So are you really dedicated? Or just stubborn?

Ladies and Gentlemen: I'm in love with the Appalachian Trail again. You heard it here first. 

The past two days have been everything I needed to renew my faith in both myself and this trip. I feel strong and fast, my joints and feet hurt a respectable but tolerable amount and - this one's the kicker - I'm happy. Who knew going out on my own could be so beneficial? This isn't, of course, to say that I don't miss all of my previous hiking companions. Not a day goes by that I don't think about 2pac (in my mind she's always just around the bend), Goatman (puh-puh-puh-pokerface), Red Knees (death sprints all over this trail), Beetlejuice (yeahhhh buddy!), Monk (goodnight neverland!), the Tribe - there are too many to mention. My mindset and nothing else has shifted perceptibly in the past two days. 

Life is about the choices that you make, including your choices of how to react to those things which you have no control over. So I have a choice: I can either let myself wallow in the sadness and self-pity stemming from being unjointed from a group or I can embrace this time and get to know more people, spend all the time I want relaxing at beautiful views and sing just a little louder when I have my headphones in. 

Yesterday I hiked with Why Not?!, Slim Jim and Sky Pilot out of the Cookie Lady's early - we must have been on trail by 6:30am to try and beat the heat. Music on, I cruised quickly over the first 7 miles over relatively flat terrain. As I was descending slightly, singing along to some terrible pop song, I came to a dense step of roots and immediately jerked back barely stifling a scream. Inches below my foot was hands down the most massive, spiniest porcupine ever to walk the planet. If they made 25 pound bowling balls, that is how big this beast would be. Like a Tinkerbell with spikes that, at the time, I believed could shoot those spikes out to attack incoming predators (I think maybe that's just a Pokemon upgrade?)

The beast looked back at me with a bored look in his eye that seemed to say: "Go ahead, step down. I dare ya" as he scooted off the trail painfully slowly. I managed to get a picture of him shortly before he disappeared behind a tree. Well, I was certainly awake. 

We walked into Dalton, MA a few miles later and stopped to grab a snack at a shop called Java and Juice where we spent the better part of two hours indulging and charging our phones. With ominous looking clouds looming on the horizon, Why Not?! and I packed up (I threw my pack cover on - just in case) and headed out for the remaining 8 miles into Cheshire. 

The hike was beautiful and clear with a slight breeze, the storms missing us entirely. We made great time into Cheshire and got settled at a Catholic Church which allows hikers to sleep in the basement. It was plain but it was nice to have running water and a roof over our heads. 

After a good sleep we got a later start to head up Mount Greylock - the first proper mountain we have had in weeks. The climb was steady and quick and our hard work was paid off with some remarkable views. We rested at the top and gradually the number of hikers grew - Mallet, Hammer, Humen, The Dude, Cliff Note, Holler and a bunch more were all there, starting up a game of frisbee and soaking up the sun. It was a glorious and well earned break. 

The climb down from Greylock was steep and harsh on the knees, but thankfully over fairly quickly. At the bottom of the mountain, Cliff Note, Techie and myself hitched into town for another break. Techie went to a motel but Cliff Note and myself decided to go down to the Williams Inn and spend $6 for a shower, pool, hottub and sauna break. It was worth every penny.

After some easy hitching and a good resupply we got back on the trail around 5:45pm, itching to check off another state. The hiking was tough and rocky at points but when I saw the "Welcome to Vermont" sign I somehow found the energy to jump around like a kid on Christmas that just got a puppy with a big bow on it. WE MADE IT. This is the good part. Where the views make every challenge worth it. We have arrived. 

Another three miles in we found the shelter and set up in the fading light. I am exhausted but so excited for tomorrow and to get into Manchester Center soon to finally get some new shoes! The novelty of the duct tape is wearing off.