Where Did Cindy-jo Go?

**Facebook Post 101217 at 12:17PM**

Taking a break.

**Facebook Post 101217 at 6:17PM**

Welcome to New York!!!!

 

4:45PM Start Day 54 (101217)

•4:45PM (Estimate) Pastures (Mile 742.5)
•8:30PM Telephone Pioneers Shelter
(Mile 744.0) Sleep
•6:00AM Wake up, pack
•8:00AM On trail
•9:00AM (Mile 746.6) Nuclear Lake
•1:00PM Old Stormville Road (Mile 754.6)
•1:30 NY Rte. 52 (Mile 755.7)
•4:45PM (Estimate) Taconic State Prkwy. (Mile 760.5)

4:45PM End Of Day 54
APPROX 18 Miles
(Add 1 mile for walking to Deli & Pizza)

 

**Facebook Post 101117 at 4:35PM**

Kent, CT (Mile 722.5)

**Facebook Post 101117 at 8:50PM**

I woke up today, a little over a week after I had gotten back on trail, near a stream. It was cold out and I attempted to tear myself out from underneath my warm down-quilt so I could venture out of my tent and into the darkness at 6:00AM for a pee and to start packing it up. I had been waking up late the last couple days due to lady issues and the increase in rain, but hey, it happens.

The struggle to get moving is pretty much routine at this point, except recently. A change has taken place. I have begun to travel with partners. I’d say traveling with others can sometimes lead to delays, and I won’t say that I haven’t spent a morning or two waiting for everybody to get packed up, but once on the road, we as a team, have been kicking butt.

The two lady hikers I now am acquainted with keep a good pace, and it’s nice to have some company for the brutal days and long nights. Plus, they travel with a very cute dog named Blue. Who, by the way, is an excellent bear deterrent.

About two days into getting back on trail, I joined up with my two new friends who also happen to be traveling south, Erin and Taylor. They flip flopped from McAfee Knob in Virginia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, and started south. I had met them previously, first while passing through Hanover, VT, where we were all shopping at the same grocery store for resupply, ending up outside near the trash around the same time. I asked them if they knew where the rec center was. They didn’t, and after brief conversation, we parted ways.

Later, I ran in to them a second time at the Dunkin Donuts in Cheshire, MA. They were sitting outside snacking and relaxing with their dog. As I left, I noticed hikers so I gave them a wave, but didn’t realize I had met them before. Pushing on into the woods I forgot all about the threesome until I took a break. Taylor, Erin and Blue, the dog, hiked on up and ended hanging out with me while I snacked on fruit chews. After some chat and laughs, it seemed natural that we hike on together, and have been hiking together now for just under a week.

The girls are behind schedule, as am I, so we have been motivating each other to increase miles, chasing the sun. Pretty soon the chilly air and random showers will be turning into full blown snow. Since they are from Texas and I’m from Florida, I don’t think any of us are prepared for that. Although, since beginning our hike together the weather has been kind overall. Rain happens, but in generally insignificant amounts, and the cold has been mild, if even enjoyable. I’d say our only issue is the frequent tick check breaks we have to take for Blue their dog.

It’s been bad. Through MA there were quite a few of those little blood suckers. I even found one crawling on my arm at one point, and another on a pants leg, but CT… CT has been the worst. In fact, as I write this blog, the girls are going over the dog with a fine tooth comb. Last night there were at least 75 on him, and they spent an hour prior going to bed just picking them off him. This morning seems to be a repeat, almost an equal amount of them everywhere on that poor dog. It makes for delays in our schedule, but it also reminds me to check myself. To spite this, we have still been hitting the trail hard.

Today we are walking into Kent for resupply, but the goal is to move into Greenwood Lake, NY, by Sunday evening. It will be hard hiking since surprisingly enough CT is pretty hilly and has been reminding us all of a little Southern Maine with its rocks and climbs. I’d say, even still, we have all been sailing through it pretty flawlessly so far. We constantly remind each other this isn’t the worst we’ve seen and we just keep going.

