7/03/06 Monday: Mt. Greylock, Mass. to Melville Nauheim Shelter, Vt. (20.4mi)

PICTURES:
1. 0804: View from Mt Greylock...
2. 1215: Entering Vermont... Always a thrill to cross state lines...
3. 1215: Southern terminus of the Long/AT trail
4. 1258: Large rock left years ago by the glaciers...
5. 1755: Some mucky sections of the trail from a very rainy spring/summer

I was up and out of the "Garage" (they called it a Hostel but we all know better ;))... Well for $10 bucks what do ya expect... I had a roof over my head with the threat of severe thundershowers during the night... I was on the trail again by 0630 for the 6 mile decent to N Adams, Mass. and the chance to get some groceries for the upcoming trip... Just .4mi off the trail I met a number of hikers resupplying at the grocery store there, indulging in the fresh fruit and other delicacies... We had a late breakfast on the side walk out side the store before pushing on ... In 4 miles we all reached the Mass/VT state line for a pic in the middle of the wilderness... I picked up the pace a bit due to the horrific mosquito and black fly infestation... I knew it was gonna come but the recent rains seemed to help tremendously... Most of the group I had been associating with were planning to attend a July 4th party at the home of a section hiker in Bennington,VT. These hikers slowed their pace and were all planning to stay short of VT9 at the Congdon Shelter... I had dinner at the Congdon Shelter which sleep 8... There were already 6 hikers there and it was the swampiest area I had seen... I was happy to push on and get ahead of this pack of nearly 15 hikers... The days walk was thru ankle deep mud or hopping from rock to rock if you dared to try to avoid the mud... After a while, it simply doesnt matter, your feet are wet and are going to stay that way... The 1000ft descent to Vt9 was pretty tough with a series of uneven rock stairs, muddied over with the boots of previous hikers... I must say I was feeling week in the knees after that... I then crossed the street for the 1000ft ascent to the M&N shelter...LOL... My poor knees...LOL... I was out of water when I arrived and found some nice yellow tinged water for the night...LOL>... There were 7 hikers at this shelter, not one an AT hiker... We were sharing the trail with the Long Trail now and all these hikers were hiking the 500miles, or sections therof, the Long Trail... I got in at 2045, just before dark. They were all very friendly and had made a fire to help keep the buggs at bay.. I cleaned off and after chatting a bit with the folks there and phoning home, retired for the night...