04 2020-05-25 Mon – 10 mi hiking + 35 biking – nice biathlon

05:58 wake up. One more hiker in the hut – also from Massachusetts. He arrived very late yesterday already in the dark.
The night was surprisingly warmer despite the height – about 3,000 ‘. I During the night I took off socks and gloves. Still too cold for the bugs. Also, nice. Open the eyes and thinking how I would pack all this stuff around me into my bag.
07:02 – boil water for my oats. I can head water starting to make noise in the pot. All is good.
8:00 – start moving. Today will be a lot of mile on the trail and on the bike.

First milestone – mount Glastonbury, where I ate on top of the tower yesterday. After that – down for a long time, but I do not remember much of it. I have reached first shelter at 09:54, but did not go in. I briefly lost my way immediately after the shelter, so much so that I had to go back once and even tried going without a path for a bit.
09:54 – after 4 miles and 2 hours of hiking I have reached side trail to next shelter – Kid Gore, but I ploughed right through. I got lost at the bottom of the trail
11:45 – 7 miles in 3.5 hours. Not bad. Sun is hiding somewhere behind the clouds. But now rain. Weather is really cooperating this time. I eat the last orange from the pack. One more is waiting for me by the bike.
12:34 another beaver pond with a dumb and strong presence signs.
12:46 – 13:09 – a brief stop at last (Story Spring) shelter with a visit to an elevated “meeting hall”. Already thinking about what I would and eat when I return home. Second successful thinking session today. Nice!
13:54 – I see the road. I am back to forest 71 road, where I hid my bike on Friday
14:16 – bike extracted, backpack strapped to the back – ready to go
15:00 first stop after good 8 miles – sitting right on the ground
16:00 – 14 miles down, 21 to go – I reached and crossed route 9. I eat last orange from the bike goodies bag and estimate my remaining distance, but there is no signal here.
Next hour I will make only 2.5 mile up and up and up, almost to the same height where I came from. All rolling the bike with me, last section on a very bad unmaintained road with frequent water damage and erosion spots
17:08 – finally I emerge to route 8 at the top of the hill, get signal and even answer email or two. Before that moment it was tempting to stay here overnight, but now they need me – work. Now 28 miles remains out of 35, but I hoped for a fast and smooth ride from these heights.
18:14 I am entering Massachusetts in Clarksburg (route 8) and at
18:54 I am at the car on Stop & Shop parking lot.
Start driving – blueberries are still OK. These is no usual holiday traffic. GPS suggests a route back via route 2, and not Mass Pike.
21:40 back at home with 299.1 on odometer (+16.5°C).