The Saga of My Long Trail

Over a year ago, on the 20th anniversary of my ordination as a Lutheran pastor by the way, I decided that I really needed to do something I've been wanting to do since I was in high school: take an extended backpacking trip. Many other circumstances in my life came together to make it possible this summer, but I still only had one month of vacation. Too short a time for the whole Appalachian Trail. Hmmm, what about that trail that runs the length of Vermont, Canada to Massachusetts? What was it? Oh, yes, the Long Trail. It's 270 miles long. That sounded like it was about a month's worth of not-too-hard hiking. So I spent as much time as I could over the last 12 months hiking, particularly on the AT sections in New York, so many of which are only an hour's drive from my home. And when classes and faculty meetings at Concordia College, Bronxville, NY were wrapped up at the end of June, I got a friend from the staff (Roger) to drive me to the northern end of Vermont and drop me off at the border. Roger was a good choice because he's on the college's development staff and I'd decided months earlier to let them use my hiking as a fund-raising tool. It was pretty successful. Anyway, without any further ado, here's my trail journal, pretty much as I wrote it up every night or morning. I hope you enjoy it. And I hope it encourages you to get out and hike yourself.

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Journal Entry on Saturday, 29 June 2002 – Laura Woodward Shelter, 7:00 pm 10.8 miles from trailhead parking lot

Long day. Woke up at 6:30 at Lucie’s house in Newport, VT after riding up with Roger the day before from Bronxville, NY. Roger and I had cereal for breakfast and we all left at 7:30, us for the Trail and Lucie for a meeting in Brattleboro. We got (finally! at the end of a very long and extremely narrow and rutted dirt road) to the trailhead parking at about 8:00, I guess. Hiked to Journey’s End Camp, a tiny little place,

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after signing in at the first register. Signed in there, too, using the trail name "Concordia" and headed for the border. I guess we got there around 9:00 and took photos. Roger went back to the car and I headed into Vermont.

Impressions: Lots of mud, some of it boot deep! The ups were strenuous with a full pack, and I often stopped every few feet, out of breath and tired, but felt better once I got to the top. Legs feel great now. Have this odd bouncy feeling after taking off the pack. Water working okay, but it might get to be a drag squeezing and squeezing; I guess it doesn’t take that long to fill a Nalgene liter and quaff enough to be satisfied and refill the Exstream bottle for more fresh water on the way.

It’s only 7:45, but I’m here alone, so I think I’ll read awhile and see about sleep; the night noises or morning could come pretty early and wake me.

OR NOT. Between 7:30 and 8:00 a couple and their dog arrived. Since I’m now still up: didn’t mention food earlier. Ate only gorp between setting off and getting here. Just wasn’t hungrier at lunch for all the rest. So maybe at breakfast I’ll have lunch from the day before. That would save cooking in the morning. Supper tonight was, I think, the black bean soup with cous cous. I boiled (almost) 2 cups water, then poured it into the Zip-loc and sealed the bag, and let it sit 8 minutes. It worked just fine. And no clean up! Quite filling, too, but I was thinking that I’m going to miss fresh fruit by the time I finish this hike. I used 1 Tbsp. of alcohol in the pan and 2 Tbsp. in the stove itself, and it lasted just enough. It went out as I lifted the pan to pour out the water so I didn’t have any warm water to wash up with.

Journal Entry on Monday, 1 July – Tillotson Camp, 7:12 pm 8.9 miles on the 30th and 6.2 today

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Two very long and tiring days. Today seemed easier in the end for a number of reasons: shorter!, managed water better, and I’m getting the hang of managing my left knee. Yesterday early it was getting real sore and I worked out a way to go up and down mostly without bending that leg (step up with the right; step down with the left). Advil really helps, though. And I have a bandana wrapped just above my knee.

When I’m pushing hard up yet another incline that doesn’t seem to be in the Guidebook, I keep thinking how I could hitch to town at the next road and call Ann to come get me. Hurt knee = a good excuse (even though right now I’m like 1/10 of the way there). But after stopping, and resting, and getting water . . . it all seems better. A lot depends on how the knee’s feeling at the moment.

All yesterday I was hiking “with” the two folks and dog who had followed me in from Journey’s End and arrived late at Laura Woodward. Quite a pair: cousins, she ca. 22 and from southern VT, he ca. 50 from Dutchess County, NY. Some nice equipment, but I got the impression not much planning pre-hike. He was really weighed down by tons of excess food. She had a big tent. He dragged way behind, but carried the stove so she couldn’t eat until he arrived. She wanted to make lots of miles over the weekend (and maybe could have) but they left the Trail this morning after Hazen’s Notch. I asked her to call Ann and let her know it’s slow going and I might be a day or two late on the planned phone call. I surely will be.

Last night was at a full “camp,” a rustic cabin. The two of them and the dog, 3 high school boys finishing a NoBo thru hike, and a pair of crew cut women heading north. Sleep seemed hard to come by, what with sharing a bunk with one of the boys. Every rollover anywhere in the cabin made noise. And I just couldn’t seem to get comfortable (what was all that sleeping on the floor at home for?).

Tonight it’s me, a young married couple (NoBo section hikers) and their two dogs. They’re all nice and quiet for now.

Food: I’m not eating much gorp, by any means. It’s hard to chew and swallow on the Trail. And dinner both last night and tonight (Sweet Wenatchee Rice and Veggie Bonanza respectively) were just too much to chew and swallow. So this a.m. I ate half of dinner leftover, and I will again in the morning. So, no grits so far! Saves fuel, I guess, but why am I carrying it? Maybe as I forge on I’ll get hungrier … or if I take more days to the re-supply point I’ll need it.

Lots of beautiful ferns along the way. A variety of flowers, mostly ca. 5 different kinds. Some small frogs or toads today. Lots of birds all day.

Tired. It’s only 7:40. When I hear birds singing close to the Trail I imagine that Ann’s thinking of me just then.

Tomorrow to Spruce Ledge Camp, only 8.5 miles, or 5 ¼ Guidebook hours. But I’m hitting more like 1 mph. Plus the folks here told me that there are a lot of blowdowns along the way, blocking the Trail, for me to go over or under.

Guess I should try for an early start tomorrow.

Journal Entry on Tuesday, 2 July – Spruce Ledge Camp, 8:13 pm 8.5 miles

Got in at 5:45 and was alone for 2 hours. First order of business: collapse. Then get water and make supper. As it cooked in the bag I gave myself a “sponge” bath with my bandana on the porch and then air dried. Then I washed out my clothes as best I could. They’re hanging on the porch. This is a pretty neat shelter: new, has sliding barn doors, a picnic table area under a separate cover, and a water source closer than the one at the start of the spur off the Trail.

