7/3 Saving the Climb for Later

13.7 hiked today, 1568.1 miles N, 605.9 miles left
Mark Noepal Lean-to

Today was an uneventful day. I got a late start. Our hiking was lazy and relaxed due to the heat. We would have gone longer but the next part of the trail involved a long climb up Mt. Greylock and I for one didn't want to do it. We still did a fare amount of climbing over the up and down terrain.
McGyver and I took a lunch break in the grass clearing under some powerlines soaking in the sun as well as the mosquito dissipating breeze that the clearing gave us.
The trail passes through Cheshire and we both had mail waiting. My previous shirt had worn through in the lower back and for the last couple of days I have been wearing it backwards to keep the pack from rubbing my back raw. The hole in the shirt has the amusing effect of only exposing my paunch and belly button making the unflattering look of a pack waistbelt even worse. Dana sent me a new shirt along with the pages of data for the upcoming trail.
Also in town was an icecream stand and I got myself a cone. Then while I relaxed and McGyver packed up a box for home I struck up a conversation with Yogi. He had hiked parts of the AT in the past but was now biking on the lovely trail that passes through the center of town. We had a great conversation about this and that and he offered to get McGyver and I an icecream. I initially declined but in the end gave in not that I suffered at all. He had been struck by the generous trail magic he found down south while hiking and he was paying the magic forward as I am sure I will do someday.
To our delight we ended up spending the night in the same shelter as Tripe and the Two Ladies from PA. Although again I was surrounded in teachers I am having a great evening with the interesting and lively company.