Week 12: (June 17 – June 23) Trail Magic: Kindness Abound.

“Every seed of Love planted within a heart may lie dormant for a long time but when the right conditions surround it, it cannot fail to germinate and grow and flower and flourish. Seek always to create the right conditions.”  ~ Eileen Caddy, Findhorn founder

June 17 we hiked out of Shaker Campsite (1546.7) to be picked up by Heidi at Jerusalem Road to assess injuries in Lee (1545.4) and to Mark Noepel Shelter (1587.8).  Total miles for the week = 41.7 miles

Dessert Queen’s earworm: Defying Gravity from Wicked and Where is the Love by The Black Eyed Peas.     

Mr. Rook’s earworm: Let’s Dance by David Bowie.  “And if you say run, I’ll run, And if you say hike, we’ll hike”

Joys

• Wide World of Sports Injury Update. Last week’s coverage revealed Dessert Queen’s “agony of defeat” fall.  I’m happy to report – there will be no scars from this accident.  I didn’t chip any of my teeth; and I didn’t need stitches in my lip from my fall.  However, I did end up with some interesting bruises…that I am calling tattoos from the hike.  My clothes were washed and there is only a hint of a brownish stain.  Mr. Rook calls them trophy stains.  We hiked on.   

• Beauty.  1.  Cobble Hill farm view was softened by the rain.  It was very “slippy” (Western PA nod to family) hiking up in the pouring rain.  I think the picnic table was a nice touch for a snack when it isn’t raining and we aren’t trying to get to town to assess my injuries.  2) There were several walks through wetlands.  My favorite wetlands are not in the woods.  Why?  Frogs and Red-winged Blackbirds.  I love their sounds.  Hearing them sounds like summer.  3) Evidence of beavers, however disappointed again.  Beavers do not come out to “you-hoo beavers!”  4) Lady Slippers and fungi and forests of ferns.  5) Climbs that have views.  6) The owls at Kay Wood Shelter.  This was a wonderful shelter and campsite.  You hike down into a gorge to get your water. 7) The hike into the woods out of Dalton. It was a really nice hike.   8) The bike ride to Adams.  We basically rode next to water and yes: frogs and insects.  9) The hike up to Mt. Greylock in the humidity (okay not the humidity part)… It was exciting to see meadows of wildflowers as designated areas for pollinators and the climb up cliffs.      
• Red Eft count for the week 21.  Total count for the hike 71. 

• Best Late Lunch Spot. The Cheshire Cobbles (1581.2).  We ditched our backpacks to climb upon the rocks with our lunch.  The view sweeps across the valley and it is stunning with varied shades of green.  However, I think the best feature of this stop was sitting on a rock surrounded by blooming Mountain Laurel and being in the presence of butterflies.  I sat mesmerized by these winged creatures flitted flower to flower seeking nectar.  Mr. Rook reminded me that milkshakes are the next stop, so we had to go.   

• Young VT Hiker.  Mr. Rook and I have been thinking a lot about relationships found on the AT.  Some of our ideas about relationships seem to come out of Ted Lasso’s playbook (i.e., be curious, show up, be yourself, be vulnerable, cultivate happiness, help people be the best version of themselves). Meeting young adults is an aspect of the trail that we’ve enjoyed.  Life off the trail, there are limited opportunities for sixty year old folks to make friends with twenty somethings.  We tried to be intentional and not sound too much like one’s parents.  At October Mountain Shelter, we enjoyed talking to a VT nineteen year old hiker who will be attending university in the fall.  Both of us were awed by his adventurous life so far: graduated from high school 2022, environmental internship in California, line cook at a BBQ restaurant during the winter, bicycle across the US to an AT trailhead in Virginia, and hiking home to VT.  Mr. Rook and I hope for future conversations down the trail.  
• Rain Alerts.  We are grateful for our friends and family.  They showed great concern for us regarding the weather.  They sent us many texts and IMs regarding the weather that was heading our way.  Ohio had already experienced the deluge of rain and they watched the weather channel showing where this system was heading next — towards us.  We have been watching the weather all week and each day there has been a high chance of rain during the night.  We’ve been using our new hiking technique and identifying shelters to stay in.  However, next week the forecast calls for 7 days of heavy rain. 

