Days 123-133

Hiking southbound through Vermont

Day 123

The stay at Kevin and Lisa's was very refreshing, we got some good quality rest in the most comfortable bed we've had on the trail. We were up and ready to make it back to Hanover by 10AM, Kevin was nice enough to drive us all the way back. Back on the trail by 11.

14.7 miles to Thistle Hill Shelter, awesome weather, it feels more like September. We had alot of road walking today, along with the fields and different types of forests, it was a good mix and alot to look at. Tons of cool, random stone walls.

Day 124

Beautiful weather today, we hiker 11.6 miles. More road crossings and pretty fields. Alot of the leaves changed drastically overnight. We stopped at a blackberry patch in the late morning for 20 minutes or so and grubbed out. Probably the best and most plentiful blackberries we've seen on the trail.

Tenting by Winturri Shelter tonight debated going on to do another 3 miles, but we're so tired. Off to bed early. Today marks 4 months on the trail.

Day 125

We hit our 1300 miles mark today! It was a great day, 16 miles to Killington, VT.

We're tenting at Mountains Meadow Lodge. At first they said we couldnt stay because of a family reunion going on here, but changed their minds and told us we could stay if we hid our tents from sight of the guests. So we set up in the woods behind a big rock. We're here with Landfill and Father Goose, 2 other hikers heading south. 

We ordered 2 large pizzas and a 2 liter of rootbeer, this is how we'll spend our friday night.

It's supposed to be chilly again tonight. 

Day 126

We hung around the Mountains Meadow Lodge a bit this morning, we wanted to take advantage of the breakfast they were serving up. When I got out of the tent, I saw that Father Goose had left us a spaghetti Mountain House dinner because said he was getting a resupply later in he afternoon. This came at a perfect time because while laying in the tent this morning, Cathrine and I were thinking about how we could stretch our food out to last another day so we wouldnt have to go into town today and resupply. Now we wouldnt have to. It was greatly appreciated  and he also gave us a Mountain House corn side after breakfast. These things arent cheap and are always a rare and delicious treat.

We had a great breakfast, Cathrine claims it was the best one she's had on the trail yet. After we ate, we admired the pet pig, Atalas, that roams around the grounds. We were hiking by 10:30.

We took on Mt Killington today, one of our last big ones of the north. We were rolling from the big breakfast and decided we would hike for a while before stopping for lunch. Somehow we had gone further than we thought, hiked past the shelter we had planned on for lunch, and when we got to a sign that said we were 4 miles past this shelter, we realized we were already .3 from the top of the mountain. We had climbed one of our last climbs without even knowing it! We were blown and laughed histerically. It goes to show how much of all this is mental, if we knew we were making our climb it would have probably been much more difficult.

A good day, 14.5 miles, cold and foggy on the mountain, warm and muggy in the valley. Done by 6pm to grub down on the last of our food. Into Rutland, VT real quick tomorrow for a resupply.

Day 127

9.5 miles of more smooth sailing through Vermont and it was hot! In the high 70s, we havent had a day this warm in forever. We're happy to see that winter  hasnt set in quite yet.

We got to VT103 around noon, where we called a trail angel whos number someone had given me. The guys name is Plans Too Much and was happy to give us a ride into/out of town, just as long as he didnt miss the Giants play. 

He dropped us off at Wendy's and told us to call him round 4, when the game would be over. We ate our burgers, then went across the street to the grocery store to get 3 days of food to get us over to Manchester Center, VT. Ive been trying to eat more to put some weight back on, or to just keep the little bit I have left, so the weight of 3 days of food in my pack feels similar to what I used to carry for 6 or 7 days. Plus, for the past few weeks Ive been getting higher quality food, ditching the spam and tuna packets for sub rolls, deli meats, cabot cheese, and gourmaise for lunch. I'm trying out ravioli for dinner for the next few days.

After resuppyling, we hung out in front of Walgreens for an hour or so to charge our phones and wait on Plans Too Much. We wernt sure if he was coming back because when I called him to tell him we were ready, he just said "7 minutes in the 3rd quarter", and hung up. But he came and had us on the trail by 4pm. He is pretty funny guy, he wanted me to drive his wifes car to the tire shop but couldnt get the hunk of metal sticking out of her tire out, so he said forget it.

We went 3 miles in to the Minerva Hinchey shelter where we are staying tonight. Their calling for rain early  tomorrow, hopefully it comes tonight, the rest of the week is supposed to be really nice and I feel like we are on a roll getting miles knocked out. Hard to believe Massachusetts is already on our radar.

Day 129 

Ended up raining around midnight very heavily, lasted for a few hours, clear skys this morning and all day. We both didnt sleep very well, dont know why, maybe I'll get my sleeping pad sent back out, the one ive been using feels like a piece of cardboard.

14.9 miles today, we've been keeping our mileage in the 14-16 range so we dont lose our heads. It sucks to do low mileage and it sucks to do high mileage, 14-16 is just right for us and we're making great progress.

We met a girl today who finished the AT just a few days ago, but came back down to Vermont so she could thru hike the Long Trail. I have a feeling she just doesnt want to go home. The Long Trail is a stretch straight up through Vermont, I dont know how many miles it is, but it's long. The southern half of the LT and the AT are the same trail. So we've been on the AT/LT for the past few days, until we get to Massachusetts. I didnt realize how popular of a trail it is.

