Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Corn Crib Plantation and Mosquito Farm




Laurel Ridge Campsite to Corn Crib US7 Massachusetts 13 miles

I got up late and t he preacher boys were already gone. They get up as some ungodly hour, actually they are very devout so I suppose it’s a Godly hour, I must get up at an ungodly hour cause I get up LATE. I managed to finally get out of the hammock at 0730 but I didn’t get on the trail until about 0930. As usual I had some 20 mile aspirations. The day started off slow but at least the Bugs seemed to have stayed in bed. There were a few big climbs on the docket for today, Race Mountain and Mt Everett. Both over 2000 feet, which isn’t that high except you start at 900 feet and they are rigyht after each other so there is definitely some sweating involved. I think I wrang my socks out four times today. God I need gaiters but I can never find an outfitter that has them and I just can’t convince my self to have them shipped to me. Race mountain had some great views and some even greater Blueberry patches. I ate a lot of Wild Blueberries today. They are EVERYWHERE and they are so blue. They are sitting ther just looking at you like a kid with little innocent blue eyes saying, “Pick me! Pick Me!” sometimes I can heaven hear them say, “We’re delicious Dave! Pick us and eat us all day long! What’s the use of walking 20 miles with a 55 pound pack if you don’t even stop to enjoy a delicious Blueberry once in a while?” They really say that, I hear them, really I do! After sampling blueberries above and below 2000 feet I have to say the ones above 2000 feet taste better. Especially on the climb up since I have to actually take a break to pick them. I ran into Riddler and the Scarlet 7 who are now the Scarlet 5 but I hadn’t seen them since the Day Doug got off trail so they told me about this place with ice cream and you can camp in their back yard called “Corn Crib” so that became my new destination. Just after they left me it decided to rain a little bit; just enough to bring out the bastards. They came out in full force and the slippery rocks and biting bastards were a hard pill to swallow, especially when I had just set my mind of ice cream and a refreshing night in a field. The rain stopped but the damage was already done. I was walking in puddles in my boots before long and at some point I lost my reference papers with the mileages on it so I had no idea when I was at the right road. It was very frustrating; not to mention the bastards were going crazy on my arms and legs. Horseflies, deer flies and mosquitoes reinforced by Kamikaze Gnats assaulted my position no matter how fast I moved. It was ridiculous and each time I came to a road I didn’t know if it was the right one. Finally I arrived at US7 and I could tell it was the right one. I saw some businesses in the distance and I took a chance in the right direction. Sure enough I was greeted by the Preacher Boys and Papa Bear along with the Scarlet 5 all eating pints of Ice Cream. It was like some kind of wonderful dream. I didn’t have to pinch myself though; soon a horsefly did the trick for me and my reverie was shattered. I put on some pants so as not to offend the proprietor and went in to get a pint of Peppermint Ice Cream and a Ginger Ale. Ahhhh the good life! Eventually I set up camp and washed off with a hose and hitched a ride into Great Barrington, MA from a guy names Chris; no, Brian. Shit! I can’t remember. Great Barrington is a really cool town. I needed some stuff from the outfitter and I got there 5 minutes after they had closed. The door was open a crack and I pushed in and asked if they would help out an AT Thru-Hiker who had to hitch in. They said yes but they didn’t have any gaiters, DAMN! Oh well, I got some fuel and some maps since I lost my papers I would need them. I let and went to get a burger at this really cool place whose name I can’t remember, Hang on I’ll look it up. Something with an “H” and they have jazz and Blues but not tonight, DAMN! Oh well, the burger was really good and the fries were Damn Good. Oh yeah Club Helsinki, I think… Then I cruised around town and almost watched a movie but I wanted to get back so I hitched a ride back to the Corn Crib from a guy I think his name was Dale. I got my hammock set up and Shaledown Cruise Showed up with my papers that he found on the trail SWEET! I went and used the shower and started blogging and charging stuff. Tons of hikers started showing up, I can’t remember their names but I’ll get hem tomorrow. Now I’m going to bed and I’ll talk to you later. I’m going to try to get to Dalton MA by this weekend but it’ll probably be more like Sunday or Monday. I’ll probably get to upload again at that time, in the meantime, thanks for reading and please don’t forget, if you’re digging the blog and the videos, please help to support it by making a donation at http://www.wbafinc.org/ Thanks guys and good night!

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
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