• Couch to Trail. We met another vlogger on the trail at Mark Noepel Shelter.  Check out her videos https://youtu.be/indafPZzzHYo?si=aIo71ZgdqbLeoIuZ.  It didn’t register who she was until she hiked out in the rain.  Team Ohio watched her videos before we embarked on our hike.  (We learned in August that she was severely injured on the trail, and we continue to send prayers out for her recovery.)         
• Dances with Ticks (DWT).  It was fun to see him again on top of Becket Mountain.  We hadn’t seen him since Secret Shelter.  Apparently, Pops and Jewels were further ahead.  DWT was off the trail for several days and hoping to catch up with his friends.  We wished him, Pops and Jewels a safe journey to Mount Katahdin (Buen Camino DWT).

• Rewilding.  Rewilding is a current term used in environmental science.  It means to restore an ecosystem or on the Appalachian Trail a forest to the point where it can take care of itself.  Many are familiar with the case study that showed what happened when wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park (Farquhar, 2023).  The wolves’ presence set in motion dynamic changes for good in the environment.  Specifically, the wolves increased: the beaver populations, aspen growth, song bird populations and water health. The AT took us through a section that is currently being rewilded.  The Norwegian Pine Plantations are being removed and native tree seedlings are being planted.  It was very disturbing to see falling trees, open spaces, and construction equipment in the middle of the woods.  Our initial reaction was “What the heck are they doing?”  until we walked next to a detailed sign outlining the process. We then thought about Yellowstone and the wolves.  What will be the rewilding changes here in the next ten years?
• No books carried this week.  Read Agatha Christie short stories available online off the Project Gutenberg site.  

• Memorable People.   1) Heidi, a shuttle driver who was recommended by Joe.  She picked us up when I was injured and drove us to Lee, and returned us to the trail the next day.  Thank you.  2) The Farm Stand/Honesty Box on Jerusalem Road Spring.  Thank you for the WI-FI connection.  We did not have cell reception and needed to contact Heidi to pick me up.  Note:  It was fun to pick up a Snicker’s bar too the next day.  3) Cinci. Yogi Flipper.  Thank you for the oranges.  Also thank you for the ride to the Coffee Shop in Pittsfield, MA. 4)  Currency Coffee Co. Pittsfield, MA.  Thank you for allowing us to explode our food canister to make a shopping list. 5) Two women who put a quarter in the cart at Aldi, Pittsfield, MA.  6) Owner of Kelly’s Diner, Pittsfield.  Thank you for the drive down to the Shamrock Village Inn.  Based on his recommendation, Mr. Rook and I made a reservation at Bascom Lodge for the three course meal and live jazz.  7) Cookie Lady’s son who took over.  8) Hiker Church Trail Magic. 9) Trail magic at U.S. 20 – thank you for the nice selection of snacks and beverages.   10) Trail magic at Father Tom’s Campsite. Thank you to the community organizations and churches who are continuing his legacy.

• Memorable Food.  1) Cappuccino, pan chocolate and breakfast burritos… heals injuries better than a bandage. Roses Restaurant, Lee, MA 2) Turkey Dinner and beet salad.  Morgan House (serving Lee, MA since 1853) 3) Pancakes at Upper Goose Pond Shelter. 4) Chocolate chip cookies and lemonade at Cookie Lady House (free will donation). 5) Cafe latte and a danish, Currency Coffee Co. Pittsfield, MA 6) Locally made beer, cod potato leek soup, pizza and chocolate lava cake (Made from a local bakery), Dewey’s Public House, Dalton (Had fun at Trivia night). 7) Breakfast at Dalton Restaurant, Dalton, MA. (American diner experience with the locals including the council of elders and the police).  8) Vanilla milkshake, Diane’s Twist (cash only). 9) Split Chef’s Salad and Fish and Chips at AJ Trailside Pub, Adams We rode loaner bikes from Father Tom’s Campsite to Adams on the bike path.  The Pub is right on the path.  Note: Adams is the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony.  

 

Thorns and Tender Spots

• Stinky Shoes at Upper Goose Pond.  Back in the Presbyterian Church of the Mountain’s hostel, Delaware Water Gap, Rob was the first to suggest we put our shoes outside.  His sniffer discovered whose shoes were stinking up the place; and rather than embarrassing that hiker he created a rule for all of us to participate in.  How I wished that Rob bunked down at Upper Goose Pond Cabin with us. Mr. Rook and I and about ten other hikers chose to sleep in the cabin.  Our bacteria laden and sweaty feet had produced a sulfuric stench from our shoes ~ twenty-four shoes ~ each inside the cabin next to our respective bunk.  Hindsight, I wished we had pitched our tent, because even with all the windows open our shoes diffused a L’Artisan Parfumeur of Ode a rotten cabbage and stinky socks.       