We're headed into Manchester Center tomorrow to resupply and get a hotel room.

Day 129

14.8 miles to Manchester Center, VT for a resupply. Got to the road at 3pm and hitched a ride with the 3rd car driving by. After the first 2 cars didnt stop for us, I told Cathrine to take off her silly looking toboggan and show the motorists her beautiful hair. Immediately an older gentleman, "Movin' On", who thru hiked in '93 stopped and drove us the 5 miles into town.

He dropped us off at the Price Chopper where we got enough food to get us to Williamstown, MA. From there we walked through town to "Sutton's Place", a relatively affordable place in town. The price is decent considering we walked by an Armani and a Polo store to get here. 

The owner wasnt here when we arrived and left a note for us to let ourselves in and find our room. So we did and made ourselves at home, brining our packs up and emptying out and going through all our crap as we usually do. Later on when the owner, Frank, arrived we discovered he is a little OCD and was annoyed we brought all our stuff in. Frank throwing me a sheet to put our packs and things on wasnt the best way to meet. 

I ordered a new pair of boots from Keen's website. Keen gave me $135 to spend on some new shoes because my other ones were falling to pieces. I'm surprised at how long they lasted me considering how many miles (Almost 1400) we've done over some pretty rough terrain (Namely Pennsylvania, Maine, and New Hampshire). I could wear them out longer but the support is giving out and my feet, ankles, and knees are beginning to feel the wear. Got 2 day shipping with some of the money I saved and will pick them up at the Howard Johnson in Williamstown. 

We got Mexican for dinner. Back on the trail tomorrow.

Day 130

We got a hitch pretty quickly out of town after having breakfast at Mrs. Murphy's Doughnut Shop. Here we talked with a section hiker who is out from Fairbanks Alaska t hike from New York to Mt. Washington. We had an interesting conversation and he told us all about the dog sled races up in Alaska. On his trip to New York, he brought along with him 2 sled dogs that are going into "retirement" and will run some smaller races in New England until ultimately being adopted into good homes. All this talk of sled dogs intrigued Cathrine and I because over the past few weeks we've listened to Call of the Wild and are now a little ways into Whitefang, it was cool to talk to someone who has experience with the real thing.

We were hiking by 11am. We knocked out 10.7 miles and ended up at Stratton Pond Shelter at 3:30ish.

Tomorrow we take on Stratton Mountain, one of the last 2 bigger mountains we have left to do here in the north.

Day 131

Last night a chipmunk, or mouse, or some kind of rodent climbed down my bear bag rope and chewed 4 good holes in Cathrine's food bag. It (or they?) got into her cherished cookies also her nuts and gatorade powder were nibbled on. The food was hung high , its a wonder how there creatures keep hunting down our food bags and getting their little claws on our grub. 

We hiked 15 miles to the Kid Gore Shelter. Very rocky and rooty terrain, felt like Maine a bit. A weird day, we only had seen 2 people until 3 pm when we passed 3 more. 

The leaf change is awesome. 

We are camping at Kid Gore , only ones here, we have a great view of the mountains. I finally sewed a hole thats been growing in my pack for a while, hopefully it holds up for a few more weeks.

Day 132

Today was a great day with awesome weather. It feels like summer!

We hiked 18.7 miles and finished for the day at Congdon Shelter at 4:30. It feels good to do so many miles and be done so early. We're feeling good.

We also hit our 1400 mile mark today and climbed a huge hill with one of the best stone stair cases we've seen on the trail so far, coming up from VT9, which was our 1400 mark.

Tomorrow we make our way into Massachusetts.

Day 133

We tented across the creek from Congdon Shelter. We had heard over the past few days about the mouse infestation happening at the shelter, last night we witnessed it first-hand. There were probably 20 mice scurring around and all over our tent through the night. Even though I had hung the food, Cathrine feared that they were digging into the last of our reserves. It was around 1am and I got up to check, and sure enough, there was a mouse chillin on the branch that our food hung from, getting ready to climb down and dig in. I took our food down and strung a peanut butter jar lid onto the rope to try and mouse proof it. I also stuffed Cathrine's food bags into mine to further prevent and stolen food. All of this was for nothing. Turns out in the morning I discovered a big hole chewed through my bag, but none of my food was touched. They chewed through my bag, and Cathrine's and ate what little snack food she had left. They have a hate-hate relationship.

We hiked 14.1 miles to Williamstown with a 2.5 mile hike to the hotel. I was HOT again today, getting over 80.

When we got to the Howard Johnson, around 3, they said it would be $189 a night, $120 more than they normally charge. I haggled with the owner a bit to see if we could get it any cheaper and he said he couldnt help us. He did have my new boots that I had sent there and he sent us on our way.

We hung out out front while I tried my new boots on and we figured out a new plan. After a few minutes, the owner had me come back in and offered me "The Red Room" for much cheaper. The Red Room is basically a room attached to the office only separated by thin cabinet door with no lock. The room has 2 queen beds, no money has been put into it, and it's where they keep the deep freezer where they store the contenintal breakfast supplies. This sounded much better than resupplying, hiking 3 miles back to the trail, and 3 more to the first shelter. Cathrine said she would have paid the $189 before doing that.

We got Mexican food, it was awesome. Best tacos I've ever had.