Rain Fugitive and Back Home Again

Greenwall Shelter to Back Home Again Hostel: 8 Miles

I guess I’ll get out of here sometime. I’m sitting here waiting for the rain to ease, and it has, several times. I’ve been updating my journal for the last four days. I’ll post them I think and then get going. It’s already 1210. I didn’t feel like getting water this morning. I ate a little bit and killed a few hundred mosquitoes. They are slower here in Vermont than they were in Massachusetts. I thank God for that. Maybe it’s all the moisture in the air?

Later

I got out of there around 1230 and walked over mud and slides and twisted, gnarled roots that provided conundrical stepping situations as I went down toward Vermont Route 103. The hike up and over Bear Mountain was difficult. There seems to be a Bear Mountain in every state and I have to go over it. Every Bear Mountain is also a tough climb either up or down. Maybe there’s something to this. I’ll investigate it later. At some point I was investigating the map and I realized that at Rt 103 I could just hitch a ride in to Rutland and it would actually be closer than it would if I passed over Killington where the book suggests you hitch in from Route 4. Rt 103 is a smaller highway but it’s still significant and has lots of traffic so I decided I would stop there and go in to the town of Rutland. I’ve been hearing about this hostel called “Back Home Again.” It’s run by a religious group called The Twelve Tribes. I’d been hearing all about these guys from people on the trail. They offer work-for-stay which is great ‘cause I’m almost completely out of money and I have plenty of energy to work with. I can work all day long I just can’t make any money while I’m out here. They feed you too; so it seems like all of my issues would be solved, including the “wet socks” and “soggy, muddy life” issues. I heard there is a guy who will slack pack you too. Slack packing is when you hike a section of the trail with the bare essentials in your pack for the day; basically, water, camera and lunch. Sometimes a person will drive you out to a trailhead about 20 or 30 miles from the hostel and you hike much faster and more miles back in to the place you are going to stay. There are many ways to do this but basically it allows you the benefits of staying in town without losing miles for the day. My brothers and I slackpacked one three mile section back in Franklin but I’ve resisted the temptation to slackpack so far on this trip. I hear temptation calling…
I got down to the road and the effects of the rain were evident as I crossed the last bridge over the Mill River. It was incredibly loud as the bloated river rushed throught he rock channels. It looked like the Colorado River. The narrow rock chutes took a 90 degree turn and sloshed back and forth in what looked to me to be class-four or five rapids. I wanted to take some pictures but my camera was packed up tight to keep it safe from the rain so I thought about it and kept moving; Town was beckoning.

After I got on the road and changed into Hitchiking Clothes, I got a ride pretty quick from a guy who took me all the way into where I needed to go. I’m really glad he did because where they said the town was only 4 miles away was just the very outskirts and it would have been another four miles or so to get downtown to the Back Home Again Café. I called and made sure I could get a bed and the response I got was “we’ll make room” so I anticipated it to be pretty full but there were like 25 people there; many of whom I knew like Croc Hunter and Leonides Shadow Cast; but there were also a bunch of SOBOs and non-hikers. They set me up with a great bed by the window to the main street and I would fall asleep later that night to the comforting sounds of Blues emanating from one of the local pubs across the street. Ranan greeted me as I came into the café and showed me to my bed and around the café. They have dinner for everyone at 8:30PM and then we all clean up and do various chores afterwards. Rutland is a pretty cool town that once boasted the most bars per capita in the US. The WAL-MART and the Grocery Store were only a block away so re-supply would be easy. I went and hung out in the WAL-MART among the brightly colored boxed to re-acclimate myself to society. I like doing that when I get into a town. Just like I need to be silent and listen to the forest when I get back into it. I also need to get amongst commerce and air-conditioning for a while before I can “Be” in society again. It’s kind of weird but it’s definitely something I’ve noticed since I’ve been on this trip.

The café has its own bakery and when I got upstairs I found the Preacher boys wrapping up muffins, huge ginger snaps and Maté energy bars. I had heard about these energy bars from Greta in the Green Mountain House. My work-for-stay involved moving a bunch of stuff and I was really starting to feel this hernia thing in my groin. When I lifted a box and the edge of it was against my pelvis I could feel it popping and one of the other hikers is a doctor and he cursorily diagnosed it as a hernia. I guess I better figure out where a VA hospital is. I looked up the treatment for hernia on the Internet and it looks like I’m going to need surgery. There is a chance that they can just pop it back in and I can keep going but I’m not counting on it. I’m afraid after coming all this way, I may have to get off the trail. I was really ready for the White Mountains too. I’m about to enter the most difficult section of the Appalachian Trail and I’ve been psyching myself up for it. I would hate to have to get off now. We had a delicious dinner and we had a long discussion with Ranan and Yohanan about their community which is basically like Messianic Jews but they live in a neat community which is linked to many other communities just like it all over the world. They make some awesome liquid soaps and amazing Yerba Maté drinks and baked goods. The café is awesome; made from an old barn that they disassembled and cannibalized for their décor and furniture. They have an amazing fellowship and connection with each other and their God. It’s very neat to see how the community operates and thrives with every family member playing a role.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Ver-mud, Ver-muck, Vermont

Cairns, Carns, everywhere is Cairns

Peru Peak Shelter to Greenwall Shelter: 15 miles

Dawn came slowly, over a period of hours, or so it seemed from under the bundle of my sleeping bag where I had wrapped myself fitfully through the night to avoid the onslaught of mosquitoes that bit through sock and sleeve and attacked any exposed surface. bearded though it may be. The rainsong mingled with the sound of the pregnant stream and as I finally peered from my bag, roused by the packing of my temporary companions, I was greeted by the rain-jangling foliage that surrounded the shelter. The rain on the tin roof morphed from piiter-patter to frenzy and back again all morning and I assuaged my psyche by burrowing further into my bag. I had no desire to put that wet shirt on and sling a pack on my shoulder and navigate over wet, slime-covered rocks and slip-trip down steep winding staircases of roots and rubble with a cumbersome pack swaying from left to right like the smaller of the trees I passed in the stormswept forest. My dreams were of this and other horrible things unrelated like unrequited love and naked speeches as I waited for the day to brighten. All alone in the shelter now, I tried to get it going. I got up and relieved myself in the wet bushes, avoiding raindrops and trying not to brush against the soaking pine branches. I had some breakfast; pepperoni, sharp provologne and pita, only to return pitifully to the sleeping bag, half dressed and half packed and half- hoping for the sun to break through. I knew it wouldn’t. They said that the rain would last until Friday. I wondered briefly if I had enough food to last me here til Friday. I did; but, then I would still have to walk 50 Miles to Killington on M&Ms and whatever mushrooms I could find along the way. I entertained the idea during yet another roll-over on to yet another uncomfortable position and finally decided to get up and get the hell out of there while the rain was only pittering rather than pounding. I didn’t get out of the shelter until about 1230, maybe later. I knew I had to make some miles. I was also out of toilet paper and I had three days to go. I had some moist wipes but I knew it wouldn’t be enough. Maybe I could find some in a Privy or something. I got out of there and hustled. I did find some toilet paper at a really nice privy maintained by a caretaker. I took a little extra for the next two days just in case and then I tried to get some miles. I still feel that hernia thing happening but it seems familiar so maybe I’ve had it before. I’ll walk it off. The rain kept going on and off all day. I got wet, really wet. I changed my socks a couple of times but it would only last a couple of miles before I was swimming in my socks again. It was getting dark already and I had only done about 12 miles. I was trying to get to the Greenwood shelter and I came upon this ghostly site with rock cairns all over everything. It was really spooky in the rain. I took some pictures, there were probably a hundred little rock cairns all over the place, balanced on precarious ledges and even on logs which were balanced in turn on another cairn. It was very strange. I was hoping I was at the shelter when I ran up on another display of freaky cairns. The sign that was there said it went off to some vista instead of going to the shelter as I had hoped. According to the book, I still had a mile and a half to go. I couldn’t believe it; I was sure I was there! Another 30 or 40 minutes to go in the steadily increasing rain; I was losing it. I started telling myself to keep it together. The thing was, the Shelter was another .3 miles off trail and the water source was questionable and just because it was raining like mad didn’t mean that there would be a stream. Sooner than the book said, the shelter trail came up and I trudged through rain and mud to get there. Snickers and Pack Animal were there and a bunch of kids that I didn’t see under a tarp down the hill. This rain is getting worse and I’ll probably sit around till noon or worse tomorrow. I had to find the water source and it wasn’t all that exciting: just a dribble out of a rusty pipe. It took a while to fill up and by the time I got back it was fully dark. I cooked in the dark and cleaned up and was too damn lazy to hang a bear bag. It seems like no one hangs them here, they just hang them in the shelter from mouse hangs and go to sleep; well, I might as well do it too. I’ll try to blog in the morning instead of just sitting there and watching the rain. I’m never going to catch Croc Hunter like this.David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Rainforest tap dancing on the slippery roots

