7/16/01
It was great to sleep in after a quiet night in the woods. I awoke once during the night and couldn't hear a peep from any insects, birds or animals. Phantom was still sleeping soundly at 8 a.m. when I started packing. We didn't start hiking until just after 9:00. All of the Massachusetts section of the AT has been beautiful and today was no exception. We stopped only for a short mid-morning break and then for lunch before facing a steep long climb. By early afternoon we were approaching Upper Goose Pond. The plan was to stay at the Upper Goose Pond cabin. It was a gorgeous hike around the pond and at 3:15 p.m. we arrived at the cabin. There, we were greeted by caretaker Kathi and sons Josh and Adam from Westfield, MA. The cabin is rustic with minimal electricity for only a dim light in the kitchen and a refrigerator for the caretaker. Downstairs features a stone fireplace with one bunk and upstairs has 14 bunks and a small bedroom for the caretaker. Phantom and I were the first to arrive but eventually several section hikers showed up, including Condor, Abel, Dr. Bob, and Old Rabbit. I took a short nap in an upstairs bunk then joined Phantom, Kathi and her sons at the picnic table outside the cabin. She and the boys went out on the pond for a swim and canoe trip to the island on the pond. Meanwhile I did some journaling and reading.
Phantom and I started cooking dinner early, around 5:30 p.m. Soon Kathi and the boys joined us at the picnic table with their dinner. I guess, either because we were the only thru-hikers or because we were the first to arrive at the cabin and we took interest in the boys, Kathi was kind enough to share their dinner with us. Her homemade beef stew, corn on the cob and fresh bread really hit the spot, on top of our trail rations. We also got a soda from Kathi. By early evening there were at least a dozen hikers in for the night. Adam had made an attempt to start a fire in the downstairs fireplace and was unsuccessful due to a lack of small diameter wood for fuel. I jumped in by going outside for wood and soon we had a blazing fire to enjoy in the otherwise dark cabin. Phantom and I enjoyed the evening sitting by the fire talking with other hikers and Kathi, journaling, and eating marshmallows with the boys. The Upper Goose Pond cabin is a special place on the trail not to be missed by thru-hikers. We had a great afternoon and evening there before retiring upstairs for the night. Today's stats: low 54, high 75. Sunny to partly cloudy. Today's mileage; 14.0; cumulative mileage: 1529.7.
