71 degrees on Forest Road 71. Stopping up here as I know I have good cellphone service and I needed to check my phone for work email. Parked by a swamp along the upper end of the road and based on my observations out of the truck windows, the black flies are intense.

Today the water and sun was nice at Grout Pond until the front pushed in and brought thick low clouds that look like fog in the mountains. The pond seemed warmer than yesterday but it varied a lot as there still a fair amount of cold water still cycling up. Still I’m glad it’s warm and nice. I’m tired of winter.

Went down to West Westboro to buy some ice at a very traditional general store. By the time I reached West Westboro, I think I would have been better off going to Arlington. Would have had better cellphone reception there. That said, I remembered the place on Forest Road 71 with the good reception.

Never got to use the kayak. I really should have explored Grout Pond or Branch Pond yesterday, when I had the boat on my roof. Oh well. I’ve done it before. It would have been choppy on the lake today.

Heavy rain or thunderstorms is coming my way, so I should probably head back to camp, so I’m not driving through it.