Like typical hikers, we each have an individual pace, but manage to stay together in the long run. The ladies have even taken to my lack of hitching and riding in cars, and we all walk into resupply together.

It’s funny, I would imagine hooking up with a hiking partner who doesn’t accept rides into and out of towns would be a pain in the butt, but I’m guessing they are more open to the idea because they have a dog and that puts restrictions on where we can stay or eat, someone has to stay with him if we shop, etc.. So I guess that might make them kind of a pain in the ass hiking partners too, but somehow to spite all our issues it works anyway, and we manage to move right past whatever comes up and still hike like bad asses. I love it. Nice job ladies!

My friend Fox is well behind us at this point, but it turns out she too may skip a section and come and join us in NY. I’m still waiting for confirmation from her end. It’s not always the easiest to coordinate a meet-up when you are walking mega miles every day. Half the time, you have no idea where you will be and when. If she says it’s a go though, the more, the merrier.

She’s been having issues traveling solo and has come across a few less than savory male hikers. As the bubble thins, there emerge hustlers, the homeless, thieves and psychotics who pretty much live off the trail full time. When the bubble is in full swing, they tend to blend in, but when it’s not, chances are you might find yourself alone with someone at a shelter or campsite that might not be all that safe to hang with. I myself, haven’t had any issues this year, or in general, but you hear stories passed around campsites and from hikers who have had unhappy encounters.
So, we invited her to hook up with us. I hope she does. I think it may be safer at this point. Hiking with us, she can at least have my company until Boiling Springs, and Taylor and Erin’s until McAfee Knob. Safety in numbers! And besides it would be like we were an all female hiking machine!!!!… Be afraid. Be very afraid. LOL

 

4:45PM Start Day 53 (101117)

•4:45PM In Kent, CT
•6:15PM CT Rte. 341 (Mile 722.5)
•6:45PM Mt. Algo Shelter
(Mile 722.8) Sleep
•4:00AM Wake up, pack
•6:20AM On trail
•10:05AM (Mile 728.5)
•12:00PM Ten Mile River Shelter
(Mile 731.2)
•1:00PM (Mile 732.2)
•2:30PM Deuel Hollow Brook (Mile 734.7)
•4:45PM (Estimate) Pastures (Mile 742.5)

4:45PM End Of Day 53
APPROX 20 Miles
(Add 1.3 miles from Grocer to trail head)

**Facebook Post 101017 at 9:56AM**

To all my hiking friends:

I will be officially completing the last of my miles in Boiling Springs, PA. If you are in the vicinity or nearby and would like to accompany me as I cross my final miles, please let me know. I’d enjoy reuniting for such a huge hiking moment and the completion of 2,189 miles of goal. It only took two seasons, but who’s counting? LOL

 

4:45PM Start Day 52 (101017)

•4:45PM Guinea Brook (Mile 711.3)
•6:00PM Silver Hill Campsite (Mile 712.3)
•8:30PM Stony Brook (Mile 715.1) Sleep
•6:00AM Wake up, pack
•11:30AM Choggam Brook (Mile 719.8)
•2:00PM CT Rte. 341 (Mile 722.5)
•4:45PM In Kent, CT

4:45PM End Of Day 52
APPROX 11.2 Miles
(Add 2.2 Walk into town, Outfitter, Pizza, Grocer)

**Facebook Post 100917 at 5:37PM**

Entered Connecticut this afternoon!!!

 

4:45PM Start Day 51 (100917)

•4:45PM US Rte. 44 (Mile 690.7)
•8:00PM Stream (Mile 692.8)
•9:00PM Limestone Spring Shelter
(Mile 694.2) Sleep
•6:00AM Wake up, pack
•8:00AM On trail
•12:45PM Hang Glider View (Mile 702.2)
•1:30PM Sharon Mtn. Rd. (Mile 704.5)
•4:45PM Guinea Brook (Mile 711.3)

4:45PM End Of Day 51
APPROX 20.6 Miles

**Facebook Post 100817 at**

Sadego’s Rules from the Trail:

•Do not chase shelters.
(Meaning if it’s 1.25, .9, .5, .3, etc., off trail, you don’t need to go there. Skip it and go to a shelter on trail, or camp. (Unless, of course, that shelter has a caretaker who makes you pancakes in the morning.)

