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Aug
4 , 1983 Thursday (676.8 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
The
morning started out with ominous thunder, and I knew it would not
be long until the rain fell. And I was right, soon after departing,
I made a b-line to a porch overhang just off the road not far from
where I had departed. I waited for the rain to quit. At least it
had waited until I was awake and packed up before the rain came.
The rain did not last too long, and I was off again. Within a couple
of miles I passed Limestone Springs where I found several tents
still occupied, apparently waiting for the rain to let up. I wondered
if any of them were thru-hikers that I had not yet met. I cruised
on past because I was on a mission, a mission to put 100 miles behind
me in four days time. The mountains presented me with a challenge
in completing that goal. Travel over this section was very strenuous
as I made my way up Lion's Head, past Bond Shelter, and then the
steep climb up Bear Mountain. Although there would have been nice
views at some of these places, the sky was too overcast and there
were no views to be had. Upon the descent off of Bear Mountain I
dropped into an area known as Sages Ravine that reminded me of some
enchanted forest in medieval times as I traveled through the very
lush and dark area following the trickling stream where gazing at
the waterfall, I expected to see a maiden princess bathing in the
pool below the falls - naked of course. I managed to snap a few
pictures of the maiden, I mean the falls, as I stopped for a short
break. Somewhere in Sages Ravine the trail passes into Massachusetts.
One more state down, only four more to go!
From there it was a climb up Race Mountain and then Mount Everett.
While going over Everett, I joked to myself about going over Everest,
the really tall mountain in Nepal. (Comment 2008: I have heard that
if you add up all the ascents and descents along the A.T. that over
the entire trail a hiker would have actually hiked up and down the
equivalent of 14 expeditions on Mt. Everest!) The wind was blowing
and the skies darkened as I passed thru this area. There was a storm
brewing, but I had to keep moving. The descent off of Everett and
then off of an area known as Jug End really supplied a beating to
my knees. Not only was it steep, but it was the end of a long twenty-three
mile day. I had just covered just under 100 miles in four days,
covered Connecticut in only two and a half days, and I felt relieved
when I finally arrived at Jug End Road. An additional two tenths
of a mile brought me to a small picnic area with a piped spring
that was flowing abundantly. The site was already occupied by a
group of six young kids who were part of a solo expedition group
out for thirteen days. They had no leader and were interested in
my adventure, and we talked for a while. I set up my tarp on the
edge of the picnic area on a level spot and drank up from the spring.
Water had been scarce all day and now it was time to re-hydrate.
It sprinkled a bit before nightfall, but my tarp did a sufficient
job keeping me dry. I talked with a local who stopped by the spring
and found out that while I was up on Everett with the wind howling
and a storm brewing, there was actually a tornado warning in the
area. What the heck, I didn't know. I went to bed early as the rain
continued to fall around me.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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