This wasn’t too bad a day. Much level and downhill, no steep ascents (tomorrow I guess I start off with one). Knee better for the most part, running on Advil. Attitude better, too, either I’m getting in shape, knowing I will eventually make the shelter, or I’m getting over it all.

After supper (and again I could only finish half of it) I spread out the food supply and got out the shelter schedule. I think I can make it to Jonesville only one day later than expected. Phone call from the Long Trail Tavern . . . they are said to be open at 3:00, serve food at 4:00; so I’ll still have 3 miles ahead of me after making the call but it looks like it’s mostly on old logging roads. By then maybe I won’t be praying Ann comes to pick me up early.

Big features today: long set of stairs coming downhill after the LT skirted a pond (and I missed – too bad – an overlook); also it was hazy today so I didn’t even think about going up the Belvedere fire tower; and shortly before the shelter, an uphill climb through “Devil’s Gulch,” with big rocks to scramble over, moss, ferns, a babbling brook … really pretty but might have been more appreciated in the morning.

Journal Entry on Wednesday, 3 July – Corliss Camp, 5:46 p.m. 6.7 miles

Another day, another mile. The guy at Spruce Ledge Camp last night mentioned living in the Northeast Kingdom. Turns out he knows Lucie because his wife is the high school librarian and they go to the Christian Science church where the twins play Sunday mornings. Sorta small world. I asked him to call Lucie when he finished his hike. He’s wrapping up a NoBo, Jonesville to Canada, this week.

So I left Spruce Ledge at 8:00 and got here to Corliss at 4:45. I’m figuring I walk faster that 1 mph, but with my breaks I’m not making more time.

I got to Bowen South Summit at 10:38. Took a lunch break from 11-11:23 at no place in particular. Reached the gravel road in the description at 11:28. When I got to Butternut Mountain at 1:55 I took another 20-25 minute pack shedding break, and got here ca. 4:45.

I also stop every half hour for a 3-5 minute water and gorp break. I guess that adds up, but it really seems to help keeping me going. Plus, of course, the frequent pauses on the uphill stretches.

So in the 2 hours and 20 minutes I got 2.4 miles (shelter to Bowen – a long uphill climb) I would have had ‘official’ breaks at maybe 8:30, and surely at 9, 9:30, 10, and 10:30. That’s 20-25 minutes of break, plus all the breathers on the way uphill. 2.4 miles in 2 hours, or 1.25/hour (roughly). Still, it took the whole clock time to get there.

Tomorrow I’m looking at an 8 mile day to Roundtop. OR make it an 11 and stay at the Long Trail Tavern’s 6 acre backyard. If I can pull that off it gets me to their pay phone, which is supposedly inside. They open at 3 pm and serve food at 4. BUT it’s also the 4th of July, so maybe they won’t be open at all. Unless they are for hikers. Life is so full of uncertainties.

If they’re closed for the 4th, perhaps the owners live on site, or check in. If worse comes to worst, it’s 2 miles into Johnson itself the next morning and I could find a phone there.

Well tonight. Got here and there was gear on the porch and picnic table. But very quiet. Three young girls, maybe in college, asleep inside on bunks. Must have been 85-90 degrees inside (no window screens) but they said they wanted to keep bugs out so they’d closed the windows and door. It is pretty buggy here. So I sat outside and looked at maps and trail guides, plotting my possible next two days. After a while two of them got up and sat on the porch. We talked just a tad and then I made supper: grits and fruit bits. Still didn’t finish last night’s repast. Appetite seems pretty suppressed. I had time to wash myself with bandana and warm water before they started to make moves about supper themselves. Then I came over to a bench by the cabin to write.

And in the middle of this, another girl shows up. She’s been chasing the other three since Williamstown. She’s just now telling a story about the Long Trail Tavern and how she didn’t want to sleep out back there because the crowd inside looked a little rough. Some local woman she met a little earlier had told her to phone her for a meal, shower, and bed. Hmmm. The Guidebook says that the owners are “very friendly” to hikers. Guess I’ll have to see. Anyway they’re all chatting up a storm. ‘Treat’ is the newcomer; the others go by Adhar, Sea Biscuit, and Trix.

I’ll be in the tent tonight (to justify carrying its weight) because the loft at the cabin is an open attic. You climb up a ladder from the porch. It could be hotter than inside, and I figure I ought to leave the girls to themselves.

Journal Entry on 4 July, still at Corliss Camp early –

Mega lightning and thunder from 9-11 pm, and then rain until about 2. I rushed to put up the fly during the lightning just in case it rained. And then the rain came so fast I didn’t have any time to duck inside to the loft. Everything but my food was inside the tent. In the morning the fly, bottom edge of the tent, and the groundcloth were all wet. Could have put it up better, but I didn’t think it was going to rain when I went to bed.

On to the tavern after breakfast and packing. It’s 6:20. I want to be walking by 7.

Journal Entry on Thursday, 4 July – at the Tavern, 12 hours on the Trail

Left Corliss at 7:45. Got to the Long Trail Tavern at 7:45. Rained hard and then lighter from noon to 3. Got ‘Rock Art Beer’ a Vermont craft brew, had pizza with peppers and onions, talked with a woman at the bar while I ate who happens to be an art professor at UVM. Then I called Annie on the phone using the calling card because I couldn’t get 10-10-220 to work. Should have called first as the juke box was really loud and I had trouble hearing her. But it was very good to talk with her. I slept out back in my tent after getting a hot shower with soap in their employee washroom! An unadvertised special. And for free, too.

It started sprinkling as I woke on the 5th, so I had to pack quickly. Traffic noise kept me up later than I’d have been in a shelter or camp. Also maybe got me up sooner.

During the day I didn’t see anyone except for at 8:30 a young guy named ‘Monorail’ was going the other direction looking for the girls, until I got to Roundtop Shelter and rested for the last run into Johnson and the tavern. Five minutes after I got there another guy came in from the north. Guess he’d been chasing me all day … almost all week. He left Canada “on Monday afternoon” (2-2 ½ days after me) and by Thursday afternoon had caught up with me. That was 5:00 or so, I think. Then another guy came in from the south. Nice guys; would have had a good time talking, I think, but I had to head on.

