Two shelters before Dalton, MA there's a sign that says to call the BirdCage for a place to stay.
At the UpperGoose Pond Cabin, Bob the Elder told us to find Rob Bird and stay with him. When asking how to find him he told us, "He'll find you."
A few days ago when leaving Salisbury, Mountain Mike told us to go to the Shell station in town and ask about the Birdcage. Obviously, that's where we wanted to go.
Upon arriving in Dalton, we first walked past Tom Levardi's house. He's the other guy in town that helps out thru hikers. His place was clearly marked AND in the Thru-Hikers guide book. He had hiking poles lining his front walk, a wooden post marking the water faucet, a white blaze on the tree on his front lawn and a sign on the door that says to take off your hiking boots. However, the birdcage had been talked up so that's where we were going. We walked past-we needed to do laundry anyway.
As we were walking toward the laundromat an unmarked white van pulls up and an older man leans over to us, points at us with his cigarette and tells us to get in. As we were told, Mr Bird found us. He had already found our friends Kyle, Drew and TicTac and we climbed into the backseat with them. He took us to his house-no as clearly labeled as Mr. Lavardi's. In fact the only thing that let you know we were at Rob Bird's was the Birdcage next to the front stairs. As soon as we got in, he gave us clothes to wear (he even had an assortment of ladies clothes) and promptly put our laundry in the machine. In fact, he did our laundry for us-folded it and everything.
When the boys we were with told him they were thinking about heading out after laundry, he told them he'd "slack pack" them. He'd drive them out 10 miles, they could walk back without packs and then spend the night at the Birdcage. He told us we could do the same thing tomorrow up and over Greylock (for $20, as it's a long ride). When we told him that we were in Dalton because we needed to get to the mall and when we asked him about the Bus system he laughed at us tell us the "he was our taxi cab." He dropped us at the mall when he drove the boys out and then patiently waited for us while we finished up our shopping. He even drove us over to target so we could pop in and pick up a few more things.
When the boys got home that night, he drove us all over to "Old Country Buffet" and we gorged ourselves. Then when we got home he pulled out the Guitar, we pulled out our RiseUpSinging and we had a sing along for 3 hours. Jamie and I were so happy!
The next morning, before we left, he made us coffee! His place should be called the Bird Sanctuary-not the birdcage! OH! Did I mention he had shampoo, conditioner, towels, q-tips, razors and buzzers all for us to use? And he had soda in the fridge available anytime we wanted it? House rules you ask? That we take a shower and have clean clothes before sitting on the sofa (kitchen chairs are fine) and that you take off your boots.
When I tell people about this man, they are shocked. He does this for FREE? Yes. He doesn't ask for ANYTHING? Yes. The questions keep coming!
Why does he do it? How does it benefit them? How does helping others, help him? Why be kind?
I'll let you think on that yourself.
