Although the first four miles of the trail today trended downward, we were still high enough on Mt. Bushnell to be looking down on the clouds and an early morning temperature inversion. The climb down from Jug End was fun, but N groused it was a lot of work for what really hadn’t been much of a view. At MA 41, the rumored tin of homemade cookies was empty but we were still appreciative of the jugs of water. The next four miles was mostly flat and gentle.

Mosquitoes. After 114 days, and after crossing some boggy woodland today, we guess it’s time to say a word about those pesky insects. But that’s all they’re getting – that one word!

Arriving at US 7 and deciding a fresh sandwich might taste good, we made an abortive attempt to visit the Route 7 Grill, according to our map only 3/10 mile off trail. After a ten minute walk towards town and not seeing it, we stopped to ask directions and were informed it was only 150 yards up the road, but everyone agreed it wasn’t open for lunch! How can you have ‘grill’ in the name and not be open for lunch??? [Being on foot, we also were unable to visit the nearby shrines of the famous “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree.”

Our disappointment was greatly lessened by the cooler of sodas Bear Walker and Buttons had left at the US 7 crossing. Unexpected trail magic is always the best and the ice-cold sugar & caffeine was a Godsend for what was coming up next! While there, we were joined by Bad Penny and Talloaf. Talloaf was a familiar name from shelter logs back when we were trying to stay ahead of Team Chick-fil-A, and Talloaf was just ahead of us. We’d never met, but recently he’d taken even more days off the trail than we had, and there he was…

The trail then skirted fields as we again walked beside and over the Housatonic River (maybe for the final time?). Another two miles across the valley and we climbed East Mountain. Although now warm and a little hazy, we did have great views of our climbs in the last 24 hours.

With the trail having a number of ups and downs, our water supply began to dwindle. Reports from up trail indicate lack of water is still a problem and we wondered what we might find at the Tom Leonard Shelter, our destination for the day. Upon arriving, Johnny Walker Red (another familiar face back after a break) was just returning from a very steep 3/10 mile trip to a stream that had a small amount of decent water flowing. By the time N made that climb twice, he referred to this eight liters of water as liquid gold. We drank our fill, and thankfully used a liter for bathing…

About a mile from camp we met a girl scout group (three girls and their three adult leaders) out as part of the Great Girl Scout Hike. Nationally groups of girls will hike the AT in each of its 14 states. This group is tackling the 91 miles in Massachusetts, the longest such effort. Neat stuff!

We have not seen a shelter so well used since the Smokys. In addition to Bad Penny, Johnny Walker Red, and Talloaf, we have the girl scouts plus a group of young boys. Throw in a few southbounders and you get the idea this is prime hiking season in Massachusetts…