Journal Entry on Friday, 5 July – on top of Mount Madonna in a ski patrol hut, 9.8 miles

Long rainy day. Just couldn’t get to Sterling. Left the tavern at 6:45 am and finally got to the top of Madonna here at 7:30. Yeesh! What a cold, wet, dreary, fogged in, windy, foot-soaking day. I have to praise God that this warming hut thing is unlocked and available – and that there’s a young couple of trail adopters and their dog here to make me more certain that I won’t be arrested for trespassing. It’s 8:14, so I’ll be knocking off soon. Praying for sun tomorrow and the next few days.

Whiteface Mountain was a real bear today. Hard going up. Hard going down. At least the Whiteface Shelter and down side were on the leeward side of the mountain.

Journal Entry on Saturday, 6 July – Taft Lodge, 5:37 pm 5.8 miles

So yesterday, what a mess. All I had for supper was gorp. Too cold and tired and wet to do anything else. There was apparently a big thunderstorm last night that I slept through, too.

There were no views, no nothin’ yesterday. Just rain, wind, fog.

Today started out the same. I thought there’d be sun because there seemed to be some coming in the windows, but by the time I got up it was fog and wind again. The gal of the pair (I think her name was Addy) said a thermometer outside read 48. It’s possible. But once I got down into the trees it wasn’t so bad. And the further down the mountain I got, the nicer the weather became. It was actually sunny at the bottom. It did cloud over the last couple hours and start to sprinkle right before getting to Taft. (oh, and the thermometer in the window says 58 degrees)

Maintainers passed me once and were working past Sterling Pond itself when I passed them. They got to the bottom of Sterling descent at Smuggler’s Notch right after me. It was neat that she called “Bye Concordia” out her window as they drove by me a few minutes later.

Today wasn’t too hard. Mostly down from the shelter, to the notch; mostly down the road through the notch; then mostly up from the road to here.

Nice Lodge. Big. Caulked logs. Nice windows, but some still open, making me chilled. Still have to plan tomorrow’s hike.

Journal Entry on Sunday, 7 July – Taylor Lodge, 7:00 pm 7 miles

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Woke up to another gray morning. No view. It was 7:45 when I got out of bed. Would have gotten up earlier if there weren’t so many people there in the lodge to wake up with my noises. Gradually, though everyone started to stir. About a dozen people there last night, including the caretaker. Nice guy. Gave me some cheese.

I left the lodge around 9:15 I guess. Maybe not till 9:30. Got to Taylor for the night at 5:00.

Mount Mansfield was in between. It wasn’t really so bad. I didn’t get to see anything in the way of a view as it was clouded in and windy virtually the whole time I was up there. At the “Forehead” two NoBo’s separately told me that there were some “gnarly” sections coming up. Then I saw two high school boys putting on their packs and I asked “Is this what I’ve been reading about?” They said “This dangerous part? This is really dangerous. Be careful.” I’d rather have gnarly than dangerous, but took it anyway. Unhitched my pack and actually there was just that one short section like that. Anyway, I did it. All by myself. Pretty neat.

The caretakers on the mountain mostly looked like tiny little high school kids. One was crouching down trying to avoid the wind. Maybe a lot of days it’s warmer with more visitors.

The rest of the day wasn’t that difficult at all.

Passed by Butler Lodge as it was only ca. 2:00. Didn’t even turn aside to see what it was like.

End to Ender’s Guide says I had a total elevation gain of 884 feet today and a loss of 2720 feet. That could explain some of it. Tomorrow to get to Puffer I have 1350 feet in gain and zero loss. All uphill? I guess so. And I want to go beyond there to Buchanan Lodge, another 4 ½ miles for a total of 8 on the day. That should even out the gain loss columns.

As I was in mid supper a couple with a baby showed up “just for a snack.” Don’t know quite where they came from, but they were nice. Talked some. Offered to take my trash and then she added “and messages, mail ….” So I asked if they had email, and if they’d send Ann a message for me. I wrote out where I’ve been staying and how I’ve been feeling. He’s an outdoor education professor at Johnson State (I think). They also gave me some food leftover from their snack.

While I was cooking, a chipmunk came onto the porch scavenging. And some kind of hummingbird buzzed by twice, too.

Journal Entry on Monday, 8 July – Taylor Lodge at 6 am

My first solo night last night. The pillow failed, too. Has a tiny leak in it somewhere. Might try to find it and duct tape it.

Had a lot of odd little dreams that ended when I tried to roll over. Remember two: one about the archives flooding and another about Emily’s wedding. Both sort of odd.

Looks like it’ll be sunny all day. Big hill (Bolton Mountain) to climb – though I’m already half way up it from the NoBo perspective. Getting on the Trail at ca. 7:45.

Journal Entry on Monday, 8 July – Buchanan Lodge, 7:26 pm 8 miles 11 hours

Well, it was a long day. Those totals for the day include a half hour lunch rest at Puffer Shelter. But still!!! I did go up and over Bolton Mountain, so there was a lot of climbing in the morning. Not looking forward to the long haul over Camel’s Hump. Without the Gorham Lodge it’s 13 miles betwixt Duck Brook and Montclair Glen. With the hold-up at Jonesville to re-provision and catch the shuttle. The latter gets me to the south side of the river ca. 10:15 or 10:30 I guess, and then it’s still 11.3 miles to Montclair Glen – from an elevation of 326 feet, up over Camel’s Hump’s hump summit at 4083 feet, and then down to the shelter 2 miles later at 2670 feet. And did I mention just having reprovisioned? This is on a full pack and 11 day old feet. Oy!

Today I spent a lot of time concerned about water. The Exstream filter was really sluggish this morning. Have to suck as well as squeeze. So I didn’t drink enough today, probably. And I’m thinking that if the Jonesville store doesn’t have iodine, I could get bleach and an eyedropper and put in 3-4 drops per quart and try that. Then about 3:00 I met two high school guys near Bolton’s peak and asked them if they thought the store stocked iodine. And THEN they offered me enough to do 6 quarts since they’re getting off soon. Amen!

I’m going to bed soon. Getting darkish at 7:40 under the trees. Looks like it’ll be another solo night.

Duck Brook is 6 miles away, apparently all downhill.

Just went to get my flashlight out and there’s already a mouse in my pack! And I hear thunder rolling. Going to hang the pack.