ATV on Bromley Mtn

Green Mountain House to Peru Peak Shelter: 10 Miles

We got up later than we said we would and then me and ATV went to breakfast at this AWESOME place: “Up For Breakfast” in Manchester Center, VT. We got the “Hiker’s Special” and it was definitely filling. Vermont has some bad-ass maple syrup, I must say. It must be all the rain. We walked to the other side of town and couldn’t get a hitch. I finally found a place I thought would work for sure, right next to a parking lot and a convenience store. Someone had to be going out of town and could give us a ride! Nope! We stood there forever. I ran into the store to pull some money and after getting a hundred bucks I found out I have $3.83 in my account. Let’s see how far that gets me! Finally this awesome couple gave us a ride. They have lived in Manchester all their lives and they give hikers rides all the time. I can’t remember their names right now but I hope they will email me and tell me so I can put them in. I have a picture of them by their truck in case you’re wandering just who they hell those people are standing g next to the truck. As a matter of fact, you can probably guess that if anyone is driving or standing next to a vehicle in a picture, they gave us a ride and should be held in the highest of regards. As soon as we got on the trail there was magic. A group of schoolchildren and their teacher drop off sodas and sandwiches at the trailhead. It’s an awesome thing to do, too bad me and ATV were still overloaded from the “hiker’s special” to do anything about it. There was a camera there too but it was out of film so I took a picture for them in case you’re wondering what the hell is that guy doing with a can of orange soda? I threw the orange soda in my pack for later and headed up the hill to Bromley Ski Resort. We could see Stratton Mountain from one of the vistas although it was soon to be obscured by clouds as we would be enveloped once again by rain and thunder. Vermont is starting to really irritate me with all of this rain and mud and muck and slippery roots and rocks. I’ve done my share of Charlie Chaplins and a full-on Buster Keaton over some of the rocks on my way to Peru Peak Shelter. Before I get to that; nearing the top of Bromley, we came to this clearing that looked kind of weird and overgrown. I couldn’t figure out what it was until I saw the pipes and nozzles. We were on a ski slope! It was only a beginner ski slope but it felt like a Black Diamond with a 60-pound pack. We got to the top and we had been on the “Run Around” slope of Bromley Mountain. I took some video at the observation deck and I got a shot in a ski lift. Then I hauled Pack for Peru Peak and I haven’t seen ATV since. He said he was going to take a leak and then that was it. All of the trails here are full of mud and muck and vain attempts to stay out of it. Every few yards there is a huge mud puddle or mucky, leafy mud that sinks in to your ankle if you aren’t careful. When I got to the Peru Peak shelter, I needed to rinse off my legs something fierce. The gaiters worked as advertised and my socks were clean! Snickers was there with Pack Animal and another guy who was doing the Long Trail as well as Drew, a guy who had passed me earlier that day. The rain had been on and off all day and I was wet; but not too wet. I got set up for the night. The water came from a fast moving brook right next to the shelter which means MOSQUITOES! I left the Orange Soda in the stream so I could give it to ATV later. I decided to sleep in the shelter, even though it was going to hurt, I didn’t feel like finding a couple of trees and the rain was going to pour tonight so I laid down my meager pad and resigned to suffer on the hard, wooden floor. ATV never showed and after a little guitar music, I went to bed early.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Zero in Vermont

Green Mountain House Hostel

In an effort to minimize my casualty rate and to keep the trails safe from my tumbling body, I have decided to wait out the rain at this fabulous hostel which has only been open for a week by Jeff Taussig and his Wife, Regina. They have set up an entire house for just hikers and have a kitchen, internet and movies (all about Long Distance Hiking of course). Jeff has section hiked the AT and is doing the Pacific Crest Trail now. The house is very clean with laundry and a shower and I am most impressed. Croc Hunter has decided to stay here another day too so we can go see The Dark Night I have also opted to use this day to buy new socks and a pair of Gaiters which I have been waiting to find for hundreds of miles. I was laying down and I coughed and I felt something strange in my nether region. I’m hoping it’s not a hernia but I think it might be; at least, it feels like what the doctors are always looking for when they tell you to turn your head and cough. I’ll just walk it off, it’ll be fine.

(Later)

We ran into a few other Hikers at the movies and I got all of my shopping done. SOCKS ARE DARN EXPENSIVE! Pun intended. I tried to sew up the holes in my socks but it just wasn’t good enough. Some of the holes were too big and then once they got too close to the fire when I was drying them and they got all crispy so they fell apart. I saw these Smartwool Trekking socks with extra padding and I decided they might increase my distance so I went for it. For a while there I was wearing apair of socks that someone left behind at a shelter that only had holes in the heels where I already have titanium skin from old calluses so I wasn’t worried about it. I brought back a rib-eye and cooked it up. I haven’t cooked a real dinner in along time. It was delicious. Just as I was settling down, ATV showed his face. I thought he was way ahead of me and he thought I was way ahead of him. I guess that’s how it goes. It was getting boring just sitting around and watching Jim Rome bust on Michelle Wie and Brett Favre so I got on the Internet and investigated some methods of healing my knee and just how dangerous is that tea-stained water I’ve been drinking out of ponds and marshes? Some guy fed me a load of crap that Chocolate Milk would hinder my healing and I had to look that up too.
I knew I needed to get back out on the trail. Later on three SOBOs showed up, Mango, Greta and this other guy I can’t remember his name. They were from PA and we were familiar with each others’ habitats of youth. Mango was originally from Venezuela but went to Penn State so we got along just fine. His girlfriend Greta had spectacular legs; maybe the best I’ve seen on the trail yet, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. He’d lost 30 lbs and would get them back I’m sure before he came looking for me! We became good pals and I’m going to ry to look them up when I get finished up in Maine. Maybe I’ll section with them in PA if the time is right and I don’t have to be back in SD. We all want to do the PCT though so maybe that will work out. I didn’t get to bed until 0230 and ATV was still downstairs repairing his thermarest.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
hotos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
ideos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Torrential Downpour

