Once down, the trail flattens out for the first time in weeks. We get into our former walking rhythm quickly and are easily pounding out 2.5mi/4km per hour. Despite the stretches of mud, rocks and roots it feels so great to be walking and covering some significant distance. It's a beautiful day.

We walk along a raging stream for sometime and have to ford twice. Luckily no mishaps. We finally reach the road to Monson at 6pm. It is raining. There is no phone service so we can't call the hostel for a pickup up.

So there we are two older women at the side of the road with backpacks, in the rain, looking somewhat bedraggled I'm sure, hitching a ride into town. We are hoping that someone with a pickup will stop and let us climb in the back. We totally give up on the compact cars. We must have looked a sight! Suddenly a van turns off the road and we run over. A big red-headed former thru-hiker turned organic vegetable farmer is just returning from a day at the farmers market. 'Machine' (his trail name) says he always stops for thru hikers.

He drops us at Shaws, a great hostel whose reputation has travelled along the trail, with enough fresh vegetables for a weeks worth of stir-fry. Nothing will go to waste. 'Poet' and 'Hiker Chick' just bought the hostel and welcome us with open arms and a beer. Nothing has ever been so appreciated or tasted so good!!!

Shower, laundry, food and suddenly the skies open with a torrential thunderstorm. We're so happy to be inside but feels for our fellow hikers out on the trail.