Journal Entry on Tuesday, 9 July – Buchanan Lodge at 7:30 am

. . . then the heavens opened up and my how it poured. For hours and hours. A little while after I’d gotten into bed and the rain had started to sprinkle, someone burst in onto the porch. I called a greeting and who else would it be but “Wide Load”? He hadn’t gone as far as Taylor the night before, but caught me finally at night. He motor-mouthed his way eventually to bed. Wants to stop at Duck Brook tonight. Thinks he might have to hitch a ride “into town” from Jonesville to get fuel, but I’m still going straight over the Hump. He says that what we’ve been through is as hard as anything he saw on the A.T. and that later on he thinks that “knocking off a whole section” of 19 miles in one day is feasible.

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard or seen it rain that hard that long. It must have been hours. In the midst of it my legs just couldn’t get comfortable and then it dawned on me: water. The muscles need water to repair; I still hadn’t drunk lots; so I sipped on my water bottle until it was nearly empty. And my legs did then feel better.

And another odd Emily dream, about riding the train on her birthday.

Well, it’s 7:47. Wide Load’s still asleep. Rain has stopped. Nope, he’s awake, I think. Mud and puddles will be full today.

Journal Entry on Tuesday, 9 July – Duck Brook Shelter, 5.9 miles

Dang if it isn’t still 1 mph, even when it’s muchly (though not all) downhill. Today’s Trail, overall, was much like the A.T. is in New York; nothing overwhelmingly rugged. Even the Guidebook’s “descends, then steeply” (which I have to translate into “ascends steeply, the ascends”) didn’t seem too on target. I mean I don’t remember ascending steeply. Ah, well. Looking forward to that store in Jonesville (just 2 miles or so down the hill), and hoping for fresh fruit.

Passed by this beaver pond this afternoon: [Click image to see full size]



So, anyway, I guess I’m kinda hiking with Wide Load for now. I left Buchanan at 10 (late start, knowing it would only be a 6 mile day). He left after me. Caught up with me at an overlook not too far from Duck Brook Shelter. But then I left to find this place(I was about to leave when he showed up) and then he fell asleep, he says, getting here about an hour after me.

He’s talking about the Trail we’ve been on as if it’s really tough. Maybe it is, but my comparison base is pretty small. He’s been on the A.T., I believe through hiking it last year or the year before. Talks a good story, so maybe it’s all true about this end being harder.

Doesn’t make tomorrow any easier, though. I’m thinking right now of leaving here at 6 am, probably taking 2 hours to get down the hill. Getting mail and checking the store for water purification and maybe some treat food. Re-packing the resupply box into my pack, hoping for a phone, catching the shuttle at 10. And then walking my pretty little legs off to get up and over Camel’s Hump.

Journal Entry on Thursday, 11 July – Birch Glen Camp

Pretty chilly right now. Don’t know how much I’ll write. It’s 7:38; I’m done eating; I’ve been here at Birch Glen about 1 ½ hours now.

YESterday, however! What a day! I did get up and leave at 6:00. But a little after dark someone had stumbled in and made noise getting to bed. Said he was just out for a couple days, a recently-moved-in local guy from Jonesville. And THEN late, after 10, three more folks rolled in with headlamps on. Sheesh! That really filled the place up. I had to take down the laundry I had hanging up drying after having rinsed it out in the gorge, so that they could get in and settled.

So then off we went and eventually got down to the post office. I got there a little before 7, so I hiked to the store and was the first customer in the door. Bought a quart of Gatorade and a small jug of bleach (which I’m trying out tonight, cross your fingers and say a prayer – two drops in about a quart of water). Then I called Ann from a phone out in front of the store. Walked back to the P.O. and was the first in there (Wide Load was sitting outside). Mailed off the book I’ve been carrying but haven’t opened; picked up my food box, a letter and box from Ann.

I carried it all back to the store. Repacking, I had to toss the Logan Bread which was growing some colorful mold, and two dinners – the dried veggies and garlic ones – for the same reason. Everything else came through well, it looks like.

Bought another Gatorade, tossed my trash in the dumpster, asked if there was a bathroom I could use (mirror and flush toilet!). And snacked outside at the picnic table waiting for the shuttle.

Shuttle ride took us around to the other side, and we got hiking on the Trail at 11:00. I got to Montclair Glen Shelter at 9:00 pm. An incredibly long day. Mostly up, too. Very windy at the top, but clear for a change. Had my picture taken with the sun on Lake Champlain in the background (there was a day hiker up there when I was there at 5:30 or 6:00).

When I got to the shelter I just rolled out my bag in the only empty spot and got in. No food. No nothing. Did eventually take off my socks. My feet were hurting and that seemed to help. Sleep is hard to come by when it’s so crowded, what with snoring and nylon rustling and so on.

Breakfast was hurried and cold.

Very chilly this morning. It said 50 degrees at the shelter thermometer. Seemed like a long hike, too. Burnt Mountain, bare rock tops, views of other hills and valleys.

Total mileage today 8.0, 8:30-6:00, 9 ½ hours, or slower than 1 mph.

Tomorrow there are shelters at 4.4, 6.3, and 13 miles away. Some serious climbing in and out of Appalachian Gap. The last one (at 13 miles) is Battell and just might be doable with an early start.

Met a guy today carrying a guitar!

Journal Entry on Friday, 12 July – Castlerock Chair Lift Warming Hut, 9.5 miles

Tried our darnedest to get to Battell Shelter today, but just couldn’t do it. Ended up here in this nice ski lift hut. Has carpeting, big windows, a new deck being built outside. All it lacks is a good water source (the possible one a little north seems lacking). It’s just 3 miles short of Battell.

Walked from 7:45 to about 6:00. Long day.

Trail wasn’t so bad. Maybe it’s getting easier already, after all. But I just couldn’t get up the speed. Saw a good number of peoples going the other way. And coming up out of Appalachian Gap, a number of day hikers, including one family with kids (who ended up swinging from the chair life chairs at the Stark’s Nest area).

Had the first of my Clorox water today at breakfast. Also in mid-day I drank 1 ½ liters directly from a spring. So I may get sick either way.

Last night Wide Load rolled in shortly before dark, having taken a nap along the way. Today he was in front some, and I was in front some. I rather prefer actually walking alone, but it’s okay to have someone to catch up to or talk with in the evening.

Falling behind on my shelter schedule, but while it’s been 14 days, there’s still lots of time left. Need to talk with Ann about either being late or getting picked up before the end of the Trail, maybe.

It’s 9:00. Getting too dark to write. Ought to get to sleep.