Jeff, underexposed

Story Spring Shelter to Green Mountain House, Manchester Center VT: 22 Miles

Right now I am completely waxed. I did 22 miles today in the Green Mountains, not to mention the last four or five was in the POURING rain, on muddy mountain rocks and pregnant streams. I really wanted to get in to this city; Manchester Center, Vermont, for two reasons: One, I’m completely out of food except for a ramen packet and some coffee and pepper. Two, so I could pick up gaiters at the Mountain Goat outfitter they have here. It’s the only place in hundreds of miles that has the gaiters I want, the OR Flex-Tex Gaiters. Oh mama, are they sweet! Hopefully they will keep the sweat out of my boots a little so I don’t have to wring my socks out every four miles on tough days. Even if they help a little and I only have to wring my socks out every ten miles, it will help me out tremendously. My feet take the hardest beating once the socks get wet because they lose all their padding properties and my skin gets pruney and vulnerable to blisters and other weird conditions when they stay wet all day (or several days when it’s really rainy). Last night it rained a little but I didn’t notice. It looked like it was going to be a really good day. “Perfectly Overcast” I like to call it. No rain but not sunny enough to overheat you. I got out of camp early at around 0920. The Scarlet 7 (-5) had left just before me. Beanie was getting off for his family vacation (to Maine of all places) and his family was picking him up at the next road. Soon it would be The Scarlet 7 (-6) AKA Croc Hunter, or Vince. I’ll probably hike with him a bunch till he gets off at the end of the month. I got down to the road and Beanie was just about to leave. I got to meet his family and then I headed up the trail toward Mt. Stratton. Croc Hunter is faster than me so he’ll catch me. We talked about doing 22 miles today in order to make it to the next major highway and then hitching in to Manchester Center but it looked like there were only hotels to stay at and they were all expensive. Ahead of me was an 1800 foot climb to Mt. Stratton, a popular ski resort in the winter, it had an observation tower on top and I psyched myself up for the climb. Croc Hunter passed me on the way up and it was tough but I finally got up there. There was a Caretaker, Jean, staying in this cool little white hut. I had to wring out my socks and underwear when I got to the top. Since Vermont doesn’t have a nudity law, I just did it right there. Croc Hunter was up in the tower but I don’t think he was looking. He was trying to get service since it was the highest point anywhere around. After I climbed the tower and got some footage of haze and barely discernable mountains, I came down and all of a sudden people started showing up like crazy. There was this huge family from Atlanta and all these young girls and I was pretty glad they hadn’t come up about fifteen minutes earlier while I was standing there on a big rock, naked except for my untied boots, wringing out my underwear and socks. Now that would have been a moment! Anyway, I shamelessly promoted the website and moved on. I had a big day and the caretaker said there were huge storms on the way and flash flood warnings for the whole area. I had to get down there before the storms hit and night fell or I was never going to hitch a ride into Manchester Center. Croc hunter mentioned he might go with me but only if we could find a hostel. There was a shelter 3 miles before the road. We would meet there and figure it out then. I got to Stratton Pond and decided to jump in for a dip. It definitely smelled like a pond but I didn’t care. It felt good to rinse off the sweat and leaf particles and mud and whatever else was all over me. As I was getting ready to go, these three kids showed up. I can’t remember their trail names except for the one without a trail name who was Sean or Shawn or Shaun or whatever. He didn’t have one of those text bubbles over his head when he spoke so I couldn’t tell. They hipped me to a fabulous place that has just opened up: The Green Mountain House, a hostel that was super cool. They gave me a business card for the place and I called when I got service and made a reservation for me and Vince in case he wanted to go. I would have to catch him though, he’s fast. If he gets to the shelter to far ahead of me he’ll have time to eat and unpack and he won’t want to go. It looked like it might be dark before I got to the road which makes it hard to hitch. I started to haul ass. I had to wring my socks again and I opted for totally new ones which were fresh and dry. As I was trying to get to the shelter the ominous thunder and lightning began to play its game with me. I knew it was going to be close and I didn’t want to stop to get my raingear on cause I sweat a lot more with it on; however if I made it to the shelter before the downpour, I could keep my socks relatively dry and then don the gear for the final three miles in the downpour. I didn’t make it. The sky kept teasing me with sprinkles and thunder off in the distance. It never seemed to be in front of me though so I kept going. I wasn’t sure how far it actually was to the shelter but then it got so dark that I should have turned on my headlamp. Suddenly the rain started to really pour and I was getting soaked. I tried to hustle but it’s tough when everything is all slippery. I saw the sign for the shelter and didn’t realize it was still several hundred yards downhill. I ran down the path but I was still getting soaked. My socks still seemed semi dry though and when I got to the shelter, Croc Hunter and Greenwood were there. They though I was coming in for the night but I really wanted to make that hostel. I told Croc Hunter about it but I know he was reluctant. Eventually he broke down and got packed back up. We left during a lull that we hoped was going to be a long one. It wasn’t. As we were gong down the first hill he said, “Just for the record, I think this is a dumb idea, but what the hell, I could use some more adventure.” The trail was very wet, very muddy and not at flat as the map led us to believe. He cruised way up ahead of me and it got pretty dark again. I finally made it to the road and I was really worn out. Just as we crossed the road this Minivan was coming at us and I just threw my thumb out there as a joke and the guy pulled right over and picked us up. It was AWESOME! His name was Brian and he was from Jamaica. I thought he had stolen the car ‘cause he didn’t know how to open the back hatch or unlock any door; but at that moment, I could care less who or what he was. He was giving us a ride in the rain and he was alright by me. In fact, if they asked me to go to court to speak of his character, I’d have to fly all the way back here to do it. “Your Honor, that man is a saint and I don’t care how many bodies I was sitting on in the cargo area when he drove me into town!” For a moment I thought it was going to be a Great Adventure and then we got to the McDonalds and he wouldn’t even take a sandwich for his trouble; not even a shake! I, on the other hand, had two Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese, Large Fries, a 32oz Orange Juice and a 20oz coffee. Paul Newman does McDonalds Coffee, man! I calculated the total calories and it was 2470! Yeah man, I needed it. Jeff picked us up to take us the hostel and when I got there I weighed myself: 155 lbs I haven’t weighed 155 since I was 20! This Hostel is the nicest place I’ve stayed yet on the trail. It’s a very nice house and I can’t wait to drop into that fabulous bed!

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Hiking Au Naturale

Melville Nauheim Shelter to Story Spring Shelter, 17.4 Miles

I got out of the shelter really late, even for me. I didn’t get on the trail till 1130 because I was trying something new and writing blogs in the morning instead of late at night so I don’t bother people with the typing at the shelter. On the way out I ran into some hikers that I had met at the Unionville Mayor’s house, Shadowcast and Tangent were hanging out with two guys I hadn’t met: Filadelphia Greenberg and Greenwood. I was trying to catch Indy and the climb up Glastenbury Mountain kicked my ass. I kept thinking the shelter was coming up any time now and then it just kept going UP! I nearly bonked a few times and when I finally got to the Goddard shelter, all the people that slept at the shelter with me last night were there except Indy. They hadn’t seen him either. I stopped and had some ramen and tuna. The Shadowcast and Crew came up a few minutes later. My knee was doing OK today but it has its moments when it just hurts out of nowhere so I’m taking it easy. Later I climbed the rest of the way with showers threatening and thunder clapping. All of a sudden there was this fire tower, observation deck thing. I really wanted to climb it and take some pictures, it was well above the tree line though and lightning was looming and thunder was booming so I climbed it anyway. I have always had this idea that should I ever get hit with lightning, all my hair will turn white and I will possess super powers afterward. I realize this is a fantastic improbability but so is getting struck by lightning so I climbed the tower and kept the film rolling in case it did get struck while I was there. I pressed for the next shelter. I really wanted to go 17 today because that would put me in reach of a town tomorrow. The rain was intermittent and the rocks were slippery but so far the Green Mountains are reminding me a lot of the Smokies; wet, muddy and rainy with beautiful views obscured by haze and mist and thunderstorms. I got to the Kid Gore Shelter and it was late. Shadowcast and crew were there and I decided to try for the next shelter. They thought I was crazy and they told me so. I told them nothing. They don’t understand why I carry a heavy pack. It’s one of those things. If you get it, no explanation is necessary; if you don’t, no explanation will suffice. I like that quote but I can’t remember who said it or what it was originally in reference to; however, it fits me perfectly. Speaking of which, after I left Kid Gore Shelter, I noticed that I was getting a little chafing in my nether regions and it had me worried. My knee had been bugging me a little but that seemed to go away. I really didn’t want to roll in to the next shelter with a chafing problem so I decided to just go Au Naturale until the next shelter. That’s right, I took it all off and hiked in my Birthday suit; well actually, I kept my shirt on. I didn’t want to offend anyone with my naked chest. I discovered the other day that Vermont has no Nudity Law and you can go Au Naturale any damn where you please. This fascinated me and having a practical reason, I dropped trou and headed to the next shelter. I don’t know if it specifically helped my chafing problem but it sure took my mind off of any pain or other issues I might be experiencing. It was actually quite nice. I had to wring my socks out so I put the underwear back on and they had time to dry so they were comfortable again and I was proud of myself for having the balls to do it. I think it may become a regular thing while I’m in this state. I got in to the Spring Story Shelter and to my surprise, Indy wasn’t there. I was a little confused since no one had seen him and he didn’t pass anyone. The Scarlet 7 (-5) was there though. They lost another two and now it was down to Beanie and Croc Hunter. There were two SOBOs (southbounders) there: Clemson and Sweet Tea. I took forever to get set up but I got some eats, I’m almost completely out of food, and played some Guitar and set up camp and got to bed late. I kept hearing something walking around out there and I thought it might be a Moose. Before I went to bed I saw a big rabbit and I know they have snowshoe hares here so maybe his big feet were paddin’ around all night. Whatever it was, it was freaking me out.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

I see Moose Turds!

