| 7/22/99 | I got a later start today than I wanted. I went to bed with the notion that I was going to pull a 20 mile day. The cool morning, the comfort of the sleeping bag and the messed up sleeping schedule from being in a college town all kept me in bed longer than I had planned. I started off and the heat of the day quickly hit me. I was already looking at my watch and contemplating my position by 10:30. This was going to be a long day. I slowed my pace and said "screw it, I am here to enjoy the trip". I paused at one of the many Vermont fields to take in the green rolling hills. A couple of the fields had blackberries and raspberries. The heat and draught made a few berries dry and bitter. I traveled the 11.7 to the lean-to in slow form. I reached it at about 2:00. I decided to take another break and move on to look-out cabin 3 miles away. I pulled my sleeping pad and filtered a quart of water. I sat there drinking water and drifted of into slumber. I awoke at 4:00. I quickly packed my things and was getting ready to leave when Log-jumper came into camp. He travels really slow. He had left before me for the day and I had passed him 3 miles out of camp. I told Log-jumper about the small spring and headed out. I did the 3 miles in little over an hour. The 2 hour nap must of given me a real boost. Look-out cabin is a small private cabin with a look-out platform on the roof. The owners have a sign out front welcoming the hikers to stay as long as their guests don't mind. I am the only one here tonight so no one will mind. I spent the rest of the daylight hours sitting on top of the look-out planning the rest of my trip through Vermont. I needed to figure out what I need to average to get me home for Thanksgiving. If I can average 16 miles a day here on out, I should be alright. I don't imagine I will be able to maintain that pace through the smokies. I will need to make up for that here. After doing some planning I sat on the look out watching the sunset. It turned from a brilliant yellow orange mass to a red ball as it dropped below the tree line of the neighboring hill. I had found a book at the previous lean-to, which I decided to carry along. Like I don't have enough weight already. The book is "A Walk in the Woods". My mother had read it before I left, but I never got a chance to. It's about a writers unsuccessful thru-hike. I read the first chapter and laughed so hard that I cried. It's about him in a outfitter store buying gear. He is astonished at the price of equipment and all the things he needs. For example, he buys a backpack for $250 and goes through the the bewilderment that he has to by a rain cover for his backpack. As it grew dark I burned the pages of the book that I have read and contemplated the schedule that I set for myself. Each state and section is totally different and beautiful in their own way. I don't want to blow by it too fast. Total trail miles 470.9 |
| 7/23/99 | I left about 6:15 and started my 20 mile day from the Look-out Cabin. There wasn't any water up there so I only had granola bars for breakfast. It was convenient to break at a water source about every 5 miles. I would stop and drink a quart of water trying to keep myself hydrated across this Vermont roller coaster of going up and down hills. At a road crossing, 14.5 miles, there was a bed & breakfast with an Irish pub attached. I stepped in and ate a Rueben with a pint of Guinness. I also drank another quart of water. In the frothy foam on the Guinness the bartender put a shamrock shape. It was a great break. I ended up staying there for 2 hours listening to Irish songs and talking to 3 Long Trail hikers. The Long Trail met up with the AT and is the same trail down to Massachusetts. Then the Long Trail stops and the AT keeps going. With some real food and a 2 hour break I easily completed the last 6 miles of the day. Too bad I won't be able to find an Irish pub every day for lunch. From the shelter I could look out and see the horizon. With the final rays of the sun, it silhouetted the cloudy sky, turning the clouds different shades of red. I will actually sleep well tonight. Total Trail Miles 491.0 |
| 7/24/99 | One thing about high mileage days, you get to see a lot of different terrain. I got a real late start today. I awoke to the sound of rain on the roof of the shelter. I rolled over and drifted in and out of slumber to the sporadic rain showers. I finally got up and left at 8:30. Since yesterday worked out so well with the meal at the pub, I was going to try the same thing. After 11 miles, the trail crossed a road where the Whistle Stop restaurant was a half mile away. I walked there along the asphalt. The rains were long gone and the heat was back with a vengeance. I walked into the small restaurant and ordered, 'water and lots of it.' I cleaned up in their restroom and had a great bacon, Swiss cheese hamburger with a huge side of fries. I finished them without a problem and then went next door to a converted caboose. They turned it into a small ice-cream stand. I got a large chocolate ice-cream cone. Then I made my way back to the trail. Just on the other side of the road, the trail goes to a gorge where there are a number of natural swimming holes. There is a large suspension bridge that carries you across the gorge. I decided to take a quick dip in the swimming holes. A number of locals were there too. I then made my way up the last 7 or so miles to where I was planning to camp. I stopped off at a shelter in-between, for a break, where I met Flightless Tawnee. An older woman doing the AT in sections. She saw my hat and asked if I have been hiking without a shirt. I said no, but in this heat it's not a bad idea. She said that a south bounder ahead of me warned her that he had passed by the shelter earlier in the day and some weird guy was there with a large leather hat with no shirt or pack. We laughed at the fact that it was probably a local, since he didn't have a pack, and how I would get strange looks down the trail. I roll into Greenwall shelter and there are 3 young woman camping in one of the tent sites. 2 of them see me come in, and yes I am wearing my hat. The seemed a little startled but ok. I then make my way to the shelter and read the trail registry. Sure enough, there is an entry from Flightless Tawnee and you can pretty well guess what it said: That she is going on to the next shelter and that a southbounder warned her of this strange guy. To top it all off she concludes that if she isn't seen again we will know what might of happened. The 3 woman are polite. I asked about the water at the shelter and they provided detailed information. I can only think of 4 things it could be: 1. They want to be alone in their camp, but why camp next to the shelter? 2. They read the journal and are intimidated... hmm 3.It's time to shave and shower (a real possibility) 4. I still don't understand woman. Anyway, it was another good day of hiking. The unfortunate thing is I don't think I will be having another town lunch tomorrow. Today's mileage 18.7 Total trail mileage 509.7 |