Journal Entry on Saturday, 13 July – Cooley Glen Shelter, 7:52 pm 9.5 miles

Woke up at 6 am; nice to be warm and inside for a change. I think I was walking by 7:30 until about 6 pm. There were breaks, particularly 3 miles into the day at Battell Shelter, and then at the road crossing in Lincoln Gap. And stopping to chat to lots of people coming up from the gap and heading for Mount Abraham, or down to the gap on the other side. Probably all of the latter coming from Sunset Ledge (or Rock).

Beyond the crowds the Trail on this side of the gap got a little sketchy, as we’re in “The Breadloaf Wilderness” where they don’t blaze much and don’t trim much.

All in all, though, this was an easier day than most have been. Good amount of level Trail, no real steep parts that I remember. Fairly good.

Thinking more about food, though. Not so much today about “The Seven Kinds of Vermont Mud,” or “Additions to Life’s Unanswerable Questions,” or “Life Instructions from the Long Trail.” A little, maybe, about giving an interview when it’s all done, and some about putting up a display in the library case [“and this is his stove … and these are his boots …”].

Got pretty warm in the middle of the day, but it’s cooling off now. Mosquitoes out and about as I write. Lotta people in tents at this location, but (for now) Wide Load and I are the only ones in the shelter. One couple chatted a long time at the shelter and cooked supper on one of those twig-burning stoves. It worked pretty well, smoky at first, got a good boil going. They said that last night their meal required 45 minutes of cooking which was no problem as they kept feeding in twigs.

I asked one of the tourists today to email Annie. We’re now almost 2 days behind my planned schedule. But making the hike. Tomorrow we pass the official halfway point! And we keep hearing that we’re going to get to the easier parts, especially south of Killington. Amen!

Journal Entry on Monday, 15 July – ski area just south of Route 125, 5:53 am

Yesterday I broke the first rule: Hike your own hike. My hike really ended at Boyce Shelter. Wide Load’s hike continued on to Lake Pleiad. I followed on past Boyce, and at 9:20 pm crossed Route 125, in the dark, broke out my flashlight, and started in on the last ½ mile or so to the lake. I turned around a little past the ski area because it dawned on me that setting up a tent in the dark would be harder than sleeping in/on ski lift structures. Their buildings here are locked (too near the road?) but this neat little shed is open-ended, tall enough to sit in, big enough for two to sleep in. I ended up having a fine night. Too late to make supper at 9:30 pm, so I went to bed without eating and am having “supper” for breakfast.

Sunday’s total, 12.8 miles

Good hiking for the most part. Kept hearing how Boyce’s water was a green, scummy puddle. They were right. But I drank 2 liters and refilled at Emily Proctor, then again at Skyline, and was okay about overnighting at Boyce. The hike from there like to killed me, though.

Today I’m aiming for ca. 10 miles, I think it is, to get to Sunrise Shelter and be only 1 day behind schedule. Tomorrow might have to be long . . . on my own accord . . . but then I’ll be on my schedule of about 9 mile days again.

It’s a little cloudy this morning, from the west. Probably about time for rain again, huh? We’ll see, of course.

Journal Entry on Monday, 15 July – Sunrise Shelter, 8:00 pm 10.8 miles

Good hiking today except for the 30-45 minute thunderstorm with hail, mind you. It was ca. 3:00 pm or so. I was going over Romance Mountain about that time, having romantic thoughts.

Unique experience of the day: getting passed by two southbounders! Two women, sisters in law, who seem really to be putting on the miles (although one took 5 days off for blisters). Their itinerary seems to skip every other shelter I stay in. One said they’ve been getting in at 9 pm or so every night. Today they got here to this shelter about 5:00 or 5:30. I pulled in close to 6:00. Nice people, but quicker than me. Some might be pack weight: they’re not carrying a tent and only have one stove and are sharing food.

The Trail was very brushy today, overgrown. People warned me about stinging nettles, but even though I was in shorts and short sleeves I didn’t get stung.

Then there were sections like the Mirkwood, dark and foreboding.

The Trail description for tomorrow doesn’t sound too bad. This 14 mile stretch just might work, especially if I get up and out soon enough.

Journal Entry on Wednesday, 17 July – Rolston Rest Shelter, 5:45 am

Phew! Yesterday was long and hard, but I made it. If the first few miles hadn’t been pretty flat and smooth, though, it might not have worked. On the Trail at 7:30 am to 8:15 pm. Total of 14.4 miles.

A little surprised to be alone at this shelter, too. Though on the other hand I only saw 4 NoBo’s all day, and the women and Wide Load were pretty intent on getting to Killington. The next shelter is another 3.6 from here and there’s no way I could have made it. My feet only have about 10 miles in them per day. Just real sore after that … and ached for probably a couple hours after going to bed.

But I should now have 5 days of less that 10/day, one of 12 ½ , 4 of 10 or less, one of 13, and then the final day of coming out of the woods. Not so bad. And pretty much of it (except for some this morning) on the “easy” part overlapping the A.T.

Yesterday morning one of the women – the friend who showed up after dark to surprise them! – identified the one bird I’ve been hearing all trip as a Winter Wren. It’s got a 10 second warbling song with a real pretty sound.

This woman, Phoebe, just popped in after we’d all gone to bed and Kristin & Carol got all excited. It was annoying for a while, but in the morning she had real orange juice and some bread she’d baked to share. I didn’t get any of the banana or yogurt she also brought for her friends. Then she was going to hike the mile back down to her truck, drive ahead someplace, and try to find then again. Maybe they’re all at the next shelter, or even in Killington.

My pack usually feels good on my back. Legs feel fine. It’s my feet that slow me down. Ah, well. Gives me reason to ‘stop and smell the roses.’

I plan on phone calls at the Inn at Long Trail this morning. I’m also dreaming of some sort of fresh fruit plate at their restaurant. I’m aiming for Pico Camp tonight, then over Mount Killington tomorrow.

Breakfast time!

Journal Entry on Wednesday, 17 July – Pico Camp, 4:38 pm

Wow, it feels like I’m getting away with something by being in shelter already. A trio of kids I saw earlier suggested I just go on to Cooper Lodge (another 3 miles) and I considered it, but why? I’m on track and feeling good. Why waste it?

Even though tomorrow takes me up and over Killington, it shouldn’t be a long day.

Today was fine. Woke up and wrote a bit. Made breakfast, off-loaded 2 suppers at the shelter in their register box (which some others had already started using as a hiker box). And got walking, I guess at 7:00. Had put moleskin on my big toes and the joint behind, and feet felt much better. Live and learn.

