Joe Pye Weed
Joe Pye Weed, Tyringham bog. Sheltered in Sheffield after a hot death march out of Sages. It was only 14.2, but seemed longer.
We had made good mileage, and 'Tupe' was going to meet up with his dad for a day slackpacking. I hadn't really planned on it, but a hotel room would make for a nice change of pace. The last one was in central PA with Indy and DelDoc.
August 8 proved to be a zero mile day. Dropped Gopher at trailhead so he could slackpack to the Cabin. Drove Tupelo and his dad up to the trail in Bennington, then off to the grocery store with the Volvo to pick up some trail magic supplies. Ran into the Odd Couple - gave them a hitch into Bennington. Back to Mass for N. Adams and a trail map. Then up to Greylock, ran into Toonman and Earthdawg at a road crossing and handed off a case of soda for the nearest shelter. Gave a few others a lift into G. Barrington. Got back too late for the maildrop, so headed out to the Upper Goose Pond Cabin shelter. Large crew there: Jack-in-the-Green, Elijah, Indy Jean, Frightwig, Waterboy, Wandering Jew and a few more. Dropped off Gopher's pack. Back in town for laundry, post cards, good eats. Crashed at the motel again. $45 for the room - ouch. Money is going to really hurt soon.
August 9, I was up and out early, leaving the Tupelomobile to the motel for it's flipflop owners. Hiked up to where Gopher, Tupe and I left at the Corn Crib Cafe, then back N along Trail to G. Barrington, then back along a roadwalk into a police roadblock. They were stopping traffic in both directions. I swear they saw me as I hiked up, but when I got abreast, the officers became verrrry agitated. Hands on their gun butts, ordering me to stand by a cruiser. Out with the hiker wallet and ID -- they stood down, looking for two escaped convicts, possibly armed. I figured this might be a hard yogi, so once they waved me away, I didn't look back.
Once back on Trail, ran into Sherbear and Jettbutt -- who were both a bit wigged out about the LEO activity. Ran into Storyteller, who had the rumor of the day: a hiker robbed at gunpoint in Dalton. Hard to believe that, since none of us have anything much of value. I was in too great a hurry to hang with them much, so I popped a few advil with a poptart chaser and put the legs into high gear for Upper Goose Pond.