Total trail mileage: 1523.0 (approx)
Starting location: US Hwy 7
Ending location: Before Mt Wilcox South Lean-to
Weather: 88 degrees in the morning (although the thermometer may have
been in the sun). 76-83 degrees during the day. Clear and sunny all
day.
I am at
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.206029,+-73.270440
We saw a few fireworks last night. Not the best, but I wasn't
expecting to see any at all. And then the night sky was very clear.
Tonight I can hear them, but I can't see them from where I am.
Well, the hammock as a bivy worked reasonably well, although getting
in and out was a pain and there really wasn't much room to move
around. I did get a little wet, but everyone else did as well. I
think the morning dew covered everything.
I got up and hiked the 6.5 miles to the next shelter. It was an
uphill climb most of the way, but the climb wasn't too bad. Everyone
did agree that the 6.5 miles felt longer than 6.5 miles though.
At that shelter I took a long break along with a number of other
thruhikers (Longshanks, Maple, Hopi, Josey Wales, etc.). After we got
a fire going, Longshanks returned with his brother along with
hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, and beer. It was a fun time, but I
stayed much longer than I had intended.
I finally was able to escape at 6. My original plan was to hike an
additional 10-11 miles after the BBQ. That wasn't going to happen
after a 6:00 restart, but I did get a few miles in before it got
dark. Oh well, it will be an early start tomorrow.
I passed a pond today and climbed up some stone ledges. When I
reached the top there was a side trail. I was expecting it to come
out to a vista. Instead it came out to another pond. So, the upper
pond probably feeds the lower pond. I don't know what feeds the upper
pond at that elevation.
Man, these mosquitoes are bad! I am in my hammock, but there are tons
of them flying around outside the netting trying to get in. There is
a constant buzzing. I am afraid to leave the hammock. Some people
carry ear plugs to block snoring. I might need to pick up a pair to
block the buzzing before it drives me insane.
Oh, I forgot to mention yesterday that I met the first Southbounder
that started at Katahdin. Before too long I'll start to see more of
them. I was expecting to start seeing a number of SOBOs in Vermont,
so I am probably not too far off.
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