Walking wasn’t too bad either. As I neared the Tucker Johnson shelter, maybe ½ a mile away, I met a guy who said something like ‘hey, it’s too early in the morning to be huffing and puffing uphill.’ I told him I’d done a – for me – long day before: 14 miles. He said “Coming down from Maine, huh?” I told him, no, Canada. That confused him for a second, and then irritated him. He’d missed the Maine Junction. Whipped out my guidebook and told him it ought to be .4 miles the other side of the shelter. He remembered the shelter (“it was in my data book”) and wondered why there hadn’t been a sign at the junction and kept saying “but this is blazed white” (to which I kept saying “all the way to Canada”). Well, he turned around and zoomed away. And when I got to Maine Junction I saw the numerous large signs this guy had missed.

I took a 2 hour layover at “Inn at Long Trail.” And as I’m taking off my pack outside their door, guess who calls my name? Wide Load. He’d made it there the night before and was on his way to catch a bus “into town” (Rutland, I think). I told him I’d probably be there till 3:00, though it turned out I was ready to go at 2:00. I think he’s there a second night. He showed me around a little and I made my phone calls to home and to Ann.

I left a message at home on the machine. And talking to Ann was a delight. She’d gotten the idea I was 4-5 days behind schedule and was happy to hear I’m not (and that I’ll catch it up later on). She relayed a preaching request from Kevin, but I can’t even think of that now. She’d told him I might consider it if he could get a few extra days vacation to go visit my parents. He emailed her back that it was okay (did he actually check?).

After talking with Ann, I walked over to the pub section and ordered their fresh fruit salad (YES!). It tasted excellent. Had also a combination Long Trail Ale and Guinness (latter on the top), then a Guinness, than a plain Long Trail Ale. In between the last two I also had an apple crisp a la mode. All in all, an excellent way to spend two hours and $26.00. Plus, I made it up here to the shelter before 4:30.

There’s a young guy outside eating. I wonder if he thinks I’m the caretaker.

Quarter past five. I’m making an early supper and then going to read/rest/write till dark.

Journal Entry on Friday, 19 July – sitting down to breakfast at the Whistlestop Restaurant, East Clarendon, VT, 10:40 am

I rested at Pico and eventually 6 other people were there. Must have thought me unsociable as I just stayed in bed. One couple from PA, she teaches Spanish at a Mennonite high school sorta near Philadelphia. Others were guys, about 23-24 years old.

The hike was pretty easy except for the hour’s rain around noon. Got to Governor Clement shelter at 2:30, so I was making good time. Seriously considered staying there, but as I cleaned up the beer cans and put them in the fire circle I also found a .22 shell casing. Decided to move on. Before that I’d made a hot lunch and dried off a little. There was a young guy there who had napped through some of the rain, section hiking the LT north. We talked some. And an older guy showed up, also NoBo on the LT. They left before I did. I finally packed up and left at 4:00, bound for Clarendon Shelter.

But I didn’t make it. I got as far as the “Hiking Gnome” and decided to tent there since it was 6:30. The Gnome leaves soda cans in a creek for hikers. Trail magic. The little booklet he/she left there says that 1,388 sodas were given out last year! Wow! What a treat.

So I tented in a field behind there. The inside of the fly was wet in the morning, but I had wondered if it would rain some more (it didn’t). Had a rest 7:00-8:00, then made a supper. Hard to finish due, I guess, to the big “lunch” at 3:00. Went right to bed after that, but didn’t get to sleep for a long time due to the feet and calves. They’re sore, or trying to keep moving, or need electrolytes, or something.

Got up, waking first around 5:30, at 6:30. Left a little after 7, maybe even 7:45. Wanted to eat breakfast at the Whistlestop. And here I am.

Clarendon Shelter would have been nice, but I just couldn’t get there last night.

Trail this morning was not so bad at all. The drop into the valley for the road crossing was a longish rocky scramble. The two guys at the Gov. Clement shelter both warned me about “the long rock stairs” I’d have to go down. Sorry, but it wasn’t that bad.

Walking another ½ mile to the store with my resupply box. Getting (I hope!) iodine at the camping store next door to it. Then it should be less that 3 Trail miles to Minerva Hinchey Shelter. Good deal.

There were three NoBo A.T. hikers eating here when I arrived. Older women with southern accents. Two other hikers just arrived.

Journal Entry on Friday, 19 July – Minerva Hinchey Shelter, 6:48 pm 6.4 Trail miles, plus 2 road miles

Good day all around. After the Whistlestop, I went on down to the General Store, bought a Gatorade and 2 Snickers bars, and picked up my box and a letter from Ann. Then went to the camping store next door and bought iodine. Yay! Repacked the food and left the Clorox on their deck. Went back in and bought some moleskin and used their bathroom. Then went down to the phone to call Annie. Very nice. We settled on meeting in Massachusetts at the end of the Trail. Ran my phone card down to zero minutes, but I couldn’t add more the first time I tried, so I gave up even though I was thinking of calling mother and dad. Walked back up the road. Bought a big ice cream cone at the Whistlestop and headed for the Trail. Hot and humid.

Trail was relatively easy, just up and up and up with a full pack. Hard for that reason.

And then, icing on the cake of the day, I got here to Minerva Hinchey just minutes before it started to rain. It’s so nice to be dry and inside listening to it, rather than out walking in it. The walk up from the trailhead took 3 hours, 1:30-4:30.

Oh, and Wide Load pulls in about two minutes after the rain began. Good to see him again and catch up. He’s intending on finishing in about 5-6 days, though, so this could be the last time I see him.

Well, so, 21 years in the office of the holy ministry. And here I am. That verse from I Thessalonians is calling to me again: aspire to live quietly, work with your hands ….

Right now it’s time to sit/lay quietly and read a bit. Plan for tomorrow. Should be a 9.9 day to Lula Tye Shelter (camping for a fee). Longish day, but again even with a full pack, well within my range.

Journal Entry on Saturday, 20 July – Lula Tye Shelter, 6:00 10.6 miles

Waiting for supper to finish “cooking.”

So anyway, last night after it rained a bit, two girls pulled in. One sat on the ledge of the shelter with her pack on, while the other stood outside (pack on), and they talked with us. Were they checking us out to see if we were muggers? I haven’t seen any behavior like that before on the Trail. Take your pack off, at least!

The first one was an MIT graduate going to Berkeley in a couple weeks to start a grad program in molecular biology. The other was a less talkative gal from Alberta who had looked around for a trail of about a month’s length and somehow settled on the LT. Some pair.