Not a good place to step



Seth Warner Shelter to Melville Nauheim Shelter: 14 Miles

I got up late, as usual, which leads me to think that since it’s usual than I guess it’s not late. If I got up at the time when everyone else gets up I should probably say I got up early. Acceptance is the key my man. Normal reveille for me is about 9AM and that’s when I got up, stomach growling and hungry for Pop-Tarts and coffee. It was going to be a great day I could tell. The weather was perfect. Me and Indy got all packed up at roughly the same time and headed out around 10:30 or so. Most people I know have already done 10 miles by 10:30. Not me, I get my hiking stride around 4 or 5PM I really wish I could hike all night but I don’t have a good night-hiking headlamp. Night hiking is a little sketchy too with all the slippery rocks and the faint blazes. I could wind up in Kentucky or something. I figured I’d be down at Vermont Route 9 by about 2PM and maybe that would give Truckstop enough time to call me back. I wasn’t counting on it though. Besides it would be better if I got in some bigger miles today. The climbs were reasonable and although my pack is very heavy, probably 60lbs at least, I don’t even really feel it anymore. It has more or less become a part of my body. I passed Sucker Pond and some guy sitting there painting or rather Charcoaling it and I asked him a few questions and all I got were gestures so I figure he must have taken a vow of silence or something. He looked like a Thru-hiker though. I’ve never seen him so he’s probably SOBO (southbound) although, if he’s sitting around at every pond charcoaling and stuff, I’m probably going much faster than him and he could be a NOBO (Northbounder). Regardless, he didn’t say a word and I noticed it; pompous, vow-of-silence bastard that he was. Maybe I was interrupting him… ONWARD! I managed the climb down to VT9 without a knee-splitting incident even though I was harangued my Vermont Deer Flies constantly. There is always this low-grade buzz around your head and you know he’s just waiting to land on your hat and bite right through it. At least the Mosquitoes haven’t been a problem here. I met this guy Scottie who is a SOBO and he was saying that he discovered that the mosquitoes go about 2 miles an hour and if you go just faster than that you can outrun them. I informed him that he was traveling into 5 MPH Mosquito country and I hope his legs were ready for that. My brother’s Friend Eve called me to say that she and her boyfriend could meet me up the trail. They were very generous and were talking about driving several hours to come and meet up; but, I think that’s too far. I wouldn’t ask them to do that, maybe I’ll meet up witht hem when the trail gets much closer. Truckstop still hadn’t gotten my message by the time I hit VT9 so I pressed on to tackle the uphill to the next shelter. Later I got her message saying she was laid up at her parents in New Hampshire due to a rather gruesome sounding fall into an ocean somewhere or something like that. Maybe we’ll do Karaoke in NH.
The last time I did Karaoke was in Gatlinburg with Mad Mtn. Mike and Cubit and MacGuyver. I could stand a night of caterwauling at the drunks. I really miss that. Then climb up the hill from VT9 had me pausing a few times to Ahem, check out stuff while my heartbeat returned to double digits per minute. I got in to the Melville Nauheim Shelter around 1545 with roughly 2 hours left of daylight it was a tough decision whether or not to go the next 8 miles to the next shelter. Thunder had been booming since I came up VT9 and I thought it was going to rain any second which helped me to make my decision to stay. Some folks were already there, a couple of young guys from Minnesota, one going to MIT, a guy showed up from New Hampshire, Half-way was his trail name when he Thru-hiked a few years ago. A woman whose name I forget was in the shelter already and Indy showed up while I was getting water. Two sisters, Ratchet and Awesomoppossom, came in a little while later with their dogs, Sadie and Bosco. Dinner and a campfire ensued and Guitar playing until late. The rain held off. I was trying to journal out by my hammock when all this racket went up around me. Some kind of animal was running around just outside of headlamp and computer light and I was getting a little unnerved. All I need is to startle some Drunk Belligerent Skunk coming home from the local watering hole to ruin my night most completely. I hung up the computer and hit the hammock. Around Midnight I awoke with a startle. It was silent and then the wind blew up with a tremendous howl, the likes of which I don’t think I have ever heard. It blew through the trees like a freight train and my hammock started to bob up and down; not side to side; but up and down, which meant the trees were being pulled away from each other. Lightning and thunder started popping up everywhere like a natural Fourth of July celebration. It was almost a constant show of light through the rain fly of my hammock. Then the rain started. You could hear it coming up the mountain with the howling wind and I suddenly realized that not only were we on the highest ground in the surrounding area; but, I had tied up to a tree which had already been struck by lightning. I hadn’t really thought of it except to assess whether or not it would be good to tie up to. Since it was a big tree and still living I figured it was OK; but now, with lightning assured, I reviewed the statistics of Lightning hitting the same tall tree on a ridgeline twice and the chances seemed pretty good. I have always wanted to get struck by lightning because I have this idea that after I do, I will be blessed with some Super Powers so I just laid there and waited for it. I woke up in the morning with no apparent Super Powers and a completely unsigned tent so I guess the lightning skirted our ridge. Oh well, maybe next time. Other than the vegetation being wet it looks like it will be anice day for hiking. I think I’m going to catch a toad today and put it on my head to see if he’ll stay there and eat the deer flies. It could happen! Oh yeah, this morning while I was talking about Mt Greylock I was describing these huge turds I saw on the trail that I thought were Elk or a big deer and it turns out they were from a MOOSE! I might see a MOOSE! I can’t wait! I’m going to call him Bullwinkle and see if he laughs!

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
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Sleeping under the stars

Vermont/Massachusetts Border

Mountain Goat Williamstown to Seth Warner Shelter: 8 miles

When I got back to the Mountain Goat last night everything was soaked; my sleeping bag, my pack, anything that was out in the air had dew all over it. I figured the sleeping bag is synthetic so it should still work fine wet so I packed everything up, put the pack cover on it and went to sleep. The bag worked fine, I got up in the morning and it was still wet but I slept fine. I think everything go so wet because we were sleeping right next to some river and the temp went way down. My knee wasn’t feeling any better. I didn’t think I would be able to walk on it but maybe it would feel better after some breakfast and maybe some lunch and maybe a zero day? Nah, I’m going to try my best to get out of here today. Indy was hangin’ with me and we tooled around and got coffee and charged some electronics. I have decided that Williamstown has something special in the water. I officially name it the city of beautiful legs. They were everywhere! We gotsome really good pizza at the place next to the outfitter and packed it up to go. I bought one pair of new socks because I have holy socks and dwindling finances. We managed to get on the bus, which was free because it was my birthday! Yee haw! I knew birthdays were good for something! The climb out of Williamstown was steep but it wasn’t too bad, it was a climb with a lot of intersecting trails. You had to keep your eyes on the blazes. I took a pause at Eph’s Lookout, although I didn’t know that’s where I was at the time. It was named after the founder of Williams College, Ephraim Williams. Imagine that, we have the same taste in lookouts, it must run in the family. After that I got to the Vermont/Massachusetts Border and took a few pics and texted the event to a bunch of my pals since I had some good cell service. It ate up all of my battery. I realized I’m coming up on Bennington in one day and I was supposed to meet “Truckstop” there. I’ll shoot off an email but it’ll probably be too late notice to meet up. I met Truckstop with Oshwagonda down at Damascus and she said to email her when I got to Bennington to do some Karaoke. I forgot to email her earlier so I hope I have service at the shelter. I’ll be passing Bennington tomorrow in the middle of the day and it’s really to short of a distance to stop; however, there’s a steep descent into VT Route 9 and my knee might need the break. My knee really only hurts on Downhills. I got in to the shelter and took care of business early. I hung the bear-bag line right away, got a lot of water at a slow stream, set up my tent and got dinner started. I was on a roll. I didn’t light a fire until Indy rolled in and it was getting dark. lI had to go way out of camp to get an internet signal to email some folks and I saw that some more people have given donations on my Birthday. Thanks Guys! That makes me think I might be able to make it happen. My brother Doug dropped some dough on me now that he’s back at work and now I might be able to afford some new socks. The Guggenheim (Grant C.) dropped a C-note on me and that was very generous of you. Thanks buddy and Happy Birthday. He is exactly 3 days older than I am. That means that four days ago, when he donated that money, he was older than me; however, I’m now older than he was back when he donated it. The last few days have been really great for hiking and I know it will end soon. Then again, maybe I’ll get through the Greens without slippery rocks. That would be nice. It turned out that Indy and I were the only ones at the shelter so we slept in peace. I played guitar until 2330 and then I realized, I better get some sleep.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

