[at-l] Mass AT Hike Report

[richehli at optonline.net (Richard Ehli)]

Over the 4th of July Weekend four friends and I hiked between Rt 20 and
North Adams. The Trail was in good condition  all the way except for one
strategic blowdown not far from where the Trail re-enters the woods after
passing through open fields above Cheshire, and which required some
bushwhacking to navigate around. Between the Cookie Lady at Pittsfield Rd
and Blotz Rd I suspect my hiking partner stumbled into a Worm Hole. He had
been hiking a tenth of a mile or so behind me but never caught up when I
stopped on the Trail to water up at a small stream. Next I saw him was at
Blotz Rd where he said he had been waiting for me five minutes. Not sure who
was more surprised since we both swear we followed the white blazes the
whole way.

Saturday we stopped for the night at Tom Levardi's on Depot St. in Dalton.
We had not planned on Dalton's Celebration of the Fifth of July. By local
law it seems all illegal ordnance unexploded from the previous evening must
be detonated by dawn of the 6th. The cacophony of cracks and booms lasted
past midnight interspersed with the roar and screech of passing street
racers and the rumble of Chessie freight trains transiting through town a
block south. To one of my sleep-deprived companions, the sodium vapor street
light shining down on Tom's backyard until dawn added a touch of prison yard
to the scene. We hold Tom responsible for none of this. He is a standup
gracious and gentle soul. Would the world be nicer with more Toms.

Water was generally abundant, with many seasonal streams still running,
which was good because it was a hot, humid weekend in New England. In
Cheshire on Sunday all convenience stores near the Trail were closed so we
asked for water at the house besides the cheese monument, at the spot where
the Trail makes a right turn northbound. The owners kindly allowed us to
fill our bottles and say they never turn away hikers asking for water. More
goods folks. That's at the heart of the AT experience. I think as a life
long New Yorker I can get away with saying that the natural goodness of
Americans increases in relation to their distance from Columbus Circle. We
parked in North Adams in front of the first house on the right where the
Trail leaves the woods. The owner, who was out trimming her hedges when we
pulled up said it was OK with her and safe to leave a vehicle there. We
offered to cut her hedges when we returned, but said she couldn't wait that
long.

Met a number of NOBO Thru Hikers along this section: Tang and Lady
Walks-alot at October Mtn LT and Tang again on the approach to the Mark
Noepel LT, Barely Bald (hat on) at Blotz Rd slacking with his daughter and
then (hat off) at the CS by the Mark Noepel LT, Brother Ron in Dalton, and
the threesome Miss Kitty, Gold Berry and Orb at the Cobbles above Cheshire.
Brother Ron started April 8th and has been averaging over 20 a day since NC.
I hope I didn't forget anyone. They all seemed mentally and physically
strong and should make Katahdin barring any misfortune. In conversation, the
FUBAR incident came up. It seems he and his antics are not unknown among
Trail Community. One hiker said he had picked fights at Trail Days. Animal
Mother, a college student working the summer as a Ridge Runner for the Mass
Dept of Environment Management, and he was doing a good job on this section
despite being hobbled with a broken toe.

Beegfut