I had lots of trouble getting to sleep last night. And it wasn’t all that the girls didn’t get around to cooking supper until it was dark. (…if you’d taken your packs off and settled in….) My feet and legs didn’t hurt much. Lots of mosquitoes. But just before midnight I decided it was that I really hadn’t focused any prayers during the day on the anniversary. So I spent a few minutes thanking God for letting me be his servant these 21 years, carrying his Word and Sacraments to people in all the places I have.

Today’s hike ran from 7 am to 4:30 pm. The last bit, around this pond, was rocky and made for some sore feet. Earlier on was easier, made good time to the way points listed in the Guidebook, for the most part. Pack is still too heavy from the re-supply. Have to stop every ½ hour for a sit, to get the weight off my shoulders.

This shelter’s ok except that water is down in the pond and it took me 15 minutes to get here from there. Going to try to head on with what I have in the am, rather than filling up before I set out. Seems easier than backtracking to the pond.

7:04 and the sun sets behind a peak directly in front of the shelter. Read a little now and sleep. Could be on my own tonight.

7:45 and the caretaker stopped by for the “rent.” When he saw that I marked that I’m a GMC member, he asked if I’d gotten my one free night. He wrote something on the back of my membership card and gave me my money back. That’ll probably end up a better deal than the old $1 off per night, because I’m not staying in that many fee shelters.

Journal Entry on Sunday, 21 July – Peru Peak Shelter in the evening 9.4 miles

Today was not bad, not bad at all. Pretty good, actually. Easy trail for the most part. Wonderful weather.

I met some folks on one peak I traversed (Baker, it was) and asked he knew any tenting areas beyond there. All he came up with is Bromley Tenting Area. To far to make today. But then I had a brain flash: instead of lengthening today, why not shorten tomorrow? I think it’ll work out well. So the day after tomorrow is a little longer, at least tomorrow’s not 13+ miles any more. Good deal.

It was sad to stop in at the lost Lost Pond Shelter and contemplate the ashes. Burned down in November 2001 according to the book. Wonder why. Stove gone wild? Candles? Foolishness or maliciousness? And what did the people there think or do?

I repacked the pack this morning with the heavy food bag lower down, at the bottom of the top compartment, and my clothes above. It made lunch a big Unpacking effort, but I think it rode easier on my back.

This shelter’s really nice. Just re-built a couple years ago. And maybe 30 feet from a waterfall on a stream that the Trail passed over. Pleasant sounds.

Hey, I passed the 200 mile mark today! There ought to be a sign on the Trail.

Journal Entry on Monday, 22 July – Spruce Peak Shelter in the evening 12.7 miles

Phew! Those last 2-3 miles are always the worst. I did stop at the Bromley Tenting area for a snack/lunch break, but it was too early to stop for the night. Besides, it seemed a little buggy near the stream. Some trail magic there, though: a big Zip-loc bag of various snacks and so on. I picked out an envelope of Pop Tarts, and some kind of power bar. Met some nice kids from Quebec who live right on Memphremagog and were hiking north to home with their parents (who were lagging behind). They stopped at the tenting area (I think for the night) and I met their parents about 45 minutes later at the road crossing.

It was only 3.5 miles past there to this shelter, so I figured, what the heck! And it’s crowded with some kid group. Oh, well. Some nice AT thru hikers here, too; older guys.

Journal Entry on Tuesday, 23 July – Stratton Pond Shelter 2:49 pm 9 miles.

In early for the night (and I’ve been here a while already) but this was as far as I was planning on getting today. And this place is a palace!

[Click image to see full size]



The shelter is huge. It’s new. Has a big porch with a picnic table in the middle and built in benches on the sides of the porch besides. There are 8 other people here right now and I don’t feel crowded in the least.

I got to Stratton Pond after it had started sprinkling this afternoon, and I asked a guy who was passing from behind if there was water at the shelter (all he had with him were a couple water bottles). He confirmed what someone had said last night: none at shelter, get it by the pond. And he told me it’s .4 or .5 miles to the shelter (which it isn’t). So I turned back to fill up and just then it started to pour. I parked it on the caretaker’s ‘front porch’ (the space between the tent and the edge of his/her platform … but still under the tarp!) for about 40 minutes until the heaviest rain passed. Then I got out my rain jacket, hefted the pack, and walked up here to the shelter.

And here I found a dozen young kids from some kind of summer program. They talked to their leaders about having left things in their tents, so I knew they wouldn’t be staying. Still, it crowded things a long time. Because there were other hikers already parked for the night. The kids, their leaders, and two other hikers left when the rain just about stopped.

But that was all minor excitement for me today. I left the last shelter at about 7:30 this morning. At about 9:00 I was 20 feet or so from the start of a 1 mile road walk. Crunch, crunch. Pause. Crunch, crunch, crunch. I stopped and looked toward the noise. And saw what I thought was a dog. Then it stood up. “Hi, bear,” I said. It got down and ran off in the direction it had come from. (Do I smell that bad?) That made me smile for an hour or more. No moose yet. But a bear is pretty neat. Especially up here where they’re “shy.”

So last night: a number of NoBo AT thru hikers were there, “Cowboy,” “Lone Ranger,” and “Windbreaker.” That last one was a real talker. Too much for me, actually. One of those people who seems to fill the quiet spaces with words. But it was a little fun for me to hear them trade stories abut people and places to the south. Once again, though, I noticed not one reference to “that majestic view from the top of Mount X,” or “all those wildflowers covering Y,” or “the butterflies we saw at Z.” All their stories were about town stops, hostels, or other oddball characters they’re hiking with. Interesting again.

The kids’ camp group there did stay up late, but the hikers were out with them for a while into the dark (I was up in bed trying to read a little, though it’s typically dark in that shelter). Then the hikers came in (Windbreaker decided to tent, thank goodness, which left me the whole bunk/loft for myself), and it sounded like the kids were having a quiet sharing time around the dieing campfire. Then they came in without too much fuss and went to bed, taking up an entire half of the shelter space. And still I was awake. I don’t know. Something’s keeping me up.

Today was pretty much a breeze. Kind of nice. Very nice, actually. Not very long. The bear. Done early. Nice thinking time (about the life lessons book, mostly). Tomorrow’s getting over Mount Stratton and beyond, about 10.5 miles.

Journal Entry on Wednesday, 24 July – Story Spring Shelter, 10.6 miles

Another pretty easy day on the Trail. Stratton Mountain wasn’t that much of a climb. But I went up the historic fire tower at the top. Nice views all around. Took a couple pictures through the glass windows at the top.

