Massachusetts/Connecticut 1997

Tuesday, September 16, 1997—Bascom Lodge.
Monday, I kicked it into overdrive. Another day with only one break. Took a bus to North Adams, for mail and Burger King. A ride to Williamston fell into my lap at Burger King, and I was driven right to the Mountain Goat & exchanged my filter cartridge. Watched Monday Night Football at my room at the Willows Hotel. Today I climbed Greylock. I was beat, my legs so tight, I thought they'd explode. Cool sunset from the window of my room at the lodge. Then the Harvest Moon rose on the other side of the mountain. I'm more relaxed now. Made plans to meet Home Brew on Sunday at Upper Goose Pond Cabin, so I can take it easy till then.

Friday, September 19—Kay Wood Shelter.
The last few days have been fun. Quick easy hiking, at least one shower a day, and I've gained weight. Sunrise from Greylock was cool, and sunset from power lines south of Kay Wood Shelter was colorful. Might rain tomorrow, can't complain about the weather, I've been pretty damn blessed!

Saturday, September 20—October Mountain Shelter.
Rain early this morning, but had stopped by the time I got out of my sleeping bag. Threatened rain all day, although the sun did make a cameo appearance. Only hiked a half day today, cuz of meeting Home Brew tomorrow at Upper Goose. I love rain, when I'm at a shelter!

Wednesday, September 24—Shaker Campsite Privy.
3 days at Upper Goose Pond Cabin. I arrived Sunday 9/21 at 10:45 Am, it was a real easy hike that morning. Brew got to the cabin at the end of the 3rd quarter of the Patriots game that I was listening to on radio. It was chilly, but Brew was sweating. In his pack he was carrying about 2 gallons of beer that he made with higher octane, just for hikers. It was a German Wheat Beer, very easy to drink, but all Brew's beer is easy to drink, cuz it's such high quality brew. It was so cool to hang with Brew on the trail again. I was quite hung over on Monday, but I hiked the 3 miles with Brew to Goose Pond Road, But I left my stuff at the cabin. Brew rode his Bike to town and came back with a couple of subs and 5 beers, plus there was still a gallon of beer at the cabin. So we had a late lunch, and he took off to go to school. I was happy to see him, and sad to see him go. Back at the Cabin, I built a fire and had some more beer. Tuesday morning was gray and damp. I still didn't feel like hiking, so I collected some more wood. I went exploring for a while, and a couple of section hikers came by to stay. After dinner, with the fire past it's peak, one guy kept hinting that he didn't want to leave the fire, but I had taken the only bed downstairs. I would just ask, so I ignored his hints. After he went upstairs, I kind of beat myself up for not offering him the floor to sleep, but soon I heard him snoring like a banshee, thru the floor boards. Luckily, it was muffled enough by the wood floor that I was able to get to sleep. Left Upper Goose Pond after 11 am, and took my time hiking. I was cold all morning, so I was dressed in long pants and my fleece to hike. My first 2 breaks I took at road crossings, for the sunshine. Took the side trail to Cobble Hill for my 420 break, nice view of the valley below. Stopped for the night at "Shaker Campsite Privy" at least that's what the sign says.

Saturday, September 27—Tom Leonard Shelter.
My belly was a pain, so a couple of days of R&R in Great Barrington. Well, almost 3 days, but only 2 nights. Didn't leave town until 2 pm, and had a fairly easy hike to the shelter.

Wednesday, October 1—Pine Swamp Brook Lean-To.
I'm Super Me. Sunday was a great day that turned to not so good, and it's all my fault. Well it was Sunday, that means Football. The trail passed .4 miles from a bar that serves Guinness. What do you think I did? Of course I went. 5 pints in 3 hours with lunch ain't exactly a binge, but I felt impaired. Drunk hiking isn't as fun as it sounds, I think physical exertion speeds up the hang over. Hang over hiking sucks! Especially when you are still hiking an hour past sunset, only to find out that your flashlight accidentally turned on inside your pack, and drains the only batteries that you have. I was able to find the trail to Glen Brook Lean-To, but couldn't find the Shelter. I lost the trail, and I tried, in vain, to refind it. I, eventually, stumbled over a tent platform, when I thought about leaving my pack & sticks there, and continue looking for the shelter. Then this picture popped into my head: Me, standing alone, lost in a pitch black forest, with nothing but the clothes on my back, and the boots on my feet. Not a pretty picture. Try to set up a non-freestanding tent on a tent platform, on a cloudy night, in a dark forest. I made fun af my self as I set it up. If someone was watching me with night-vision binoculars, they would have died laughing, but when all was said and done, I was safe and sound in my tent for the night. It rained, and in the morning I didn't want to hike the next section in the rain, carrying a wet tent, being more miserable than i already was. So I found and moved into the shelter with all of my gear, except my tent. By mid morning, the rain stopped, but I was too well established at the shelter, so I disassembled my tent, and hug it up to dry inside the shelter. Read mostly, in an attempt to avoid my thoughts. To be continued . . . .