My kind of town, Williamstown is

Mark Noepel Lean-to to Williamstown The Mountain Goat: 10 miles

The shelter bunk was hard as nails and I slept in many positions without ever finding satisfaction. I need a pad if I plan on sleeping in shelters on a regular basis. I managed to get out of bed and get packed up before the Scarlet Seven (-3) left. Actually, they waited for me is more like it. We hustled up the mountain to Greylock and it was cool. Greylock is the highest mountain in Massachusetts and also the highest mountain anywhere around so the view was cool. There was an amazing War Memorial up there. I wanted to get in to town so I kept pushing. I got to Mt Williams and noticed that the numbers of the elevation, 2951, add up to 17, my lucky number! How cool is that? The climb down was steep and my feet felt fine. Maybe the Dr. Scholl’s things are actually working. My knees took a pounding though and they are still killing me now as I write. We finally got in to Williamstown and the Scarlet Seven (-3) headed to North Adams and me and Indy hitched a ride in to town to pick up stuff at the post office and the outfitter (new trekking pole parts, a USB cable so I can upload pics and my new pack) We hung out at the outfitters and Kimberly gave us a ride to the Laundromat. It was extra awesome for her to do that. I’m sure we didn’t smell the best. We laundered, fed and resupplied in the same parking lot and just when it looked like it would be really tough to hitch back, a bus came along and picked us up! It was awesome. They just pulled right over and picked us up! I found out that they do that sort of thing herein the Berkshires. NICE! We got back and went to the Williams Inn, a very nice place where we really didn’t belong; however, they offer showers and Jacuzzi for only 6 bucks for hikers! SWEET! The soap was Bayberry scented and I smelled wonderful for the first time in a long time; the Jacuzzi soothed my weary muscles and the pool refreshed my senses with a cool awakening. We walked out of there Kings in heart and mind. On the way back to the Outfitter, whose backyard we are camping in, we ran into a group of kids playing some bluegrass. It was reminiscent of Gatlinburg and we stopped to get a little ice cream and listen. It was cool. Some students from an academy on the other side of the mountain were singing multiple harmony tunes and concluded with the Old Crow Medicine Show Tune, “Rock Me.” Rolex would have loved it. I keep running into that song on this trip. We dropped our stuff at the outfitter and went across the street to hang out at the bar and blog and post. I finally have some connection!! I’m sleeping out in the middle of the grass and stuff tonight, no tent, just a sleeping bag and the stars. I hope it doesn’t rain! Tomorrow is my Birthday and I plan on Walking into Vermont as long as this knee doesn’t give me a problem. It started acting up when I was at the grocery store. It’s been giving me a lot of pain. I took two Tylenol and some ice cream; that ought to help J

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Escape from Dalton

Flag and the Blaze in Dalton

Dalton Massachusetts to Mark Noepel Lean-to: 14 miles

I slept on the floor in the basement again and I got up even later this time. I had some good dreams though. It was cold last night. I sleep so much better when it’s cold; as long as I have sufficient covers. By the time I got out of there the Scarlet Seven (-3) were already gone except for Croc Hunter who had to go to the library. I slid down to the breakfast place and got more breakfast sandwiches. God O love the East Coast for their sandwiches! They have Kaiser rolls and man they are the best roll for sandwiches on the planet. It’s so nice to go to a place and not get freaking Sourdough everywhere. The only reason people even eat sourdough is because they have never had a real Italian roll or a Kaiser Roll. Sourdough is great for hard pretzels; but as a bread, it sucks the big one! Two Sandwiches and an orange Juice later I went back to the house and took about two hours to pack up all my stuff. I’m feeling all depressed cause everyone is in front of me by at least a day. I really need to get going or I’ll never make it up that hill. I finally knuckled down and packed it up. I really need to do some laundry. The amenities in Dalton were very difficult to use due to the distances involved. It sucks to have to walk everywhere just to get laundry done at one place and a shower at another place and groceries somewhere else and a shower is here and the cell phone only works over there and the internet only works at the library and the Post office is on the other side of town, blah blah. I know it’s annoying to listen to me gripe but imagine having to go through it every time you run out of food an you have to come into a town. Every once in a while everything works and it’s all at the same place; but, that hasn’t happened since the Mayor’s house in Unionville. Hopefully everything will be closer in Williamstown. I’ll skip the laundry and the posting until then unless I can get some Internet while I’m at a shelter. I walked through town and there was this little guy on the sidewalk selling pink lemonade. His name was Jack and his dad was filming so I had to get some of course. It was a quarter a cup and he played the harmonica and this funky little spinny top toy thing while you drank your lemonade. It was pretty cool. I filmed it and then BSd with him and his parents for a while. Man I’m terrible at getting on the trail. We’re considering renaming my trail name to “Still Here.” I got on the trail about 1130 and my body was grumpy. It must be from the crappy food I ate; when am I going to learn? Movie Popcorn and McDonalds do not make for a good hiking day the next day/ It was all I could do to keep going. I felt like a slug but eventually my system cleared out and I got up to a good pace. I knew the Scarlet Seven (-3) were going to be at the shelter right before the summit and I figured I might stop there. You’re not supposed to camp at the summit right now but I wanted to pull a stealth camp up there and film the sunset. When I got the shelter I had other ideas and I decided to stay there. Those guys built the biggest fire I have ever seen in a three foot fire pit. They piled HUGE logs on it and it’ll still be burning in the morning I am sure. I’m typing right now and am the last one up and it’s still going strong. All coals though, no flames. It looks like I’ll get into Williamstown on schedule tomorrow. It’s going to be cool to be in a town with my name. Maybe they’ll let me take over for a while. Right before I get in to town I’ll be climbing over Mt. Williams. That ought to be cool. I’ll have to get a picture of me on my mountain. My back is starting to hurt from sleeping on the floor and typing at this picnic table. I gotta go to bed. Have a good one. It looks like I have some service here but I don’t think I’m going to post cause I need some sleep. Well, maybe…

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Why am I still in Dalton?

Still Hangin around

Still in Dalton at Tom’s House: 0 Miles

I rolled over a hundred times this morning, I did not want to get up. The floor was hardly comfortable but Tom had no trees in his yard to hang my hammock. My arms and legs and hip kept going to sleep and then I would roll over or something and they would hurt as they came back to life. You should have seen it; I forgot to take a picture, there were about 15 tents pitched in his backyard. A bunch of people Slack-Packed over Mt. Greylock but I just couldn’t get it going to even do that. Slack-Packing is when you leave your backpack at Tom’s house and he drives you 25 miles up the trail and you walk back to his house with just a water bottle and some trail mix. People like to do that over tough terrain like Mt. Greylock. I got out of bed and walked down to the local place for breakfast and it was great. There were a bunch of old guys in there just BSing and I felt like it must be a cool place to hang out. I just couldn’t get out of Dalton. I went out with Tom and Fire and Wing-it to do some errands and see if I could get some internet. When we got back I had planned to get off my ass and go to at least Cheshire but the Scarlet Seven (-3) sucked me in by telling me that Tom was going to take them to the movies. I was really disappointed when they said they were going to go see “Get Smart” and then I looked for the times for Hancock and it wasn’t going to work but I decided what the hell, just Zero and go see the movie, I needed to get an HDV Tape Head Cleaner at Radio Shack anyway. The movie was OK. It definitely had its moments; but, I’ll bet Hancock is better. I also managed to get my hands on a Double Quarter-Pounder with Cheese, Ahhh, I love those things! We got back and watched some weird paranormal crap on the TV and I played guitar for a while before going to the dungeon to sleep on the floor again. It sucked. I should have gotten back on the trail. I will say this; Tom is an awesome dude. He had so many people in his house and he drove everyone around and he asked for nothing. He puts a ton of miles on his car just helping people out and shuttling them to different parts of the trail so they can slack-pack and get to the post office and the mall or wherever. He’s a very cool dude and I’m glad I met him; however, I really wish I would have just walked right through Dalton. I keep getting sidetracked and I’m going to fall behind schedule. At least I managed not to spend hardly any money. Usually these towns suck up a bunch of dough as well as your time. Tomorrow I’m definitely getting the hell out of here and I’ll try to summit Mt. Greylock and get to Williamstown by Wednesday.

David AKA “Mister F. Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Tom takes care of everything

Don't eat this one!

Cookie Lady’s House to Dalton MA: 10 Miles - Total Miles: 735.2

Damn came and with it Rufus; barking at the dawn and rousing the Mosquitoes with it. Damn you Rufus and Damn the Dawn! Actually there was this really beautiful sunrise that came in through the bug net in my hammock. I would have taken a picture of it but that would have meant getting up and getting out of my haven and then getting back in and blah blah blah. I enjoyed it sans documentation. We only had about 10 miles to Dalton and planned on staying there so we were in no hurry to get out of there. Eventually we packed up and split and made our way into Dalton over a few mountains that seemed to just go by without notice. As I came in to Dalton there were some trail Magic Sodas in a box by the railroad and I grabbed an orange soda. I was walking down the street and suddenly there were all these trekking poles in this one lawn. I looked on the porch and about ten hikers were there: Snake; Whitefish, Top Hat, Papa Bear and the Preacher Boys, Bruhawk and Magnus; and a few others. The man whose house it was, Tom, was out taking some people to get hoagies but the Scarlet Seven (-3) showed up and Tom came by and he invited us to stay at his house I got a shower and more and more people showed up. I weighed myself and I was 170 with Boots on. That means I’m about 165. That means I have lost about 30 lbs since May! Holy Crap! I borrowed a bike and went down to get lunch and cruise around a little. Most of the guys were getting hammered. I wasn’t feelin’ it so I went o take care of some electronics. I should have blown through Dalton and gone on to Cheshire. Oh well, tomorrow I will go get some lunch in Cheshire and go through to Mt. Greylock. The Scarlet Seven (-3) is making a credible case for Zero and I’ll resist as well as I can but something tells me that the Movie Theatre with “Hancock” playing in it might have too strong an appeal. I heard there’s a mall too. Oh God, give me the strength to resist the Scarlet Seven (-3). I got back and everyone was wasted, well, not everyone but suddenly there were rumors of a trip to the Old Country Buffet. There were about twenty people that wanted to go. Tom was very accommodating and he was driving everyone everywhere and took two carloads of people to the buffet. I was full on about one and a half plates believe it or not. I ran to the supermarket across the street and tried to find instant coffee packets and Propel packets but they only had the Propel so I snatched it up and ran back before Tom took the last car back.. I tried to get internet access but to no avail. There was no cell phone access again. I went to the local bar and no dice there either but I did get to type out some blogs, I’ll post later. I slept in the basement on the floor and it was very dark in there. It’s strange to have a headlamp on you all the time. It really comes in handy.

