Day 53: 500 miles and Father’s Day Visit

Summary
June 17th

MA RT 41 to Benedict Pond (Beartown State Forest)

NOBO mile# 1540.9

Tolmann’s daily mileage 12.9

Tolmann’s total mileage 507.2

Woke up around 5 this morning. Jess had said breakfast would be at 7, so I didn’t get up right away. When I heard others stirring a packed up as much as I could, then went downstairs when I smelled coffee. Jess made us eggs and toast, perfect prep for the day ahead. I must reiterate that a stay at Jess Treat’s is very much worth it; she is a generous and gracious host!

Bazinga and Powpaw were dropped first at RT 7, then Jess dropped me at RT 41, after warning me that the mosquitos were pretty bad through the first miles of the day. I started with my head net on, but for the most part wasn’t bothered. 

I was thinking it was a 14 mile day to get to Beartown State Forest. That was where my son, Jeff, was planning on meeting me to spend the evening together. As the plans came together, in turned out Bryan and Janelle would be there, too! They expected to get there between 4-5pm. It seemed reasonable that I could be there in the same time frame. 

So it was just a matter of keeping moving. I made the 4+ miles between RT 41 and RT 7 in great time, moving across mostly flat terrain: pastures, bogs and woods. When I got to RT 7, I found a tree to sit under and eat a snack, then it was up again and hiking beside the Housatonic for a little while before turning into the hills and climbing to the ridge line. Then it was the normal ups and downs for the morning, although the humidity was pretty brutal; I was soaking wet for the day. 

Somewhere in the next section I reached my 500 mile mark, but I was kind of oblivious to it. It occurred to me at the end of the day that I must have hit it. I guess I’m getting blasé about such things!!

I got to the Tom Leonard Shelter in time to eat lunch. I shared the space with a group of councilors working at Camp Eisner. Most of the councilors were Israeli, with a few Brits in the mix. We had a pleasant exchange, me answering their questions, they answering mine. They left as I was doing some personal business in the privy. 

I think I had something like 5 more miles to do to reach Beartown at that point. I needed all my bars and snacks to get through the remaining hours, but arrived at the SP a little after 4pm. Bryan and Janelle arrived a little before 5, and Jeff about a half hour later. We had a very pleasant evening talking and laughing and eating Shepard’s Pie that Jeff had made and brought in a heater to keep it warm. The kids lit a fire, and we made S’Mores. By then it was WAY past hiker midnight, and we turned in, with plans to wake early and get breakfast in town. A most excellent Father’s Day visit!!