A beautiful morning greeted us as we awoke from a deep sleep in the tent at the Cloud Pond campsite. The frog researchers [they said they were surveying frogs, and I asked them what kind of questions they were asking. HA HA] were the only the only others camped there, but there were a number of them, in 3 or 4 tents. The bugs had died down - the gnats last night were outrageous. It was hard to even get in or out of the tent without a few dozen following you in, leading to a gnat-mass-murder spree that involved a lot of frantic clapping. The early-morning frog & bird symphony was actually quite beautiful, as I laid in the tent with my pot-cozy/headband covering my eyes, avoiding the morning sun, putting off waking up fully just yet. We arose, and made some hot beverages - tea and Via [note: thruhikers will act like you're snooty-puss if you use Via on the trail] - and some breakfast - cold cereal/granola with powdered milk, and Pop Tarts. We packed up and left the Pond, wishing the researchers good luck, and got going at about 8. We were well-rested and well-fed, back on the Trail, and hiking strong. Shortly we came to the summit of Barren Mt., which has some kind of USGS tower on the top, its use I was unclear about. We continued on and soon popped out on Barren Ledges, which offered truly one of the most magnificent veiws I've seen so far [in the Wilderness]. It's one of those views that you expect to see on the June page os a Maine tourism-promotion calendar, or a hiking book. Beautiful, expansive, sweeping views of Boarstone Mt. and Lake Onawa, and a sunny rocky outcropping from witch to enjoy it, take it all in. We lingered for a bit, took some pictures, and then started to head down, down, the AT past Slugundy Falls, a wonderous geological feature, and then down to ford Wilbur Brook - someone had tied a climbing rope across to aid in crossing, since the bottom was slick and covered in large rocks, and the water was knee-deep and rushing fast. We tool a lunch break, cheese and salami, and kept going, through dense woods spotted with sunlight, past a huge slide of rocks and boulders - not on the map, but something big, geologically speaking, happened here. A single trekking pole stuck out of the melee, mysteriously. We hit a couple of good climbs that led us up and over to Wilson Valley, and soon found our lean-to. Cooked up some lentils for dinner, and some quinoa/chickpea/raisin dehydrated thing for lunch tomorrow, as we have kind of run out of lunches. Dana's been doing some yoga in the shelter to stretch out, and I tried to build a fire but got tired of messing with it - it burned for a while but the wood is picked-over and all pretty damp. So we're going to turn in early and arise early, to try to get into Monson in the early afternoon. Can't wait for a shower at Shaw's, a burger, an ice-cold soda, some BBQ... what else? Maybe see some friends we've made on the trail before heading South again... - Ups
8.7 miles, sunny and 70's
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