[at-l] Jan Pt 2

[kahley@ptd.net (kahley)]

Hiya Folks,
Here's number two.  Jan is sleep walking I'm afraid <g>.

Too tired for inspiration.
The Pine Cobble Trail was a mile and a half straight up, 1,230 feet
elevation gain. I was struggling. I could tell that lack of sleep was
making me purely stupid.  For instance, this morning I paid some last
minute bills in town, went to the mailbox and promptly posted my
sunglasses.The problem is I didn't realize it until I touched my letters to
my brow.

I was hanging in there, but just. The heat had us sweating like boiler
tenders, and I stopped frequently to suck in the heavy air. It takes my
shoulders several days to adjust to the strain of a pack, and today, with
five days food aboard, they weren't happy.. The scenery looked a little
wavy thanks to mental fatigue, and my feet felt leaden.

Not Susan, who chugged up the hill like a thru-hiker. Susan is an Episcopal
priest - the fun kind. Besides our hiking , we shared a love of Hospice.
Lots of heart and insight, she has, with a great upbeat attitude and a
ready smile..
Clyde and I fell into our usual trail banter, despite the heat and fatigue,
entertaining our companions. . I felt optimistic about the comfortable
trail miles ahead. To the outsider, I suppose it sounded like bickering to
the outsider, but it's our way.
Art and I met at the Gathering last year, and are both planning an AT thru
hike next year. Retired from teaching math, he now runs a lakeside resort
in New Hampshire. It' fun hiking now with someone I will share the trail
with in 2003.
We lunched at the top of the Pine Cobble, in this fantastic jumble of pink
rocks at the summit. Was it granite? They looked lit from within.

The trail was kinder after that. We stopped for pictures when Pine Cobble
joined the AT. Again at the MA- VT state line, where the Long Trail
officially begins. In the register, I wrote "The Jan and Clyde Show Does
the Long Trail - Onward to Canada.  I felt better after lunch, but it was
hot and we were all running low on water. On the descent, we passed a
southbounder who sneered at upcoming water sources: "I wouldn't drink it."
Our spirits sank. Yet, before long, we came across a lovely little
spring.Icy cold. Aqua dulce! After tanking up our camel humps, I offered my
water bag to the others. Susan took it up and dumped it over her sweaty
head. Great idea! I dumped a bag over mine too. We were shreiking and
laughing like teenaged girls, high-living each other while the men shook
their heads and clucked.. After that, I got my groove back.

Wiped out, going to sleep in the hammock.