Thursday, September 5, 2019

Virtual AT Pine Swamp Brook Shelter to the MA State Line


"Beans again..."

Back on the virtual AT this morning.

Woke to 55 degrees, and it is only 61 now. White Blaze App says that it is currently 45 in New Hampshire.

The sky looked a lot like an impending downpour...but now it has cleared and the sun is out brightly. The hurricane (Dorian) is just off the coastline of the Carolinas now after decimating a large part of the Bahamas. We can expect rain before long.

A fellow thru-hiker (Smiley) made my morning by turning me on to a new-to-me hiking product. Packaged in  something resembling Mylar it is a 2.82 oz package of dry milk. It can be used a little at a time to either cook with or drink...reconstituting into 4 cups of milk. It can even be mixed with powdered eggs and vanilla sugar and nutmeg to produce a reasonable facsimile of custard.


It is NOT your mother's dried milk...and has a good flavor, even drank from a cup.

I love milk...so it is a huge plus for me...also cold cereal.
She left me a couple of packs!

Anyway, we are back on our way...   

Down Sharon Mountain Road and Up Mount Easter


And down again to cross the Housatonic River Bridge

 By the Housatonic Hydroelectrical Plant





And the Great Falls of the Housatonic



 The Great Falls

https://youtu.be/adQcdSkQIdI

The Old Iron Bridge over the Housatonic

(open only to foot traffic)

And back up again to Prospect Mountain.







And here we are!

1491 miles in on the Appalachian Trail.

This may call for a quick break and to try out the new Snack Mix from Resse's I picked up in Kent.



 It contains mini Reese's cups...Reese's Pieces...peanuts...and round ball-like pretzels.

The salt on the peanuts and pretzels combined with the flavor of the milk chocolate is amazing!

But we have miles to go before Massachusetts so onward we hike.

Past the Limestone Spring Shelter  



and stopping to replenish my water bottle at the spring because...yeah...salty peanuts and pretzels and milk chocolate!

Big Ben and Bear filtering water on the AT.

Rand's View


 Crossing both 44 and 41 to Lions Head






Trail up to Lion's Head

The View







Past Riga and Brassie Brook Shelters

Riga Shelter


Brassie Brook Shelter


Back up Bear Mountain


Hiking The Bear Mountain Loop

https://youtu.be/w0WFMq3iBZg

Until at last we see the Welcome to Massachusetts sign!!!!

Woo Hoo!
We've made it!

 

Going to find a clearing and camp right here!

We will start Massachusetts on Monday!

Love, 

"Beans"