- Went into Salisbury to resupply at the IGA and then back to the trail to tackle Lions Head.
- Snack time at Riga Lean-to then up Bear Mtn. - which used to be the highest point in CT - now it's not. But it did have some of the best views they'd seen in a while!
- Down a giant hill into Sages Ravine... over a creek... and into Massachusetts!!
- Climbed over Race Mtn where they (Hearts & Tupperware) picked and ate an obscene amount of blueberries.
- Then way down & way back up Mt. Everett.
- Walked along MA 41 into S. Egremont but it was late and everything was closed... luckily local hospitality wasn't...
- Lady driving a Prius (let's call her Lady A) stopped and asked the boys if they needed a ride. They declined but stuck around to chit-chat. Another lady (Lady B - who Amos described as someone who 'could not be more hippie') pulled up an offered to cook them dinner out of her car... which she lives in and which runs solely on fry grease. Lady A then countered with an offer for them to stay at her house for the night.
- It's decided that a combination of offers will suffice. Lady B agrees to cook at Lady A's house. (It's best to keep in mind that they don't know each other from Adam!)
- Back at Lady A's house they (Amos & Tupp) took turns taking showers while Lady B cooked up some 'weird hippie food' which was described to me as a salmagundi of any and everything that came straight from the ground & was edible mixed with noodles - which were really the only distinguishable item. It was also mentioned that there seemed to be a bit of a love-connection between Lady B & Lady A as they did A LOT of hugging & also a few awkwardly placed pecks on one another's cheeks... bouw chicka wow-wow!
- Anyway, they all ate, talked, and then went off to bed. (I know nothing of Lady A & Lady B sleeping arrangements - so don't ask - goodnight!)
- 18.5 mi.
6/26/08 - Lady A gave the two a really early ride back to the trail.
- Instead of going directly to the trail they walked down US 7 into Great Barrington to eat breakfast at a local diner then back MA 23 to find the trailhead.
- Along the way, Tupperware had a #2 emergency and relieved himself in some guy's backyard... I can't believe I just typed that.
- Once they got back to the trailhead they took a break & ate lunch - then found themselves faced with a 1000 ft climb right off the bat - up to The Ledges.
- Then they took a big break at Beartown Mtn. Rd and had about an hour-long contest to see who could pelt a little sign with rocks the most (no clear winner). Entertainment should come so easy to the rest of us stuck out here in the real world...
- Back on the trail between Beartown Mtn. Rd and Jerusalem Rd it was EXTREMELY mosquitoey -loads & loads of them- most they've encountered on the AT!
- Walked along Jerusalem Rd into Tyringham where they bought brownies and soda from the Cobble View B&B and then caught a ride down to the town pavilion where they settled in for the night.
- 23 mi.
6/27/08 - Hiked back up the main road and started with another 1000 ft climb up to Webster Rd (still REALLY bad mosquitoes).
- Arrived at Upper Goose Pond about a mile before the shelter & decided to walk around the whole pond.
- Hiked into Upper Goose Pond Cabin (about a 1/2 mile off the trail) - Amos said it was a 'sweet' cabin and because they were the 1st ones there, he got to choose his bunk 1st!
- Met the caretaker, Nancy, who informed them that she would be making blueberry pancakes in the morning - score!!
- Wandered down to the pond & waded around then Tupperware hiked out to meet his parents in Lee.
- Right after Tup left, Meltdown rolled in with his "friend" Evan. Followed by Maggie & Furniture and then Memphis Tim (who Amos hasn't seen since the Smokys)!
- They all decided to go swimming at the pond. So they swam about a quarter mile out to the island where they were met by Furniture who came & picked them up in a canoe!
- Played some cards, cooked some dinner & then off to bed.
- A leisurely 8.5 mi day.
6/28/08 - Awoke to the promised blueberry pancakes & coffee! Packed up & hiked out.
- Down to US 20 where Tupperware's parents showed up with lunch food because Hearts ran out. Tupp's mom brought everything but the kitchen sink - coffee, cookies, fruit, sandwiches, chips, you name it! Wound up packing-out between 7-10 lbs of food!!
- Of course now that he was good'n fed and completely weighed down, he was immediately faced with a daunting climb up Beckett Mtn.
- Took a break at October Mtn Lean-to where the mosquitoes were bad with a capital 'B' and the logbook claimed a moose sighting the night before!
- Eventually made it to Washington Mtn Road which is known for the Cookie Lady's House!! Turned out not to be a lady at all - her husband was there to pass out chocolate chip, walnut (yum!!) cookies. Amos played with their puppy - the one in the photos and the one he describes as being the cutest dog he's ever seen in his life! (now THAT's a distinction!)
- Hiked up Warner Mtn & picked more blueberries. (I think if Amos were a character in a movie, he'd be the little American girl who ate the Three-course-dinner gum & turned into a giant blueberry - except he wouldn't be a little girl [of course] and he wouldn't incessantly chomp on a wad of gum - yeah, he'd just be a big blueberry.)
- Walked into Dalton with Meltdown & man-friend, Evan, Maggie & Furniture. Headed toward the Shell Station where they called Rob Bird (an infamous trail angel and pseudo-hostel owner in town) who picked them up to stay at his house - The Bird Cage.
- Bird Cage had showers, laundry & free beer in the fridge!
- It was there where he met someone Isaac worked with last year (can't remember his name) and where he slept on the couch with Rob's dog.
- 20.5 mi.
6/29/08 - Walked back down to the convenience store with Meltdown & Evan for breakfast.
- Met a 'slightly disturbed' woman with the BRIGHTEST neon green shoes imaginable on his way out of town. Said she would not stop talking to him and that he had a really hard time getting away.
- Hiked up Crystal Mtn and past a troop of Boy Scouts who looked like the were having the most miserable time.
- Stopped for lunch on top and then walked around Gore Pond where he spotted moose poop & tracks! Then up to The Cobbles which had a good view of Cheshire.
- Down into Cheshire to snag an ice cream cone from Diane's Twist. On his way out of town, he felt a random craving for potato salad so he stopped at a nearby convenience store to pack a container out... boy, I remember the good 'ol days when they used to pack-out beer!
- Once he scored the potato salad he was faced with a good 2000 ft ascent to Mark Noepel Lean-to where he spent the night. (Free Hugs showed up and cooked corn on the cob.)
- 13.5 mi.
6/30/08 - 1st to leave the shelter in the morning.
- Passed the 1st legitimate south-bounder on the trail who spent a good portion of their chat spouting off about how awesome he was...
- Climbed Mt. Greylock - 1st time over 3000 ft since Virginia! Sadly, it was cloudy so there were no views and everything was closed up top due to nearby road construction.
- Started the long long long, very steep descent into North Adams. Once he arrived, he hit up the Price Chopper for a birthday card and then headed next door to stuff himself silly at the Chinese buffet!
- Then back to the trail and onto a 2000 ft climb with an extremely full belly - quickly found out that immediately mobilizing after an MSG gorge-fest was a bad idea...
- Met Meltdown - who seemed a little melancholy because he had just said goodbye to his boyfriend in North Adams - on Eph's Lookout.
- Crossed the MA/VT state line with Meltdown and took their first few steps into the exceptionally muddy and horribly maintained section of trail that runs through Vermont - go GMC!
- Slept at the Seth Warner Shelter with the Unknown Hiker (know-it-all) and another guy that had just started hiking the Long Trail and was carrying with him a full sized blow-up mattress!! zowie!
- 16.5 mi day.
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