•Do not chase views
(You will see so many views. If you have the time, awesome. If not, there is no need to walk 1.5, .9, etc., however many miles down some side trail to see a view. If you just stay on trail and walk a little further, another is coming and it will take no effort to get to.

•Do not chase water
(There is no reason to be walking down every blue blaze attempting to find water. Sometimes things are dry. Walk past a dry spring, keep going. Trust even if you pass four or five, eventually there will be one running and it will be conveniently laid in front of you.)

•Do not take water if you can’t hear it running, if it smells funny, or you see it is heavily discolored or has a lot of particle content. Also don’t take water situated near pastures.

•Do not trust a rock, log, root or board to be dry when it looks dry, not slippery when it could be, or not to move when it just might.

•Bogs can be much deeper than you think.

•Stay in shelters when you know it’s going to rain.

•If it’s hot, camp high on the mountain. If it’s cold, camp low on the mountain.

•For every down, there is an up.

•If you have the information available to you, read up on what’s next, know what’s coming.

•Do not carry too much weight, take the time to customize your gear to fit your weight ratio. Your knees, ankles and shoulders will thank you.

•Weather changes everything.

•The more quickly you accept everything you have with you will be wet at some juncture, the more sane and happy your hike will be.

•Do not panic.

•It’s OK to ask for help.

•It’s OK to take a break.

•You are stronger than you think you are.

•Parkour is an art form highly valuable on trail.

•Have two trekking poles, they may possibly save your life, but at worst your ass.

•Do not camp near roads or in shelters or anywhere where locals like to get drunk and party. Usually they are trashed (meaning have garbage everywhere), and drunk locals plus hikers equals possible bad situation. Remember, they know the lay of the land better than you.

•If you are behaving yourself in the woods it would be rare you should ever have to defend yourself against wildlife, or possibly have to harm wildlife. They don’t care about you unless you are doing something stupid, usually.

•Be kind and others will be kind to you.

•Everyone has a story.

•Never judge a book by its cover. You have no idea who the person hiking up to you is.

•The trail provides.

•Day hikers, Weekend warriors, townsfolk, and tourists love to speak with hikers. They will ask you every question under the sun, and many will attempt to give you advice. Nod politely.

•Asking another hiker about a climb, section, weather, gear, whatever is fine, but remember the answers you receive will be as unique as the individual. Their hike is not your hike.

•”Hike your own hike.” is a term for a reason.

•If the situation or person in front of you gives you any hint of a bad vibe, bolt. You don’t have to tell anyone why you are leaving, where it is you are going, or anything. You owe no one explanations. Trust your gut.

•If you feel like it’s dangerous, its because it probably is.

•Hiker hunger will have you craving strange food, or rather all food, and cause you to over resupply. Keep your head on straight when entering groceries.

•Your feet will feel better tomorrow.

•Always push forward.

•Your mind can make a decision in a millisecond. That doesn’t always mean it’s a good one.

•You can take a million steps forward, but it only takes one improperly placed one to bring everything to a crashing halt.

•If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

•Somedays you will want to quit. Don’t.

•Its going to rain. It’s going to be too hot. It’s going to be too cold. You are going to sweat. You are going to shiver. You will be hungry. You will be tired. You will be dirty. You will miss everyone and everything you know from the world. The struggle is worth it.

•You only live once. Fill it with memorable experiences.

•Go ahead; try the impossible.