David AKA “Mister F. Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

The Cookie Lady’s House

Upper Goose Pond Cabin to The Cookie Lady’s House: 11 miles

Breakfast was pancakes and I had twelve, tying the record with Rabbit who had twelve and left immediately for the trail. I broke his record for staying at the lodge by staying there until about 10:30 with the Scarlet Seven (-3) and they invited me to join them for a roadside lunch of hoagies from their friend who was coming to visit them and bringing chow. I really wanted to move on but it just seemed like the right thing to do. I was having a hard time leaving the cabin because there was a trail crew who had come to chop down a HUGE tree that had been lightning struck last month and was leaning perilously over the cabin. The guys who came to cut it down were definitely not seasoned tree cutters and I REALLY wanted to film the whole thing; sure that there would be plenty of interesting content and possible devastation and YouTube-Worthy Drama. The tug of the trail was overpowering and eventually won out. I did go swimming in the morning though. It was great just to loaf around; alone in a huge pond that didn’t even have a ripple in it when I broke the surface. I filmed myself “logging in” which was basically crawling into the water and floating like a log for a minute or two. When we finally go ton the trail, it was a sluggish start. I think it was all the syrup or something but I just didn’t want to move. Luckily it was only a mile or two to the road where they were meeting us with the hoagies. We ate and got back on the trail. I like hiking with the Scarlet Seven(-3), they have a good vibe. They go about the same pace as I do too, except when they get near a town and then they fly down the trail like Massachusetts Mosquitoes. The trail was pretty easy with one good climb after we ate at US 20. We passed Finerty Pond and I really wanted to find a place to jump in but it was too swampy around the edges. I’m starting to really like the idea of jumping in ponds lately. It’s awesome to be all sweaty from hiking and just jump in for a couple minutes and then get back on the trail and keep hiking. We passed October Mountain Lean-to and there were some fellas there with a whole lot of character. I was glad we were stopping somewhere else. I did meet a cool Luthier who worked for Ovation and Guild Guitars and I hope we get a chance to talk after this expedition. We decided to push all the way to The Cookie Lady’s House which was on Pittsfield road. We didn’t know what to expect but we figured it had water from a spigot and camping in the back yard so it would be better than a shelter. When we got there, no one was there except for Rufus the dog who looked like a little golden retriever, maybe a chow mix. The only way we knew his name was Rufus was that there was a sign on the wall that said, “don’t feed any cookuies to Rufus.” He took forever to warm up to us and was really rude to us until Roy drove up. Then he was suddenly all lovey-dovey. I think he knew we were going to get some cookies. Roy was a very cool cat and we discovered that his back yard, which was a very long strip of grass, was actually a landing strip for his airplane. He had a blueberry farm and although they weren’t ripe yet, you could smell the berries brewing. At sundown the Mosquitoes came out and I know I have been talking a lot about the Mosquitoes lately but I absolutely cannot believe the tenacity of these guys! It was the worst yet. Out of nowhere they appeared like a swarm of killer bees, attacking any bare skin and hitting your face over and over again. Then they would attack you through your clothes. There would be ten or twenty of them on you at a time. We frantically hustled to get our stuff together and get in our tents where we might find a brief respite from the hive. I got in my tent as quickly as I could and I turned on the light. There were at least twelve of those bastards in there with me. It took me five or ten minutes to kill them all except for this one last bloodsucker who kept waiting for me to forget she was there. Obviously she didn’t know about me. Oh wait maybe she did. My memory sucks. Nevertheless, I got her stone cold against the netting and read a little (just to make sure another one didn’t appear) and got some sleep. It was cold so I kept my clothes on.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Takin’ a short one for the Goose Pond

Upper Goose Pond

Shaker Campsite to Upper Goose Pond Cabin: 10 Miles

I got up late but so did Moses so I felt better about myself. It got really cold last night and I was naked in the hammock so I slept like crap. I don’t like sleeping naked in the hammock but it was hot when I went to bed. I just couldn’t get warm and I wasn;t about to get out of the hammock. I just kept rolling around in different positions, trying to find one that would miraculously warm me up. It’s so weird that I’ll be freezing but still be damp from sweat in the hammock which makes me colder. I gotta remember to always wear clothes from now on. Me and Moses BSd from about an hour and I took my time getting ready. Even HE beat me out of camp. I don’t think I got out of there until like 1030. I was going to have to hustle like crazy if I was going to get to the cookie lady’s house at about 21 miles. There were a couple of tough climbs too. If I could only get up the big hills I’d have it made for the rest of the day. There was a shelter at a big pond about 10 miles up where you could go swimming but it was a half a mile off trail and I didn’t feel like walking an extra mile on a 21 mile day. I wasn’t sure if the cookie lady was even going to be there but it would put me a short day into Dalton MA and I could get some laundry and re-supply there. If you are going to be in a town on a Saturday night you want to make sure you get in early enough to wash your clothes early enough to smell human and go to dinner. As I was getting near the top of the hills I ran into Pine Knot. I’ve been hearing about her for a while but I haven’t met her yet so I stopped to talk to her for a while. It was going to make it close time wise but I had a pretty easy hike. As I got near to the turn off to that pond. I nice dip started to sound great and then out of nowhere it started to drizzle and the Mosquitoes were coming out. I decided a half mile to the cabin might be nice to wait out the rain and cook a little lunch and see what’s what, maybe take a dip in the pond in the rain. I like swimming in the rain. It’s one of those things that Moms tell you never to do; which is usually my first requirement for liking something. Swimming in the rain has its hazards; like lightning for instance, and swimming in the rain in a pond at the top of a mountain is probably a really dumb idea but there were lots of tall trees around so I wasn’t really worried too much. I got to the cabin which was being caretaken by two really cool people; Mama Lipton and her husband whose name escapes me right now. Indy was here already and had stayed the night last night. The scarlet four showed up (yep, another one bit the dust) and a few more people showed up. There are 16 bunks here and this place is really cool. Mama Lipton makes pancakes in the morning and of course, after a dip in the pond and some ramen and tuna, I decided to stay the night. Oh well, 21 miles tomorrow to get to Dalton. Piece of cake JDavid AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
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Hiking for fun and enjoyment

