30 May.

30 May.
From: Homes Rd, Sheffield MA
To: Beartown Mountain Rd
Mileage: 11.4
Weather: Sunny, warm

I had a good night's sleep in a private room. Jess served a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and granola, so I was ready for the trail when she dropped me off at the same place she picked me up the previous day.

My first stop was the Tom Leonard shelter, where I originally planned to stop last night, but I was glad that I didn't - it took some effort to reach. I read the shelter register and snacked. Someone noted a beaver at the site, but I was pretty sure it was a porcupine given the gnawed wood in the shelter. As I was leaving, I noticed the damage extended up to the second floor loft and the rungs on the ladder. Then I noticed that the porcupine was perched on top of the ladder quietly watching me! Feeling no threat, I took a picture then left, but decided to return and amend my register entry with a P.S. about the porcupine in the shelter, with the porcupine still watching me.

I continued on, mindful that I asked Jess to pick me up at 5pm, another guess, but I could not rely on calling her from my phone.

I stopped at the South Wilcox old shelter, and found another porcupine in front of that, but it retreated under the shelter. I almost missed it, but found the new shelter a little further in, and this was almost identical to the Tom Leonard shelter with plenty of space and a loft. However, it also showed some porcupine damage. I left a note in the register. On the way out, I checked the spring, but it was only a small pool in the rocks.

The next stop over the ridge was the North Wilcox shelter, 0.3 miles off the trail and downhill. It was getting near 4pm and I still had 0.8 miles on the AT to my 5pm pickup point, so I hastened. It was a large but simple shelter. I found an aerosol can of DEET there, but it was spent. I figured that I now owned it, so I packed it out.

I reached Beartown Mountain Rd anticipating eating my last Sour Patch Kid candy and finishing my Crystal Light drink for the day, when I spotted Jess's car coming down the road 40 minutes earlier than expected. Like Hudson from Bearded Woods hostel, perfect timing again! She had just picked up Production, whom I met previously near Cornwall Bridge CT.

Jess told me that it was Penguin's birthday, so we planned to take her to dinner at the local BBQ restaurant.

It was great seeing Penguin again after being out of sync.

After showering, Production, Penguin and I joined with Radar (another hiker I met previously who Jess was hosting tonight) to walk into town for dinner (Jurgens had already eaten and declined). Radar treated us to a BBQ nacho appetizer (delicious). Radar had a pizza, Production and I had BBQ combo platters, and Penguin had a BBQ sandwich. We followed up with dessert, of course. Radar, Production and I split the bill three ways to treat Penguin for her birthday.

We returned to Jess's and continued conversation with Jurgens and Jess. I cut out at 10pm, but not before we decided (after some debate) on blueberry pancakes for breakfast!