 

4:45PM Start Day 50 (100817)

•4:45PM Dirt Road (Mile 670.6)
•9:00PM Glen Brook Shelter (Mile 677.1)
Sleep
•7:00AM Wake up
•9:00AM On trail
•4:30PM Salisbury, CT (Mile 689.8)
•4:45PM US Rte. 44 (Mile 690.7)

4:45PM End Of Day 50
APPROX 20.1 Miles

4:45PM Start Day 49 (100717)

•4:45PM (Estimate) In Great Barrington for resupply, shower, eating, laundry, etc..
•8:00PM Dinner & sleep at Kathleen’s house
•6:00AM Wake up, pack
•10:00AM Breakfast with Andrea Crest
•2:00PM Heading back to trail
•4:30PM US Rte. 7, at trail head
(Mile 669.2)
•4:45PM Dirt Road (Mile 670.6)

4:45PM End Of Day 49
APPROX 1.4 Miles
(Add 3.2 miles back to trail head from Kathleen’s)

**Facebook Post 100617 at 6:32PM**

“I don’t think anyone really appreciates how slow you have to go in the Whites.”

– Caretaker at Stratton Mountain Fire Tower

 

4:45PM Start Day 48 (100617)

•4:45PM Tom Leonard Shelter
(Mile 662.8)
•4:00AM Wake up, pack
•5:15AM On trail
•10:00AM US Rte. 7 (Mile 669.2) Walk into Great Barrington (Post Office, Rite Aid, Co-Op, 54 River Kathleen’s House, Laundry)
•4:45PM (Estimate) In Great Barrington for resupply, shower, eating, laundry, etc..

4:45PM End Of Day 48
APPROX 6.4 Miles
(Add 3.8 miles to Great Barrington Post Office, Rite Aid, Fuel Coffee, Co-Op, Laundry, Kathleen’s)

4:45PM Start Day 47 (100517)

•4:45PM (Estimate) Upper Goose Pond Cabin (Mile 641.7)
•7:00PM Signed Trail Junction
(Mile 643.5) Sleep
•5:15AM Wake up, pack
•7:00AM On trail
•11:45AM Fernside Road (Mile 651.9)
•2:10 swan brook (Mile 656.5)
•3:30 MA Rte 24 (Mile 660.8)
•4:45PM Tom Leonard Shelter
(Mile 662.8)

4:45PM End Of Day 47
APPROX 21.1 Miles

 

**Facebook Post 100417 at 9:49AM**

Camping… It’s in tents!
(Intense… Get it? Huh! Huh! Huh!)

Seriously, I’m a total hobo now. Last night I basically slept in a church yard next to a parking lot. What’s next? The intention was just to go there to charge my phone, so I didn’t have to draw on my battery packs, but they immediately offered sleeping arrangements to me before I could even think about asking. So, I told them I would charge up, maybe use the bathroom and think about staying the night… They got me. It was just too easy.

It also helped that my “girl issue” decided to show up unannounced and completely at the wrong time, again, as I’m using the bathroom. Good timing at least. The whole reason I’m on birth control this year is to avoid that damage, but apparently my body, for some unknown reason, whenever I hike, likes to go with the flow, often and at random. Even the pill doesn’t work. Awesome. There goes $30 down the tube, per month.

The church, Saint Mary of the Assumption, is located in Cheshire, MA. Really cute little town where literally the gas station and like two other stores make your shopping choices. I’m sure there is more somewhere on some other side of town I’m not seeing, but from what I’m being exposed to, this is it. Between the three stores, I grabbed a couple odds and ends (thanks girl time) and am managing to leave town with a hot coffee and a breakfast sandwich in my belly. Yum.

The Appalachian Trail goes straight through town. And actually, yesterday on my way off trail and before venturing in, I had made my first stop at the brand new Dollar Store. This morning was the convenient store (HD Reynolds), which wasn’t so convenient. They were more of a pawn/hardware store. I was there for girl products. Not the right shop, which brought me full circle to the Shell that also happened to be a Dunkin’ Donuts… Shangri La.

Anyway, it was freaking cold as hell last night which meant only one thing… Condensation. My everything was wet this morning. The church had an outlet near its back door and I woke up super early with the intent of charging my phone while I attempted to dry my stuff somehow and pack. Their outlet, which was on the exterior of their building by the back door, pretty much juiced my phone in a trickle. I was left hanging about, killing time. Finally, I’m thinking it’s well after 8AM, time to go, wet tent or not, charged or not.