Corn Crib / US7 to Shaker Campsite 17.7 Miles

I got up late as usual and didn’t get on the trail until about 9:30 or something like that. Corn Crib was cool; I got to take a shower and charge everything for free. The price of soda and ice cream was a little exorbitant; however, I got to take a shower, hitch into town, charge everything, refill with good water all for free so it was definitely worth it. The climb out was rough but it was very windy and dry so the bugs were not killing me (until later)Shakedown took off way early and by the time I got out of my hammock even the scarlet five were gone. Bruhawk and Magnus were there and a few other left their packs cause they went into town for breakfast or something. I climbed up to Tom Leonard Lean-to and decided to start a fire and cook some lunch for a change. I normally just eat trail mix all day but I figured what the hell. I got into my crocs and wennt down this huge ravine into “Ice Gulch” to get my water. I had also started a little fire to repel the mosquitoes that had been buggin’ me as the day went on. I like to make a nice smoky fire at first and let them know I mean business and they generally go away after that. Every once in a while you have to throw something wet or green on there to smoke it up some more and drive them away. When I got back from getting the water I noticed there were a bunch of people doing something in the woods near the shelter and it turned out to be a volunteer crew of 16 year olds who were working for the ATC for a week, just camping and fixing trails and stuff. I thought that was so cool! I was running a little late but the day was turning out to be a perfect day for hiking. Brisk wind and hot sun keep the bugs away and since you are mostly in the trees you stay pretty cool. I wish they were all like this. When I left in the morning I had two foot issues; my left big toe has something infected, probably from the pounding it takes when I don’t lift my foot high enough and kick boulders, so I squeezed it out and sanitized it. That was a little sore. My right foot had gotten a mosquito bite on the top of my foot and from it being raised and all of the rubbing from the boots, it had my whole top of my foot ripped open so I sanitized that too while I laid my socks in the sun to dry. My Gregory Pack has broken again; but I love this pack, even though it’s broken twice I have to say I would still get another one (and I am) because I figured out a way to keep it from breaking again and even broken, it still works and that is the essence of BrotherPROOF. If you can break something but it still works, then it’s still BrotherPROOF. Granted, it doesn’t work as well as it did before but it didn’t leave me stranded out there with no hips strap. I talked to the pro deal guy, George and offered a suggestion of how to keep this from happening and we’ll see if it works. The Whitney pack is a really well designed pack and it’s so comfortable for someone like me who is carrying a lot of weight. Part of the problem is that I have gotten a lot skinnier on this trip and I have to crank the hip belt way down, probably tighter than it is meant to go. Anyway, I got back on the trail and I was intending to do a bunch of miles but it looked like I was gong to run out of time. I decided on a campsite and I got there when it was still light out. There was a fire smoldering and a guy all wrapped in blankets on a tent platform and I though tit might be Windjammer so I said, “Hey Dave is that you?” There was no response from the pile of Mexican blanket and so I went about setting up and stoking the fire. You would not believe the kind of Kamikaze Mosquitoes they had there. I didn’t realize it but there was a lot of water nearby and these guys were hungry and not playing any games. They came flying right in and had their proboscises planted even before they had a foothold. They just came diving right in and even had the balls to bit my fingers! It was crazy, The bundle of blankets finally rustled and out came Moses, whose name was also Dave. He kind of looked like an old Indian with gray hair put up in two braids and a kind of handlebar mustache. You could tell he wasn’t a thru-hiker ‘cause he had a mixture of cumbersome gear like a regular school backpack and a jigsaw and a blanket instead of a sleeping bag. I was assuming he was a homeless guy on the trail. You see a few of those guys just eating stuff they find and hiking randomly from place to place, sometimes hitchhiking and sometimes walking. I was a little worried cause you never know what kind of people you will meet out here. It turned out that he was pretty cool; on sabbatical from a construction job, he decided he’d walk home… to Missouri. Wow! Anyway, he had a lot of questions about thru-hiking and we talked all night. I gave him my map because I would only have needed that section for another day anyway and he didn’t have anything for the southbound trip. I supped and set up and finally got to bed. I was hoping to get up early tomorrow and hike a long day but I think we all know what’s really going to happen. I’ll be in camp until noon probably.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
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Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
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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”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Library captivation and back on the trail

Salisbury to Laurel Ridge Campsite 10 miles

I got stuck in Salisbury all day and I almost didn’t make it out. I was at the library for about 4 hours posting blogs and checking email. Then I went down to the store and got a sandwich and kept running into people to talk to. I didn’t get on the trail until about 4PM and I had wanted to do a 20 mile day but that was definitely out. I’d be lucky to get 10, even if maria drove me to the trailhead. She offered to drive me up to another trailhead further on (I suppose she had done this for other people) but I’m a purist and I said I would have to go back to where I came off, even if it would avoid six miles and one hell of a mountain (Lion Head) that I would have to climb. I wasn’t sure how far I would get tonight; but I would at least get some miles in and be ON the trail. It’s so hard to get out of town but I think I won’t take any zeros until my birthday. I haven’t had a zero since Unionville back on June 27th or something like that. Bruhawk and Magnus passed me up and told me they were going to some campsite. When I got there I didn’t see anyone and it looked foreboding so I decided to get to the next campsite. There was no way I was going to make a shelter before nightfall; but, there was another campsite about 1.5 miles ahead. I would barely make the campsite before nightfall; but, at least I’d be up in the hills instead of down in Mosquitoville next to a brook. Besides, there were a lot of signs about bears and I think we all know how I feel about bears. I rushed up to the next place and it was wet and muggy and buggy and hard. I rolled in to the site just before dark and had to set up my stuff in the dark but Papa Bear and the Preacher boys were there along with about 10 YMCA girls from New York or something. The girls were there for a week or something, doing some really short sections. Three of them came by late with a huge bag of mini M&Ms for us and the boys sang them a cool song. Entertainment is at a premium out here. I finally got a place to hang my hammock and I crashed out. I didn’t even eat dinner. I know I’m going to be losing a lot of weight over the next few weeks. Without my bros to keep me on schedule, I like to roll in late and when I do I don’t get eats, I just crash and worry about it in the morning. I’m more concerned about deer ticks than I am starving.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Maria Francesca Maier and her Husbands

Maria Francesca Maier and her Husbands
Pine Swamp Shelter to Maria’s House, Salisbury, CT 17 Miles

The night was great. The temperature was nice and I slept well. The Mosquitoes were so dense in the area that you could hear a hum emanating from everywhere. I woke up and there were several Mosquitoes sitting on my tent fly, presumably waiting for my exit to seize upon any bare skin or even clothed skin that they can fit their proboscises through. I have been bitten through two layers of clothing several times in the last few days but today took the cake. My back felt fine and I decided to try and go it without any acetaminophen. When I’m in camp I wear long clothing including an anti-mosquito sweatshirt that covers my hands too. It’s a pretty effective system but the Mosquitoes have been known to bite through the pants and my thick wool socks, believe it or not. I don it like a beekeeper’s suit as soon as I get washed up in camp and I don’t take it off except in my tent or just before I take off in the morning. I suit up before I slip out of my hammock and it’s pretty effective. The swarm was on me all morning; in fact, I thought it was because of my proximity to the swamp so I moved on without eating breakfast. I managed to get out of camp with only ten or twelve bites. I probably killed twenty of the bastards but for some reason they are very tough to kill even though they fly pretty slow. I got on the trail and it was damp everywhere. This rain has been causing a lot of problems. The Mosquitoes are absolutely unbelievable. I’m moving at an average of three miles an hour, that’s a pretty fast walk even without a pack and these guys are biting me at will. Right through my Under Armor, my hat, my legs are fair game even though they are always moving. There are deer flies and green head flies too which were landing on my hat and biting me through it. It makes me move faster up the hills and as soon as I’m out of breath and slow down, BAM! They’re on me again. It’s dangerous trying to hike up these crazy hills with poles attached to my hands and trying to slap my arms and legs as I walk over treacherous and slippery rocks. Every once in a while a pole will fly between my legs or catch on a tree and jerk me around because I was trying to defend myself against the hoards. It was a tough day with the bloodsuckers and the kamikaze gnats that seem to aim right for my eyeballs just as I’m about to go over a technical rock field or down some ridiculous decline. I’m going to have to start wearing my Natives again. Hopefully that will help. I was trying for Salisbury CT to get a few items and possibly stay in a real bed for the first time in over a week and although it was only 16 miles, it seemed pretty long. I had to use a Privy something fierce and there just weren’t any anywhere so I had to pull a stealth deposit off-trail and I got bit EVERYWHERE. It was horrible. I got in to Salisbury around 4PM and walked in to town to get a sandwich at the local deli. Thank God I’m in the Northeast. Sandwiches are marvelous here and the delis have great food. Oh how I have missed thee, fair East Coast of my Youth! I got a hold of Maria Francesca Maier, a woman who puts up hikers at her house and she’s a hoot. She’s an eighty-year-old woman, originally from Germany/Italy/Austria area, with two former husbands and lots of ex boyfriends in the local cemetery, she drove by her last husband’s grave just to show him she had three men in the car with her. Ha! She’s crazy and I have had a great time here. You have to hear her Austrian accent as she rants about this undt dat. She took us to the local Laundromat and rushed back to see her favorite TV Show, then she came to pick us up after we ate at the pizza place (Which had a great Calzone By the way…) and she rushed back because it was during a break in her show. She said, “Isn’t this crazy? I’m going crazy about some stupid TV show! I know she’s going to pick the one with the snow thing but she really should pick the one with the boy.” I haven’t seen “The Bachelorette.” I guess tonight was the finale and Maria wasn’t very happy with the Bachelorette’s choice. We sat up and hung out for a while and I sat down to blog. Hopefully I’ll get to the library or something tomorrow so I can post these. I also have to write a few articles about some things I have wanted to rant about: Pretzels and Mosquitoes. It is definitely more expensive in The North to stay in hostels and people’s houses. Maria’s wasn't bad but Down South you could stay in a hostel or someone’s house for 10 or 20 bucks while here I’ve seen signs for 75 bucks per person and it stipulates: “one load of laundry.” I’m staying in the woods as often as I can but tonight I was just plain tuckered out and I’ve been trying to get internet access so I can put up all these blogs. Tomorrow is the climb up to Mt Everett which we have been calling “Everest” since it’s one of the highest mountains around here. I haven’t had a 2000 foot climb in a while so tomorrow will be testing my mettle. On one hand I hope the sun dries up all the Mosquitoes and on the other hand I hope it’s overcast so I don’t lose a gallon of water sweating all over Connecticut. What do you do with one hot hand and one wet hand? Rub them together!

