(Daily Mi: 17.6) This is getting redundant, but another humid 95 degree plus day.

Started the day with pancakes and homemade maple syrup gratis of a friend of the caretaker.

Cross over the Mass Pike a couple of miles into the hike. Pass a pretty pond that has been greatly expanded by beavers (common local problem) completely flooding out the AT.

High point was a stop at the Cookie Lady's for, well ... cookies. The Cookie Lady lives 0.1 miles off the Trail and bakes fresh cookies in season for passing hikers. She is super sweet and lets us use a picnic table in her garden for lunch.

Found a register entry from Spyder and one from Choo Choo ... turns out she got a ride from Kent, CT to Upper Goose day before yesterday and is now one day up. Probably overtake her sooner than later.

Met a nice, local couple at the last roadhead before the shelter. Their daughter is thru-hiking this season and is currently about a week back. They have brought a cooler of cold drinks and a basket of snacks for hikers. Nice!

Find a long distance newbie name Marine in at the shelter. He is just out of the Corps and started at Great Barrington for Katahdin. Carrying an insane amount of gear, and I gather from his reaction to our observations that we are not the first thru hikers to point this out.

Squaw, Blackhawk and Jiffy all in for the night and make pleasant company. We talk the talk while coyotes raise a chorus in the distance.