03 SA May 29, 2021 – All alone on endless AT

07:40 – woke up rather late. I got out of my hammock only once during the night. Sleep was good, even excellent. This night I did not suffer from a cold. I learned how to wrap myself in a tarp to preserve heat. Again, shelter location picked with a skill. It does have an intimate feeling. Brook is just a few paces away. This location marks a clear border between gentle descent to the valley and steep ascend to the White Cap Mountain.
Wates in a brook is clear but it does not taste too good. Normal water. And the most interesting thing that I managed to sleep very soundly and was even surprised at quick onslaught of morning light.
08:20 dream vacation alone
09:03 – fire is going again. Sleeping implements are hanging in the branches and drying the breathing condensation.
09:10 – water is in the pot, water bladder refilled in the brook, wash hands and face with a water running from the bladder.
09:31 – water for porridge is boiling.
09:35 – plastic container with blueberries fell and all blueberries are scattered on the ground. Now I need to pick them up one-by-one, wash in the river first, and then further wash with filtered water to be sure.
10:03 finished my breakfast, finished my tea, by will not fil the water bottles. It will be plenty of water sources on the way.
11:06 – start the hike – why so late?
11:56 – I have reached to gravel road that on some maps marked a Logan Brook Road. On the picture the road looks so inviting welcoming. Sun is breaking through a thick layer of trees. Everything is bright and green. But little thirsty bugs are supper aggressive. They give you a reprieve for the first 90 seconds, but then they “discover” you and you must run and change location. Here I took a little break consisting of morning routines, covering myself with a bug spray, removing all the extra layers of clothing, eating 2 mandarins, and finishing the remaining blueberries.
Trail here is not loved. It is blocked in dozens of places by trees and brush.
13:35 – completed 3.5 mi. I am at East Branch Shelter. Here mosquitoes and black flies are very active. They are attacking. I plunge into the East Branch Pleasant River. It is shallow but refreshing and not dreadfully cold. It will be the only watering procedure during the whole trip.
14:59 – trail goes around Mountain View Pond
15:43 – I am on top of Little Boardman Mtn. 2017 ft. It was un unexpected climb. Shelter was the low point – 1200 ft. Pond was intermediary point at 1600 ft, and now I an at 2000 ft.
15:50 – There is a signal here. Spanish lesson is complete – 546 days in a row! Weather forecast shows 60% rain tomorrow (Sunday) and 90% chance of Monday (Memorial Day). 13°C high and 3° low. I see a message that we are approved for a new family credit card. A decision was made earlier, but now this common credit card will be for family spending. Nice.
16:55 – I fell on a pile of rocks while crossing Cooper Brook at the mouth of Crawford Pond. Both equipment (camera) and my body parts survived the ordeal. I even hit the rock with my forehead, but got just a little scratch.
The unpleasant thing is that there are no sings to the hut? Maybe they demolished it? On it is by design. Strange.
17:45 – completed 11.6 mi today. Finally reach the destination of the day – Cooper Rook Falls shelter. It is located right on the river, but it is too close to the trail. You do not feel nice and cozy due to that proximity. You feel as if you are on a display, despite the fact that there is not a single person several miles around me.
17:51 – get water from the river into the bladder.
18:13 – There is a signal at the shelter! That is unusual. Last section of the trail I was blasting with 3.3 MPH average speed. IT was an easy trot along the Cooper Brook.
19:02 the campfire is going full blast helping to control the mosquitos.
19:20 I created some stock of sticks and other wood to feed the fire. I am warm and cozy now. River is making its presence know by the sound. Time ti set my hammock inside the shelter.
20:00 I prepared a bucket of water just in case. Everything is dry, and fire is going strong with a lot of sparks. I am eating my stew and diluting it with boiling water – too salty, but good
20:20 – teat is ready, but I am not very keen. Strange. And sugar is not on top of my priority list. All this time and all day – not a person in sight. I am sitting on an upside-down leaky bucket – very convenient.
20:58 mosquitos calmed down, but brutal cold did not come. I am anole for the third night. Today my path was blocked 20 or 30 times by fallen trees, branches, and overgrowth. IT appear they did not do the trail cleaning this year yet.
21:05 Fire burned out. There is no urge to sleep yet. The river is noisy, and you can hear voices in the trickling of the water. I still have couple of large apples left.
“In order to reach the destination, one needs to move toward it”
21:11 – go to sleep – one final note in the notebook. Today was a long day, but I am still 3.6 mi behind Excel schedule. The plan was to be at the car tonight. But that worked out even better.