Packing it up, I headed for HD Reynolds, and like I said, they didn’t have what I needed. Which leaves me in this Dunkin Donuts, Shell Station, sipping on a Pumpkin Machiato and writing. Unlike the trickle electric I found at the church, Dunkin’s is on fire. 94% means it’s time to consider downing what’s left of my coffee and heading out.

I’m going to say, I can tell being at my family’s has gone two ways for me. One, I got spoiled and went soft and seriously have my doubts about wanting to finish the remainder of my miles. Plus, I find myself looking for any little reason to say sleep in a church parking lot rather than on trail. The other, two, is I do feel refreshed and a lot cleaner. Since it’s cold, none of my hiking is leaving me with that all over gross slimed feeling of sweat soup. For the most part I’m feeling OK.

The foot hurts on and off again. Still pretty sure I broke or fractured something, but I’m not letting that stop me anyway. I reached out to Fox to see where she was. Maybe she’d be close enough to catch up, but she said she’s still in Vermont. And my two buds who I walked into Williamstown with have finished.(Hell yeah guys!) So, I’m rolling solo.

Solo is cool, but like I said I was just with family. That side of my family is huge. I remember thinking as I’m brushing my teeth in the bathroom the other day at my aunt and uncle’s, how it sounded like a busy restaurant downstairs. Next thing I know I’m talking to myself in the woods, alone. Culture shock.

Well, enough babble…. My Machiato is at chugging level and the woods are calling. Let’s lay some miles. Shall we?

**Facebook Post 100417 at 10:44AM**

Water, water, anywhere???

BTW… I am carrying twice the water weight right now. Clean water has been getting harder and harder to come by. If you are behind me going south, just keep this in mind.

I’m cool with collecting out of desperation from some sources, but if it’s a choice to collect questionable water or hike on, I usually hike on and ration, but when source after source, after source, seems questionable, you do what you have to. So, I’m carrying heavy, rationing from the start and hoping to get to another town or an actual clean source before crap hits the fan and I’m out. Of course, I will try my best not to let that happen, but… Luckily, there are more towns close to the trail coming up. Plus, I know this is actually a bad habit, but I don’t drink as much as I should anyway. I’m almost never in a state of thirst. I’m usually forcing it down. So, rationing is never a problem for me. AND it’s cool out, so not a lot of sweat.

Wish me luck! And good luck to you other south-bounders who are making your way down! May clear waters find you!

**Facebook Post 100417 at 12:45PM**

Several years ago if a bug flew down my throat, I’d stop in my tracks and gag and almost vomit trying get it up. Then I’d spend the next 15 minutes spitting, hoping somehow it had come up. Today I swallow.

(Shut it Jason Kreider!)

 

4:45PM Start Day 46 (100417)

•4:45PM (Estimate) Dalton, MA
(Mile 621.1)
•6:30PM Day Mountain near Barton Brook footbridge (Mile 623.6) sleep
•5:00AM Wake up, pack up
•6:45AM On trail
•4:45PM (Estimate) Upper Goose Pond Cabin (Mile 641.7)

4:45PM End Of Day 46
APPROX 20.6 Miles

**Facebook Post 100317 at 1:19PM**

Me and my Aunt Jamie

**Facebook Post 100317 at 7:38PM**

My Grandma Marge’s granddaughters.

 

4:45PM Start Day 45 (100317)

•4:45PM MA Rte 8 (Mile 611.8)
(Add .3 for walking to Dollar Store)
•5:30PM Cheshire, MA (Mile 612.3)
(Add .2 for walking to Saint Mary of the Assumption Church) sleep
•6:30AM Wake up, pack, charge phone
•8:00AM Walk to stores
(Add .2 for walking to convenience store)
(Add .2 for walking to Shell/Dunkin Donuts)
•10:30AM walk back to Cheshire, MA
(Mile 612.3)
(Add .6 for walking back to Cheshire, MA)
•11:30AM Furnace Hill Road (Mile 612.8)
•4:45PM (Estimate) Dalton, MA
(Mile 621.1)

4:45PM End Of Day 45
APPROX 9.3 Miles