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Naked Mosquito Dance

Stewart Hollow Lean-to to Cornwall bridge to Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to: 11 miles

I slept OK considering my back. The hammock was probably the best alternative on the trail but I sure could have used a nice bed to lay belly down and let it just relax. I could have used some Tylenol or something too but I don’t carry any of that stuff. It was pretty sore all morning and I took a while to get my stuff together. It was about a 4 mile hike to get to a road which went into a little “town” called Cornwall Bridge, which consists basically of a package store (alcohol) a fishing outfitter, a general store and a few other weekday businesses like a chainsaw repair shop or something like that. I walked the 9/10 of a mile in to the general store and saw the Preacher boys with Papa Bear and Mama Bear; Shakedown Cruise was there; along with Cat, Indy and Zeke. They had a deli in the general store where I picked up a huge Hoagie (they call them “Grinders” here). We sat around for a couple of hours. I wanted to let my back get a rest and so I blogged a bunch but no signal so I couldn’t post them. I was only planning on doing a 6 mile hike in to the next shelter anyway. I picked up some Generic Acetaminophen and took a few. I couldn’t believe how much it helped. I very rarely take stuff like that but it fixed me all up. Later, while I was climbing I was cruising and didn’t feel a thing until the sun went down. Maybe it was laced with some other stuff… The climbs were definitely significant but I felt great and went right up them; plus, I had half a hoagie left that I was saving for dinner Yee haw! I couldn’t wait. The Mosquitoes are unbelievable. If you stop for a minute they are on you. They were part of the reason I was cruising so fast. I’ve never seen anything like it. Beset by Mosquitoes I moved on! From now on I’ll be talking about two types of mosquitoes. There are mosquitoes and there are Mosquitoes. Today I was marauded by Mosquitoes. When I got to the shelter it was even worse. The shelter is called Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to and anywhere there is a sign that says “Swamp” that’s basically short for “MOSQUITOES.” The water source was brown; full of tannic acid from the leaves in the water. At least, I think that’s why it’s brown. It almost looks like Iced Tea. It’s clear but it’s brown and I don’t like using it. I’ll have to figure out whether it’s safe or what. I went down to the brook and washed up. I wash standing in the middle of the swamp stark naked, dancing on the mossy bank, trying to swat Mosquitoes and get my pants on at the same time. Next time I’ll film it. Cat and Indy were up at the shelter and we all got in our tents at dusk just to get away from the marauders.

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1

Drunk Skunk and a Broken Back

Mt Algo Lean-to to Kent to Stewart Hollow Brook Lean-to. 8 miles

It rained like a mother last night again. My tent was great though and nothing got wet. There was a lot of tree cover but still there was a thundering cacophony on my rain fly. I got up early and tried to beat everyone in to the town. I didn’t want to miss any washer and dryer spaces on account of lassitude on my part. I caught up with Jukebox and Wet Sox and we all walked to the Laundromat. It was great, I washed up a little in the bathroom and rinsed my stuff out before I threw it in the washer. I also washed my sleeping bag. They had showers but you had to purchase a one day pass to the local gym sort of thing. Oh well. The outfitter had nothing I could use. I almost wish I had skipped Kent and just gone ahead and gotten to Salisbury. I had a great burger at Carolee’s restaurant and blogged a little but I couldn’t get online to post it. If you need anything in the town of Kent, you had better find Carolee. She’s got the Restaurant, she owns the Laundromat, the Curves fitness center and she’s also the Ambulance Driver. When I settle down in a small town, whatever happens, I want to be the ambulance driver. I got to see her do all of those things in one day. I saw her at the Laundromat, got a me4mbership from her at the shower, saw her when I got a burger and then as I was trying to make a call on the cell phone on my way out of town, the ambulance came screaming past and I was about to yell out an expletive to the driver when I saw that it was Carolee! I smiled and waved and got my 2 ounces of fuel at the outfitter. That outfitter was EXPENSIVE and didn’t really have practical stuff for a thru-hiker. Just weekend camper stuff and the really expensive camping attire. You know, fashionable stuff from Patagonia and North Face and stuff that looks great in the mall and on your speed walking trek around the neighbors’ windows but as far as thru-hiking, they didn’t have much I could use, except for fuel. The guy was nice enough though. I wish they had pack hooks outside though. That would have been nice. I look for them everywhere now: a place to hang my stinky pack. I ended up having to hustle out of town after they closed the restaurant where I was typing. I didn’t realize it had gotten so late! I had 7 miles to go to the next shelter and that doesn’t count the half a mile out of town to the trail. I didn’t manage to get out of town until about 5 something and the trail was rough in the beginning. Eventually it leveled out and followed the Housatonic River for a while. I ran into a skunk that was having some serious equilibrium problems. I thought maybe he had been bitten by a rattlesnake or ate a funky mushroom or maybe had some of those brain worms or something. Regardless; I was concerned for my olfactorial well-being and so I filmed it from a distance and scooted past when I could. The skunk was falling all over the place and sleeping and whatever. There was a good climb up to Caleb’s Mountain and shortly thereafter was a horrible descent from a place called St John’s Ledges. I’m so glad I didn’t have to climb UP that bastard. It was unbelievable! I was Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing the Halleluiah Chorus glad that I was going DOWN that bastard. The world was still damp from all the rain and it was very hard to maintain footing on the wet leaves and slick, mossy rocks. It was like some sick, twisted, rock staircase that took longer to go down than it would to go up. My pack shifted sickeningly as I went from foot to foot down the treacherous pointy rocks, slipping and reaching out for trees and stopping to figure out how I would navigate the next five-foot section. Near the bottom, it happened. I fell, and it was a bad one. I was on this smooth rock that was about the size of a Lincoln Continental on a 30 degree slant. Suddenly I started to slide. It wasn’t one of those kind of slip a little slides, it was an accelerating oh shit slide. I saw that there was about a five foot drop at the end and I prepared myself for the drop by promptly falling flat on my ass. This didn’t stop the acceleration like I thought it would, rather, just put me a little closer to the ground. I launched off the end and my feet hit the ground. My original idea was to stop; however, the hill and my boots had other plans. I launched out over the hill and bounded frantically from foot to foot, screaming as I landed each time. Like a beginner skier in a dense mogul field, I avoided disaster about five times before I realized I was inexorably heading toward a large tree. I couldn’t stop, in fact, I just kept falling faster down the hill. The pack was too heavy and I knew I was going to have to ditch or get smashed eventually by a tree or a rock or worse, tumble over the next rock field that was coming up. I took a dive in the least rocky section I accidentally saw and tumbled with a roar as I came to stop in a cascade of exploding dirt, leaves and rubble. The pack was on top of me and I was having trouble breathing. For a moment, even the chipmunks were silent in anticipation. I took a few breaths and contemplated my fate for a moment. Strangely enough, I heard a distant voice inquire, “Are you hurt? Do you need help?” I replied that I didn’t really know yet but I thought I was OK. I seemed to have all my parts and they seemed to be working in roughly the same way as they did before the fall. I had to get up though. My back felt funny and the pack was kind of holding me down, not to mention I was still on a steep slope, held aloft by the large divot my body made when I went down. I felt like an asteroid come to Earth, only more embarrassed. I wonder if asteroids would be embarrassed to land on earth instead of continuing on their way and hurtling through space? I let that thought go. It was tough to lift myself with the pack on and not go hurtling down the slope some more but I managed to get up with flotsam and jetsam all over my body. I did a little inventory and seemed to be ok except for a small raspberry on my left knee. My back seemed sore too. I hoped I didn’t break a rib and I shakily continued down. This Rock-Climber guy came up to me out of nowhere and asked about my welfare. He said they had some first aid stuff and I told him I thought I would be OK. He followed me down for a while and then disappeared off some side trail. As I walked my back began to ache more and more and I started to worry about it. Will the injuries never end? I got in to the camp late and it was dark. The blazes along the river were sporadic and sometimes non-existent. I backtracked a few times just to find out I was on the right trail in the first place. They need to get some more paint out here in Connecticut. Cat and her Dad, Zeke were at the shelter with Shakedown Cruise and Jukebox and Wet Sox. There were two young guys from Texas there too, just camping and stuff. I set up in the dark and ate some ramen and tuna. I hope to get some sleep and I hope when I wake up, my back isn’t worse. We’ll see

David AKA “Mister Gentle Spirit”
Website
http://www.wbafinc.org/
Photos:
http://www.photobucket.com/brotherproof
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/WBAF1