It felt like the day after a day off this morning as I got ready. It had been such a lovely time off but waking up, I was immediately hit with the pre-hiking anxieties. I was suddenly no longer in vacation mode, but back in thru hiker mode. And I had miles to do today. 

After goodbyes, I was dropped back off where I had left the trail. I followed the trail through the town of Cheshire and felt the lack of pep in my step. Even on a flat, paved road. I knew I would snap out of my day off dragging but I didn’t know when. I followed the trail as I turned left into the woods and began the climb up Mt Greylock – the highest point in Massachusetts. 

It took until I was at least 1/3rd of the way up the 3500 ft peak until my body gave up and turned it on. But once it did, I felt great. The weather was perfect – mid 60s and sunny – and the trail was too – not too steep but with enough incline to provide a good challenge. Once I snapped out of the day off haze, I started having a great time. 

And it seemed like everyone around me was too. I stopped and chatted with two local middle aged women who were coming south bound for at least 15 minutes. They were fascinated about the journey and full of questions (and yes, they did ask “so are you gonna get a damn job after this?”). Then I stopped to talk to 2 SOBO hikers – they had started on katahdin and were making their way to Georgia. We swapped tricks and stories for the others upcoming sections. One of them, Gen X Jeb, said the biggest thing was not to believe the hype. The white mountains were tough, he said, but I had to remember I’d already walked almost 1600 miles. I’d get through them. 

Just before the summit of Greylock, I ran into a married couple who had met during their 2021 thru hike. As their child crawled all over the picnic table we swapped stories of our hikes as well. After 30 minutes of chatting with them, though, I realized I needed to get a move on. 

The next 7 or so miles were downhill and rocky. I cruised at times and moved like molasses at others. I stubbed my toes and tweaked my ankles repeatedly. It was a frustrating descent. But then I came across the best tasting spring I may have ever stopped at. I have always been a “water is water” person. How can some water taste better than others when it tastes like nothing? But this spring did taste better than others. It was crisp. It was sweet. It delightful. 

The trail then spit me out in North Adams. I followed the trail until I saw what I had been looking for – the pink house across from the trail. I crossed the road and knocked on the door. A man in his twenties eventually came out and I immediately apologized. “I’m so sorry,” I said. “You’re not father time’s wife.” It was a dumb thing to say to someone who probably had no idea what I was saying. But it was all that came out. Father Time had told me he lived in the pink house across the trail in North Adams and if I wanted to , I should go say hello to his wife. 

The guy laughed. “I’m sure not. But I’m his son. Come on in.” I sat inside and drank a cold soda before Mother Time (she actually goes by Evergreen but I wish she went by Mother Time) returned. I told them about hiking with their dad/ husband and how he’d been a great guy throughout. Evergreen and I posed for a quick selfie before I had to hit the road again. 

The last 4 miles took me over the 1600 mile mark and then the Vermont border. But at the point, it was starting to get dark so i didn’t stop to celebrate either. I booked it to camp, filtered water and climbed into bed in the dark. It’s cold tonight so I’m hoping for a good nights sleep. 

Key stats:

Miles: 19

Elevation gained: 5300 ft

Mile marker: 1604

Night time concert: howling coyotes