Thursday, October 2—Stewart Hollow Brook Lean-To.
So, where was I? Monday night, it didn't rain. Tuesday morning was overcast. By the time I got to the top of Everett, it seemed to be breaking up, so I took a break. I left Everett, with my fleece on, cuz of the wind chill, but I was hot by the time I got to the Race Brook Trail, so I took another break. These 2 day-hikers came by and asked me if I'm Not a little late to be going south, to which I replied with a big smile on my face, "I'm right where I want to be." It hit me right then that there really wasn't any other place that I really wanted to be, and so ended the little funk that I'd been in for a while. When I reached the top of Race Mountain, I found out how it got it's name. If your at the beginning of this cliff side trail and you see a storm approaching, you better race your ass the hell off of it!  Sages Ravine was just beautiful, with the changing leaves, a misty drizzle, and this cool little water fall.  The climb up Bear Mountain was easier than I expected, and when I reached the top, I saw that the clouds were trying to break up, so it was a good place to take another break, especially on top of the large rock mound erected to celebrate the "highest mountain in Conn."  Next stop was Lion's Head, and then on to Salisbury, where I was rained on briefly, on the road into town.  Stayed at the White Hart Inn, and had an almost rare steak for dinner, which I enjoyed.  Since the latest E-coli scare, I've noticed that most cooks have been turning medium-rare into medium or medium-well.  It's very hedonistic to eat a barely cooked piece of cow meat after a good day's hike.  Oh, and the bar served Guinness on tap too, talking about hedonism.  Wednesday morning was a bit chilly, but I headed back to the trail in shorts & a tee-shirt.  As long as I was in the sun, I felt warm enough, but plunging into the woods, I couldn't warm up, even going uphill, so I put on my fleece when I stopped at Billy's View.  At the Housatonic I met a woman , Linda, and we chatted for a bit.  I couldn't believe how talkative I was.  I was almost manic.  My funk is definitely over!  Stopped at Falls Village for lunch. Great sandwich, only wish I could remember the name of the place, cuz not only was it a sandwich shop, it also sold used books.  Spent the night at Pine Swamp Brook Lean-To.  Grape Cool-Aid Flavored swamp water, yum!  Near sunset, an Indian Woman, from India, on a section-hike, stopped in for the night.  She started hiking this section with friends, but they all dropped out on her.  This morning, she expressed her wish that i may one day stop smoking.  So I expressed my wish that one day she would quit driving.  Wow, I almost caught up on my journal, but it's getting late.

Saturday, October 4—Mt. Algo Lean-To.
So Thursday , I had a Nice leisurely day.  Ran into a girl school outing, and they were a bit lost, so I set them going in the right direction, and took off.  At my next break, I met  lobbyist from DC, out doing a section, a thru-hiker from '84.  At Breadloaf Mountain, we met a teacher From NYC, and the 2 of them bored me to death with their theories of educating the "different" children.  I basically zoned out, looking at the view.  I called it a night at Stewart Hollow Lean-To.  Friday morning, I called it another night, cuz I'm going home for a week from the train station on the AT near Pawling, NY, to attend a family thing, and to see some friends, and I didn't have to hike in the rain to make it, so I didn't.  Actually, this family thing is the reason for my slow pace of late, but I'll explain later.  Near dark last night, 2 male section-hikers stopped in for the night.  I was deeply engrossed in "Julian" by Gore Vidal, but when they offered me a scotch & water, I laughed, but I also turned them down.  Woke up early this morning, and was on the trail by 7, cuz I had a maildrop in Kent, and it's a Saturday.  Made it in by 10:30, and also did laundry, lunched, re-supplied for 2 days, and made it to Mt. Algo Lean-To by 2:30. A hit-and-run town stop.  Really could use a shower.  I'm sharing the shelter with a hyper-active boy named Robbie, his father John, and his friend Rob.  The kid has hit his head at least 4 time on the roof, and it hasn't slowed him down one bit.  This Fall has been great, can't wait for the next one.

Kurtis Kirsch.
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