Day 123 – Great Falls, CT to Great Barrington, MA

“We were holding hands as we reached the California coast.

A new wind in our sails, we’re making the most.

So the story goes, all’s well that ends well.

And if you don’t mind, I’ll keep the rest to myself.

I was thumbing my way outta San Antonio.” – Tracy Byrd

Up at 6:30. Dense fog, so I went back to sleep until 8:00. Packed up and hit the road at 9:00. 

Very hazy and humid today. View from Mount Prospect.

Stopped at Giants Thumb. Great big thumb-shaped rock. 

After a lot of debate, I decided to only hike to Salisbury, CT at mile 8 for today. I have to be at the post office in Great Barrington before they close. Once I head out of Salisbury, there is no road near the trail until mile 19.6, which won’t let me make the post office. I had thought about going another 7 miles on the AT and then hiking what looks like an abandoned woods road out to Route 41 for a shuttle pickup. However, that would put me real close to missing the post office, and there is no info on what shape that “woods road” is actually in or if it still exists.:(

I’m skipping ahead 20 miles to Great Barrington, MA. The town is 3 miles north of the AT. I’ll hitch back to the trail tomorrow or something similar. I need to make up time/mileage, and this looks like a reasonable opportunity for that. I plan to come back here the last week in October with Dana and day hike this missed stretch of trail. It’ll be under 10 hours with a day pack. 

Stopped at the White Hart Inn, Salisbury, CT. Very nice little place. I plan to stay here with Dana in late October when I make up a missed section on the AT.

Got picked up by a shuttle at 2:00 and drove to the Great Barrington, MA post office, then to the Quality Inn. Got new shoes and a new phone pouch as well as my rain jacket and hiking pants and extra socks back. Also, a few resupply items. I’m pretty good on supplies as is. 

Showered and did laundry. Did major route planning for the next 11 days. Trying to get back into bigger but reasonable days. I’m trying to get my head back in the game! I need to really dig in if I’m going to finish this adventure before the snow closes the northern terminus. 

I just have not been loving life on the trail since NJ. Go figure NJ and NY weren’t my favorites. Too many people, too many towns, too many distractions. That’s my guess anyway. I’m hoping getting back into the sticks and into New England will help. My new route plan tries to balance aggressive miles with a dose of reality. Plus new shoes will really help 🙂

Technical Notes:

• Pop Tarts 370
• Oreos 320
• Large Latte 230
• Ham and Cheese 500
• Large Latte 230
• Coke 140
• Reese’s 400
• Dinner 2000
• Water liters 1.7
• Miles 8 
• Time 3:30
• Elevation gain 1300
• Calories consumed 5000
• Calories burned 3500