[at-l] Hike Report Part 4

[ARTCLOUTMN@aol.com]

Tuesday, April 18th

It was raining when I first awoke this morning so I went back to sleep.  
Didn't try to start the stove until 7:45 AM.  Everyone got up slowly this 
morning.  The 3 ladies left camp way ahead of us.  The boy scouts left camp 
before us.  I didn't really care.  Three out of the four girls had blisters.  
I helped them dress their feet with Campeed.  We had a leisure breakfast and 
picked up our gear at a rather slow pace.  We only had 7 miles to the next 
campsite so there was no reason to rush.  
    We finally left camp at 9:30 AM.  The trail was wet but it was not 
raining.  We soon crossed Conn route 4 leading to Cromwell Bridge.  The 
Guidebook suggested that if the Guinea Brook were high to go up route 4 to 
the dirt road and follow that over the brook to rejoin the trail.  Thje brook 
was high but a large tree had fallen across the brook.  The tree was wet and 
about 5 feet above the rushing water.  The group decided to walk across the 
downed tree.  Chris and Dennis went across and assisted the group.  A couple 
of people chose to skoot across on their butts.  The rest walked across.  
John asked if the tree was shaking but it was his knees knocking that shook 
him up.  I was very nervous going across the tree but made it standing up 
using my hiking poles.  
    We caught up with Sara while climbing a steep grade over Pine Nob.  On 
the down side of the nob we stopped for lunch and a water refill at Ceasar 
Road Campsite.  We invited Sara to join us.  There is little signs of the 
road but we don't doubt that it exsisted at one time.  The walk down to West 
Cromwell Road was very rocky.  Every step required careful foot placement.  
After crossing the road we headed up a steep incline.  The trail passed 
through a deep crack in the granite with a wooden ladder going about half way 
up the crack.  I had to lean to one side to pass through the crack because it 
was narrow.  Sara and I took picture of one another going through the rocks.  
Once on top it was an easy mile walk to Pine Swamp Camp Site.
    The students were waiting for John and I hoping to discuss continuing on 
to the next site 3 mile further north.  They were of mixed opinion so I chose 
to stay at Pine Swamp for a short day.  The Boy Scout group was in the 
shelter and invited us all to join them.  The shelter was designed for 8 
people.  John and I pitched our tent a ways away from the shelter.  JD and 
Chris pitched their tent even further from the shelter.  We had dinner and a 
very small campfire before going to bed.  It was very cold this night.  
Rachelle's thermometer read 30 degrees.    It was very windy, but it did not 
rain. 
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