All in a daze hike

Almost all of the pics in this post were taken on the same day. Unfortunately the sunrise was obscured unlike this one from a couple weeks ago.

The day started up comparatively early as the night was filled with a constant 40-45 mph wind with gusts as it blew out the previous day's and week's overcast, rain, heat and humidity. Indeed at sometime during the night before I was bounced up off my sleeping pad by a singular explosion of thunder. To say it was as close as it could get would imply there was actually some distance between it and me. So resounding, full and powerful I swear it shook the earth. With only a quarter lung space allowed (ya know how in a dream u can't get enough air to scream) I said the only 2 words I ever say when suddenly shockscared "OH SH.....", rhymes with spit or slit or twit or hit or quit or sit or fit or wit or mitt or skit. Did u actually read all those? My next reaction was a big smile realizing I survived and was alive. Growing up with a 10 by 24 front porch afforded many opportunities to watch and actually enjoy thunderstorms. Well that lone powerful peal of thunder brought steady rain until 11:30 am. That gave way to a damp overcast day after a week of HH&H weather.

So while Sparky doesn't sleep well in wind I knew it was finally drying the air out which was a welcome change. Everything soaked, I hung a dry line till 8 and was able to dry about 80% of the water weight from the gear and clothing.

The pruny piggies from inside soggy shoes:

Arguably one of the best weather days in the last several weeks, 60, dry, breezy, sunny and 0% chance of rain. 

Ya think it might be time to go from a large to medium pack belt size?

Oh well enoughodat let's get movin. The day's trek would start at Spy Rock about 4.5 miles shy of the downhill:

Along the way I met several volunteers clearing the trail of brush and pruning overhanging limbs. Greatly appreciated and I expressed such to each and every of which I saw 8. Clearing the path on each side helps to see things otherwise lurking:

It's a perfect weather day, the kind that spells many hours, many miles and with a constant breeze, fewer bugs.

Climbing down a mountain often takes almost as long as climbing up. My friend Phil (avid hiker) will laugh when he reads this but I never realized what a huge difference there would be between walking a mile vs hiking a mile. Night and day, east and west, desert and jungle, Mars and Venus (men and women).....

Recently axed if I had much hiking experience prior, the answer was "none". 

My DOD took me once when I was pretty young probably around 8 or 9 up Mt Tom in Holyoke. I don't remember if we made the summit, but I definitely remember one thing. Hearing a familiar phrase suddenly and loudly: "SON OF A B....."(no I'm not gonna play the rhyme game again, ur welcome) I turned around as my dad took from his pocket something I think every WWII vet carried, his nasty handkerchief and brought it to his almost bald head to wipe a very well timed, perfectly placed bomb from a very well fed bird:

Other than that, a short 1/4mile up from a men's retreat to an AT shelter in Kent Ct is all the hiking experience I have. Camping is a much different story as my folks had me in Civil Air Patrol for a number of early teen years which was awesome and we bivouacked all 4 seasons with the great Major Barnes from West Springfield. Back to today:

Bottom of the mountain brings a beautiful little river for lunch:

The other direction:

And a little friend watching:

From here, a monster push 3,000 ft climb over 6.1 miles to Three Ridges Mtn. That took several hours with only a couple pauses. This was one for rehydration:

Then there was a highly appreciated spot warning right on the trail.

Do you know why yellow jackets are so angry? Couple reasons, #1 they're not honey bees, honey bees are so much better that people raise them and care for them and live happily near them including even housing them safely in their back yards. Honey bees are for obvious reasons, sweeter. B: Yellow connotes fear so these want to prove they're not. #3b: These yellow jackets live in the ground, not a nice white hive in a yard or edge of a field. These yellow jackets live like the other most angry bees I've ever met 3 times, white faced hornets, the meanest angriest of creatures. If you think I stopped to take a pic for you of the yellow jackets ju crrasy. And don't u love it when somebody outlines their conversation? Most of the time they never have a number 3 or 4 anyway.

I did run into Divadan and Babywipes the next day, she got stung once and her poor dog Luna twice.

Speaking of Luna, ever see one of these?

So I scooted past the hive, onward and upward.

Found some blueberries and these, are they huckleberries? Are they edible? One way to find out right?

Mmmmm more berries not to mention another excuse to pause.

Then I came across this guy, his trail name is Smug and it's perfect as he is loaded with attitude. Technically he is faster than me and he knows it as I have only had 4 zero days and he 12. So he has this attitude

But as u can see he is not carrying one of these.

Till now

Oh, what's the matter lil guy, something suddenly impede ur speed? Huh? Sorry can't hear you Smug, what's that? You hungry or somethin, how bout some nice salty beef jerky? Potato chip? Oh sorry is that like rubbing salt in ur wound? Bahaha, not so talky now are ya?

The day is coming to a close, in this pic you can see both the moon and the sun.

This day was my longest and furthest.

Hiked from 8:30am to 11:30pm with breaks reaching 19.9 miles as the good Lord willed and the creek didn't rise. 

Understanding will fail you while trust will keep you. I know of many struggles among those I'm praying for. There's a line in one of the songs by DC Talk that goes like this: "there are some things in this life no human hand can pull you through", so true.

Vaya con Dios