July 23 Mile 1503

Today I finally got out of Connecticut where I have been stuck for almost 2 years! Hooray! Into Massachusetts! Pretty right off. 

But first, we slept in as we always do in Town-until about 6:30, ate in a cafe that wasn't so great, actually I wasn't very hungry as Cisco and I were more focused on how we could get some winter gear up here. Even though the days are quite warm, the evenings go down into the low 60s and it will get colder as we go north. Our summer sleeping bags are not rated for anything below 60. So, we called my Sweety. "Help!" and she is doing the time honored hiker helper thing, send us stuff to the PO up the Trail, General Delivery.

Didn't leave town til 10am and it was raining this morning. Stopped by the time we started. Muggy and warm. Hiked only about 9.5 miles today. But had some of the nicest views and sights in the last 500 miles. Climbed the highest we had been since Virginia, up to around 2500 feet. Had a fantastic view at Lions Head,

Then climbed a really difficult mountain, Bear Mtn, that was straight up and then worse, straight down for about 1 mile. A really tough one. Cisco says this is what New England has to offer: boulder hiking! They say that when you get up here you have done 80% of the distance and only 20% of the effort. The rest of our section hikes will be very interesting.

Came into Mass and it was very pretty. Went through a gorge for a mile or so called Sages Ravine. Cisco said this was one of his favorite places in Mass. He has dreamed about it and looked forward to his return. It has a fantastic creek flowing fast over incredible rock formations. The trail runs through rocks just above the creek. It is spectacular! Unfortunately as we got there, the sky was darkening and we began to hear the thunder... We could tell rain was on the way and we had 2+ miles to go to get to our campsite. We had to scoot through and I could tell Cisco was very disappointed we couldn't linger or go for a dip in the crystal clear water that made huge pools below the massive rocks. I told him that at least he had been here twice and most people have never seen the place. I promised him a return trip. I certainly want to see it again!

So we hiked on trying to outrun the coming storm, but we lost the race. A huge downpour hit us. Pack covers out and rain jackets on. This is why you don't wear cotton out here. Cotton kills, they say. Cisco said he heard you can get hyperthermia at 60 degrees if you are wet. Don't want to go that way. Slogged on to our campsite at Laurel Ridge. Rain stopped, had hot tea and a dinner of mashed potatoes and chicken chunks . Very good! And today, very little aches and pains! Yippee!

Up and Down Bear Mtn, CT!

                                                    Entering Massachhusetts!