| 7/25/99 | I hiked alone again today. I am seeing a lot of AT and LT northbounders though. I was talking to one about alcohol stoves. I think I am going to have to try it out. My stove works great, but weighs a ton. It was a beautiful day. It did warm up a little in the afternoon, but a small thunderhead rolled over and cooled things off. I haven't seen much in the way of wildlife lately. I am pretty skeptical about seeing anything really good with so many people on the trails. The only good time to see anything would be first thing in the morning. The cobweb run - the first person down the trail in the morning breaks all the cobwebs that cross the trail. It usually never fails, they are at head level. I guess I am still missing Maine for it's remote beauty. Vermont has some great forests and smooth rolling hills. The trail maintainers do a good job of putting in switchbacks on the steep grades. It looks like I have scored another great view for the night. I am on top of Bromely Mt. It says that you can see 5 states from the look-out tower on top. If that's true I can probably see 5 now. There are some scattered clouds around and even rain off in the distance. If the clouds part I will be able to see a fantastic sunset. Today's mileage 21.7 Total trail mileage 531.4 |
| 7/26/99 | Last night after I finished my log I sat on top of the observation tower reading my book. Every once in awhile I would steal glances at the setting sun. The clouds were blocking a great sunset. I looked up and saw a thundershower off to the north and south. Mine was still off to the west. Slow, but coming. I got down and went into the ski patrol hut and made myself comfortable. I fell asleep in no time. I awoke at 11:30 to the sound of pouring rain on the roof. The hut was very well protected. I got up early and made my way down the mountain. I traveled to Stratton pond for a late lunch. I took a swim and washed out some of my clothes. I met and talked to a number of northbounders as they passed by. I then climbed up Mt Stratton, the highest Mt in Vermont. It had great views. I could see scattered thunderstorms in the distance. I came down off the mountain and to the next shelter 8 miles away. It was a good day. Today's trail miles 23.9 Total trail miles 555.3 |
| 7/27/99 | It was a completely full shelter last night and we had 4 people tenting it. I was fortunate enough to be one of the last ones in the shelter. It rained again last night. I just hope some of the southern states are getting this rain too. I was planning a little lighter day today. It will still put me with a 20 mile day tomorrow to get to town. These longer mileage days are requiring more food. More food than I had planned for this trip. So if I cut down a little for today and have a big meal at the end of today and the last of my food for breakfast I should be able to roll into town and grab some food there. The one problem is there isn't a hostel there. So I will probably run in to grab dinner and then head out just on the trail to camp, then head back into town to pick-up mail. Today I had a good day. I got a couple good views today. Not as good as some of the others, but good. The clouds are staying low over the mountains today, which helps keep things cool. I stayed at a shelter and had lunch and watched the hillsides out of the shelter. I rolled on and made it the 17.4 miles by 5:00. It rained 15 minutes after I got in the shelter. What timing! There is another long trail hiker here and a northbounder AT hiker. The northbounder, Bear Paw and I are swapping trail tales. The evenings are great. Being able to wind down after a long day and let your body rest. Since there are so many different people on the trail each night is completely different. I still haven't seen Slim or Crocket. Then again, I haven't given them many opportunities to catch up. I have been taking a couple of big mileage days. Total Trail Mileage 572.7 |
| 7/28/99 | I got a good start in the morning and moved all morning. I was rewarded for my efforts to climb the hill with a huge raspberry patch. It took me a half hour to stroll the 100yds of raspberry bushes. I ate as I went. The raspberries were still wet from last night's rain and most of them were juicy. I picked up the pace a little and passed some more northbounders. I found a bag full of raingear that someone had dropped. The bag and the gear looked new. I was sure it was a northbounder LT'er that dropped it and the last one I passed was a good ways away. So I packed out the raingear and left entries in the next trail registry that I saw. I then came across a guy sitting on a jeep trail with a huge tarp laid out. I had asked him if he lost some rain gear and he said no. We got talking and he was the support van for a group of 11 year old hikers. He was meeting them for lunch. He offered me a coke and of course I didn't refuse. We talked awhile and I moved on to pass the Vermont-Massachusetts state line. Another state down! I reached the road to Williamstown and caught a local bus to take me the 2.5 miles in. I know what your thinking, "You hiked all that way and you couldn't walk 2.5 miles". Hey, I pulled a 20 miler to roll into town there is no reason for me to roadwalk when I don't have to. Unfortunately the post office was closed and I met Lu and Song Bird, northbounders, by the outfitter's store. We camped behind it for free. Actually, it was such a nice night, that we all slept out underneath the stars. Lu, Song Bird and I went across the street for dinner. It was a Tex-Mex place and I had steak fajitas with a margarita. It was good, but I have had better. It will have to satisfy my craving for Tex-Mex for awhile. |