DEET is nature’s cologne
~Every Hiker
August 5, 2022
AT miles: 18.4
Ascent: 3224’
Descent: 2198’
Weather: low 90’s, sunny, and humid. In other words, miserable!
Sightings: None — the animals were probably too hot to move!
High points: The view from Warner Hill and The Cookie Lady, a hiker oasis
Today was a rough day. The hiking was actually quite nice. In the morning I hiked over The Cobbles, a series of granite outcroppings that provided a stunning view of the mist in the valley.
The trail had some rocks and some roots but was mostly pretty gentle. It wandered through an open hardwood forest.
Occasionally I came across a muddy stagnant body of water.
After 8 miles I arrived in Dalton. More about that later.
In the afternoon I climbed Warner Hill (2050’), which had a lovely fern-filled ascent and a great view. I could imagine vacationing 19th century New Yorkers choosing to spend an afternoon walking up this hill!
And here’s a picture of me taken by Breakfast from North Carolina!
The trees, the undergrowth, the rocks, and even the dirt reminded me of my childhood. I am Massachusetts born and bred, and the natural world in the Berkshire Mountains is surprisingly similar to the woods I grew up playing in in Hingham and Cohasset. Even the dirt today was the slightly sandy pale gray that I am used to dirt being. I feel like I am in my home territory!
By the end of the day I was pretty heat-beat, but I found an amazing hiker oasis where I will spend the night. Years ago a woman started serving cookies and lemonade and offering general support to AT hikers who walked by her house. A few years ago she died, but her kindness to thruhikers was so important to the hiker community that a call went out for a new cookie lady. The current one (The “Cookie Lady 2.0”) not only gives away wonderful cookies but also provides a place for hikers to relax and recharge. You can even camp on her lawn!
So the day ended well.
Today did have its issues, however —
- The mosquitoes were terrible. I wore pretty effective repellent, but the bugs would fly around my eyes! Yuck!
- I thought I would have lunch in Dalton. However, the coffee place wouldn’t let me bring in my backpack into the nice air-conditioned cafe. There were some sketchy people outdoors, so I couldn’t just leave my pack full of expensive gear outdoors by itself. The sunny outdoor area where I had to sit must have been over 100 degrees! I drank a lemonade but had to leave before my lunch was ready due to the extreme heat! That was a huge disappointment.
- My backpack has been rubbing both my shoulders and my mid-back, causing some painful chafing. I think sweating so much did it!
Oh well — I am now in a wonderful place and I will sleep well!
Today is a great day for a long walk in the woods!