 

• Lost Again.  Team Ohio did it again hiking away from Father Tom’s Campsite.  Somehow, we missed the blaze, and walked south down North Street ending up next to the Dunkin Donut shop.  In retrospect, Mr. Rook says we should have got donuts and a coffee for a post breakfast snack.     

• Communication barriers.  We hopped to stay at a hotel near the trailhead in Pittsfield to resupply.  I telephoned the hotel the previous night at Kay Wood Shelter and communication was difficult.  The person on the other end didn’t seem to understand me, and it became clear that English wasn’t their first language.  I shrugged it off with a “I’ll deal with this tomorrow” attitude.  At the trailhead, Cinci. Yogi Flipper offered to drive us to the hotel — he was driving his partner for coffee.  When we arrived at the hotel, two hikers came out very salty (they had choice words about the hotel staff’s land of origin).  I hoped for the best and went to the front door.  A staff person told me through the screen door that the hotel didn’t open until 3 pm.  I asked if there were rooms available and was told to come back at 3 pm.  Mr. Rook and I chose to make other arrangements, because clearly the woman seemed angered by the previous hiker encounter, or something else.  My interaction with her makes me wonder about my German speaking ancestors: What was it like for them in Cleveland? or Mr. Rook’s Polish, Ukrainian, and Slovak ancestors: What was it like for them in Pittsburgh? and What was it like for them in the Youngstown area?  Were they treated kindly by American born residents?  I wondered our interaction could have been different.             

•  Cinci. Yogi Flippers.  We met up with the Cinci Yogi Flipper team and learned that the male team partner had an LBI (Hockey Term: Lower Body Injury).  However, they retrieved their van and he is now supporting her hike.  We wish for healing for the male team partner, and best of wishes for the female team partner may she reach Mount Katahdin and flipping down to Amicalola Falls.

Opportunities and Other Thoughts

“Loving kindness is not just love for some particular person, but the spiritual state of loving everybody.” ~ Tolstoy

Trail magic, People sharing Random Acts of Kindness, Local Churches, Pittsfield, Dalton and Father Tom’s Campsite Community.  This week, Team Ohio’s experienced much love and kindness displayed on the trail.  At Pittsfield, Dalton and Father Tom’s Campsite we felt overwhelmed by compassion to strangers and our logical conclusion is there are many community members who are compassionate to each other.    

The folks we met on the trail this week reminded me of an essay I wrote for a class about a woman in my neighborhood.  She hands out smiley stickers that say “spread kindness”  and encourages others to spread kindness while not asking for anything in return.  Her actions are very radical in a culture of competitiveness, not trusting a stranger and no one wants something for nothing culture.

Sometimes I think we share kindness and love towards others like we share money.  We tend to hoard it, deposit it in a bank, or save it for a rainy day or the right investment.  I don’t think this is the way kindness and love are supposed to work.  You need to be a spendthrift with these actions.  If we want a more compassionate world, we need to put more kindness and love out into the world. 

I think people who provide trail magic are spendthrifts when it comes to sharing kindness and love.  It makes me want to share this magical emotion with others.  It makes me want to be part of this kindness movement.       

Reference:

Black Eyed Peas. “Where is the Love?” Elphunk. A&M, Interscope. will.I.am., 2003.  Hear the song. https://youtu.be/WpYeekQkAdc?si=sPPDV66t0ZPz2t25 

Bowie, David. “Let’s Dance,” Let’s Dance. EMI America, 1983. Hear David sing this song. https://youtu.be/VbD_kBJc_gI?si=DsTEfaOXA2SByo-8 

Farquhar, Brodie. “Wolf Reintroduction Changes Ecosystem in Yellowstone,” Yellowstone National Park Tips. 22 Jun, 2023.    Wolf Reintroduction Changes Yellowstone Ecosystem (yellowstonepark.com)

Milne, Andy. “Lessons from Ted Lasso: Five Lasso-isms we can practice in relationship building,” #slowchathealth. 15 May, 2023. Lessons from Ted Lasso: 5 Lasso-isms We Can Practice in Relationship Building – #slowchathealth

Schwartz, Stephen. “Defying Gravity,”  Wicked the Original Broadway Cast Recording. Decca Broadway, 2003.  Hear it sung by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth https://youtu.be/fEq3xM-i0Ng?si=CbuFn2S9un4NeZKW