Saw my first people of the day on the way down the south side. Late in the day I talked with a SoBo AT hiker who I talked with a bit here at the shelter before he set off again. He’s a librarian at City College in NYC. And he’d met the girl still at Stratton Pond Shelter (at 10:00!) whom I’d talked with briefly. She’s in library school, wants to get a history masters and work in a historical society or something. Her dad’s the head librarian at Holy Cross.

Since I’ve been here at least 3 people have headed out to other shelters. Me? I’m happy I’m done for the day.

Last night’s sleep was seriously unsettled by a snorer. Wouldn’t you think you’d do something about that before intentionally sleeping in enclosed spaces with strangers?

The register here has Wide Load’s entry on 7/23 “In last night.”

Journal Entry on Thursday, 25 July – Goddard Shelter, 8.9 miles
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Nice folks last night. One family in particular was real interesting. The mom and dad maybe my age with daughter and daughter’s friend. From “near Philadelphia.” They all hiked separately pretty much, but get together at the same campsite every night. They sort of cooked together, but it also seemed like they keep their own food. Had a dog with them. The girl’s name is “Gear Girl” and one other hiker was trying to stump her with his stuff (“Bet you can’t tell what kind of tent this is….”)

Today’s hike, being short again, was pretty nice. The Kid Gore Shelter was right in the middle. So I ate “lunch” at 10:30 or so. Left there at 11 and got here a little after 2:00 or 2:30. There’s a nice view out the front of this shelter, and it’s being cool already, pretty cloudy, too. There’s a bold chipmunk here who comes right up onto the porch and a reddish mouse. I suppose that means they’ll be in and out tonight.

Journal Entry on Friday, 26 July – Congdon Shelter, 14.4 miles

I decided to make today my long day instead of tomorrow when I got to Melville Nauheim Shelter and it was only 12:45 or so. It was too early to stop (sound like a thru hiker?). And it was “only” another 5.9 to here. Even at 1 mph I’d make it before dark. Well, I did. And wasn’t that slow. But the last few miles were hard, as usual. I think I could do a 3 mile day and still complain about the last 2 miles.

One of the people her is “Play Doh,” the gear show-off from Story Spring. He’d been in town a bit and couldn’t find cheap lodgings so he got back on the Trail. Gave me a tiny taste of what it’s like for AT hikers running into people they met earlier. Especially later on as two young college guys just starting the LT were getting their supper ready. Play Doh noticed that they turned the stove on first, before they had everything else ready. He thinks they’re going to run out of fuel before anything else. Said as much quietly to me as we watched them from the shelter.

There was some puncheon walking this morning: [Click image to see full size]



I ate a handful of red raspberries on top of Harmon Hill. Didn’t really take notice of Bennington from the top.

There wasn’t any view from Goddard, by the way. Not in the morning. Should have taken my picture of the view when I got there because everything was fogged in this morning. Grey and cool all day.

Journal Entry on Saturday, 27 July – Seth Warner Shelter, 2:13 pm 7.3 miles

Been here about an hour already, so it took about 6 hours. Maybe I’ll never be a speed hiker.

Last night got more interesting. After I got into the bag a guy showed up at the shelter. The other three were tenting, so I was the only one there and told the guy right away that I was only in bed because it was too dark to read and that he shouldn’t bother about making noise because I wasn’t trying to sleep yet. We talked a tad and then he set about making supper. Fiddled with his stove out at the picnic table for a bit. Back and forth to the shelter a couple times. Then he came in and asked me if I thought I “could open this.” “What is it?” I asked, sitting up and putting on my glasses. “Can of white gas.” Had one of those push down while you turn tops on it. I got it in a couple tries and off her went to the picnic table again. Back in a couple minutes and it seemed he’d given up on cooking. He did tell me he’d decided on a cold supper, and said something about his stove. I figured he just thought it was too dark by then.

In the morning it was almost the same routine. He got the gas can open on his own, but it had a metal seal on it that he couldn’t open. He showed it to me for my opinion, and I said it looked like it was meant to be punctured. He took it out to the table (thank you!) and ended up jabbing into it with the tip of his trekking pole. More fiddling ensued. Ended up not cooking breakfast as he couldn’t see how to get the gas into the stove without pouring it all over his sleeve.

Somewhere along the line (I think at night) I asked him “You did try this out at home, didn’t you?” and I don’t recall a clear answer. I asked this morning what kind of stove it is and he said “I don’t know. Some kind of Swedish brand. Got it from my dad. He called it ‘old reliable.’” I really think he hadn’t fired it up at home on his own. Dad probably showed him quickly – maybe without even using any fuel – and he was either too embarrassed or afraid to admit he didn’t get it all or to try it himself. I did suggest he ask around at camp in the evening because there are often gear heads who know about all kinds of different gear, maybe one could help him.

He’s one guy I can see not making it to the end of the LT. He met the other two guys this morning and didn’t seem to have a clear idea of how far he was aiming tonight.

Oh, and it rained pretty hard last night for at least a couple hours. Very good to be inside.

Neither that young guy nor a guy the night before knew what the mouse baffle hangers were for. Last night he asked “What are these? Sleeping bags?” and then he hung his food but left his trash on the floor with his pack. So we had a crunchy mouse going through plastic wrap in the middle of the night.

Most interesting sight yesterday: 3 grown men (my age) with fully loaded mountain bikes about 30 feet north of the huge split rock north of Route 9. How they got that far I’ll never know. I did point out to them that the Trail isn’t really designed for mountain bikes and one of them said “we were starting to see that.” Then I added that as a matter of fact it’s restricted to foot travel. One guy wanted to know if the Trail crossed any bikable roads and I made the (probable) mistake of saying “up there somewhere,” trying to make it sound pretty far. What I didn’t say was that their best bet was to walk the bikes back down the hill and look for another trail someplace else.

Journal Entry on Sunday, 28 July – Seth Warner Shelter 7:20 am

I’m up, had breakfast and I’m pretty much ready to go. Food is gone except for a little gorp and one dinner. I’m waiting until 8:00 to leave so as to give Ann more time to get up the Pine Cobble Trail. A number of people have said it’s pretty rocky and rugged (of course one of them was the kid who couldn’t light his stove). Plus, the 6 others in the shelter last night – all NoBo LT hikers on their first night out – are still getting ready to go, making breakfast, and so on. Seems to me they’ll learn to get up and go sooner in a few days.

Special thoughts this morning? Not particularly.