I walked in and went to the outdoor store where I had some packages waiting. The first box was from bucketlist, a trail angel. He sent me an amazing mail drop with a tasty food supply in it, all sorts of goodies. The second box was from my mom. That had my new shoes in it with varies other goodies also. She kinda snuck in a bottle of "juice" for me also! Thanks mom! Finally there was my third box, but I had to wait a hour for it to arrive... my new superfeet insoles. My shoes and insoles are destroyed and needed replacement. While enjoying my presents and repacking my gear it poured, but stopped as quickly as it started. I knew this was cue to hike on, so I left in a hurry. The trail quickly went uphill causing me to despise the full supply of food, but i had new shoes that felt incredible. I soon came over the first mountain which involved a 900 ft climb. Going down it proved very hard from how steep and wet it was. I ran into a mother and her kid, Eli. He is nine years old and knows the trail better than me! He is very lucky to have a mom that gets him out in the mountains. He will turn out to be a great hiker I am sure. I then hiked up and over race mtn, another decent climb but spectacular to say the least. We hiked along a ridge with a wide open mountain view that I can never due justice describing. Again going down was not easy. This time the mountain taught me a valuable lesson. I had been rushing so I could make it to shelter before dark. I took a step on a wet moldy rock and slipped. I went down hard trying to not fall down the steep hill. I landed on my pack and luckily only had a few scrapes. Later I would find a big dent in my fuel canister and stove pot. The mountain does not discriminate, it is simply there. The mountain does not care if your in a hurry, hurt, sick, tired... it is still going to be the same. I remembered this valuable lesson and slowed down before I had a fall that really hurts me.After my brush with getting hurt I took my time as i still had one big climb to go, up Everett mtn. Before i knew it that was over also and I was down at camp. Two other thru hikers are here and the shelter is really nice. Jeff and Joe are coming Sunday which I am really excited about! After a great dinner in a bent pot, I am off to bed. Oh and by the way... I have now gone over 1,500 miles!!! And crossed into Mass.!!!