Thru-hiking the Massachusetts Midstate Trail

July 24

Mr. & Mrs. Lavallee, in a heroic effort, delayed their dinner and gave me a ride to Douglas, Massachusetts. On Map #17 in the guidebook, Southwest Main Street comes tantalizingly close to the southern end of the trail, at its intersection with High Street. On the ground, there are no landmarks to mark this, so after driving around for a few minutes I asked to be dropped off at a brown metal gate with "19" stenciled on it.

I headed into the woods, completely lost. Being lost doesn't even elevate my pulse rate anymore--hiking the CDT does that to a guy. Following the road, ignoring side roads and trails, I soon saw my first yellow triangle.

I hiked Southbound on the Midstate to the Rhode Island/Massachusetts border, where the North-South Trail heads into Rhode Island. Hiked back down the Midstate.

At a turn in the trail, marked by yellow and blue triangles, I followed a side trail to the well-maintained Douglas Forest Shelter. It even had a register.

Unpacking my gear, I realized how many things I'd left at home. The next day I had a 37-mile hike to the next shelter, and a side trip to Oxford to buy extra supplies was the last thing I needed on my mind.

A hiker named Grizzly came in soon after. He lives nearby in RI, and is a regular at the shelter. He told me about some of the other regulars, include Nightwalker, who always night hikes, and Pit Dog, who mostly comes in the winter when there's less people. Grizzly said that for the past year the shelter has been really well-maintained. There was no trash that either of us could see.

July 25

Last night I slept for a few hours. The skeeters came in around midnight. Eventually I used my net tent, but didn't get back to sleep.

Started out a full hour before dawn. Douglas State Forest was a nice hike. Then I emerged from the trees for the first of several roadwalks. In West Sutton I briefly talked to a WWII vet who maintained diesel engines in the South Pacific. Each time I returned to the woods, there were lots of bugs.

I needed to get some extra food and camera batteries, so I walked into downtown Oxford. The CVS had what I needed. Upon leaving town, there was another beautiful section around the dam. Also a really loud gravel pit.

The bugs became really bad. I put on my bug gear and began sweating like mad. Near the turnpike a German Shepherd belonging to a beautiful young woman nipped my hip. "She doesn't like men."

Each roadwalk was grinding up my feet, and my water was running low. I had brought a little filter that I don't use much, and was reminded why I don't use it: it's too doggone slow.

I think a couple trail relocations shortened the hike, because I made Moose Hill Shelter at dusk, about an hour before I expected to. No flat spot to set up a tarp, so I hooked up the net tent in the shelter. If you believe the guidebook, and include the side trip to Oxford, I did (91.57-54.83)+3=39.74 miles!

July 26

A bit too hot to sleep last night. Caught a few winks in the early morning.

Nice hiking today, with no long roadwalks. The roads were a nice break from the bugs. Sore shoulders and muscles from yesterday. I took it easy and had no joint trouble. A nice piped spring near Long Pond Shelter--got water without treating it, since my pump filter is not working well (and I forgot iodine backup). I've been somewhat dehydrated since yesterday.

Shelter is nice, with a broom and a register. Sounds like ATV activity nearby. Hard to relax and enjoy the woods with the relentless mosquitos and thoughts of tomorrow's big hiking day.

Some black wasps wandering around. One is dragging a huge spider back to its lair.

July 27

Another early start to a big day. Lots of dogs on the roadwalk. One followed me down the road, barking.

The steepest, rockiest, worst-marked, worst-maintained trails of the Midstate were today. Stopped at a convenience store in North Rutland that had no pay phone. Needed to make a call home to let someone know when and where to pick me up when I'm done.

Good hike up Wachusett Mountain through Mass Audubon's Wachusett Meadow wildlife sanctuary. Bugs faded on the way up. I was dehydrated and had to stop because I felt faint. Summit was disappointing after the great hike up. Down was marked by water worries. Refilled my bottles at the ski area--which had no pay phone.

Crow Hills was the prettiest area of the trail, with steep, rocky hiking.

Round about evening time, I was sweaty and tired, when a thunderstorm blew in. All of a sudden, I turned into a water-cooled hiking machine.

Made Muddy Pond Shelter at sundown, as the rain was slowing. I had just enough time to pitch my bugproof shelter before the mosquitos came out.

July 28

Last day of the hike. Headed through some nice woods to Route 12, where a short walk brought me into Ashburnham. Used the payphone there to arrange pickup at Route 119 later in the day.

The rains had left the woods pleasantly damp, and the old stone walls looking their mossy best.

GPS Waypoints

You don't need a GPS receiver to hike the Midstate Trail, but if you're trying to find a specific trailhead it might help.

Gate "19" in Douglas has no good landmarks nearby. To be continued . . . .