Well The Long trail is behind us now , at least for the time being. I do hope to complete it this year 2020 but life has a funny way of changing plans. I will post some of our travels and interests as we go along in life.
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Separate Ways
This morning we went our separate ways, the team split up. We drove from Vermont to Bangor with a quick side stop in North Conway. In Bangor we pick up a hotel room at our regular spot. Tonight we would sleep in a bed. As we are still on hikers time so bedtime came early. The air conditioning was but on low and we tucked in. Tonight we had the Fred and Wilma flintstone beds, if you remember them you will remember they had separate beds to sleep in . Fred could snore all night and Wilma couldn’t hit him! I think they were onto something. Anyway in our separate pillow top mattresses our weary bones settled in for the night. The bed hugged our bodies as the fluffy pillows comforted our sleepy heads. It is going to be hard to leave this in the morning. As we rest in our separate pieces of heaven Anita and I are having a light but witty conversation, in which I ask her how the dog is. She replies, good although he had a few accidents in the house! Nice I said! We have spent the last three weeks pooping in the woods and our dog has been pooping in the house. For Christ sakes what’s wrong with this picture! Home tomorrow so all will be good
Camels Hump
Camels hump
Today would be the day we set our sights on camels hump, this is one of the largest peaks in the green mountain range. Being a little excited I woke around 6:00am of course we were assisted by the 5:00 am owl who who made sure we were awake. Fueled by coffee and oatmeal we drove the hour to the camels hump trail head. The full compliment of hikers joined in on this one myself,Anita , Tom Pauline and Bernard. Looking up from the parking area the weather didn’t look so good at the top at least from what we could see, it appeared to be quite foggy . undeterred we set off , our feet had passed some of this ground before and the familiar space was nice. We stopped by here early in the year to check things out. 3/4 of the way up was a strenuous but manageable hike from that point things got steep and rocky. Tom Pauline and Anita stopped at this point and made their way back to the lot. It was still a very good hike for them to make it to this point and all should be commended for this achievement! Bernard and I moved onward and upward the steep rocky path would not slow us down, today we had only a light pack with the essentials. This section caused our bodies to heat once again and produce sweat. We crested the final section before the assent to the rocky outcrop known as camels hump. There was a lot of mist and fog at this point which saddened us but didn’t dampen our spirits.moved up! The next section had us scrambling the wet rocks making our way to the summit. Just as we made it a friendly voice yells out”light days is that you?” This voice belongs to Sunny a young lady who we had met earlier in our travels. Bernard and I had been her trail angel at one point giving her water that she needed for her next section. We were surprised as she was! Standing on the summit with the cool wet wind chilling our skin the clouds began to clear and most magnificent mountain views were given to us like a present. Our eyes feasted on a 360 degree view of the sprawling green mountains. The photos do not do it justice, sad for that. 20 minutes of enjoyment, talking , laughing and finally leaving. Bernard and I hit the trail hard , we were fast and fluid like a rushing river as our trail legs carried us down the slopes. Each step hit with precision and determination, no miss steps as we poured through the terrain to the parking lot. It was funny as we hardly sweat in this section . The camels hump was the icing on the cake ,
Enjoy the photos
The Blackstone Traveler and companions!
Today would be the day we set our sights on camels hump, this is one of the largest peaks in the green mountain range. Being a little excited I woke around 6:00am of course we were assisted by the 5:00 am owl who who made sure we were awake. Fueled by coffee and oatmeal we drove the hour to the camels hump trail head. The full compliment of hikers joined in on this one myself,Anita , Tom Pauline and Bernard. Looking up from the parking area the weather didn’t look so good at the top at least from what we could see, it appeared to be quite foggy . undeterred we set off , our feet had passed some of this ground before and the familiar space was nice. We stopped by here early in the year to check things out. 3/4 of the way up was a strenuous but manageable hike from that point things got steep and rocky. Tom Pauline and Anita stopped at this point and made their way back to the lot. It was still a very good hike for them to make it to this point and all should be commended for this achievement! Bernard and I moved onward and upward the steep rocky path would not slow us down, today we had only a light pack with the essentials. This section caused our bodies to heat once again and produce sweat. We crested the final section before the assent to the rocky outcrop known as camels hump. There was a lot of mist and fog at this point which saddened us but didn’t dampen our spirits.moved up! The next section had us scrambling the wet rocks making our way to the summit. Just as we made it a friendly voice yells out”light days is that you?” This voice belongs to Sunny a young lady who we had met earlier in our travels. Bernard and I had been her trail angel at one point giving her water that she needed for her next section. We were surprised as she was! Standing on the summit with the cool wet wind chilling our skin the clouds began to clear and most magnificent mountain views were given to us like a present. Our eyes feasted on a 360 degree view of the sprawling green mountains. The photos do not do it justice, sad for that. 20 minutes of enjoyment, talking , laughing and finally leaving. Bernard and I hit the trail hard , we were fast and fluid like a rushing river as our trail legs carried us down the slopes. Each step hit with precision and determination, no miss steps as we poured through the terrain to the parking lot. It was funny as we hardly sweat in this section . The camels hump was the icing on the cake ,
Enjoy the photos
The Blackstone Traveler and companions!
Hard Day Yesterday
How would today’s terrain be was the question on everyone’s mind. All the hikers felt the same as we did from the trail to the shelter so this was the topic of conversation. Two ladies that we met at lunch didn’t get in until 10:30 pm last night. A hard day for them!
The assent from the cabin to the crest of the mountain was another draining hike. My eyeballs were sweating on this section as well as an assortment of other parts that I shouldn’t mention. Bernard was also sweating out of every pour. After about 2 hours of this the trail became more manageable and miles were chewed up and spit out, it felt good to be on the move once again. Many types of terrain had been covered during the past two days, one section had a bed of bright green ferns that seemed to be energized from the sun, in the spots between the leafy greens there was many light yellow butterflies that seemed to have hatched just as we arrived, these are one of the moments I will try to remember. Bernard lead the the trail the whole trip I am not sure if he likes being in front or just likes to clean the webs for me! I hope it is the web cleaning he likes. At one point he had so many webs and green caterpillars hanging off of his glasses they looked like the hanging balls around the windows of a Mexican car.
Stopped for lunch at a shelter again and took our time to sit and enjoy the sun and location. While sitting and thinking I realized that Bernard and I hardly spoke while hiking , we just poked along in the rhythm of the trail. Watching our every step bouncing along to the sound of my spoons clanging together as this was our beat. When I say we didn’t talk that wasn’t entirely true , We did pause throughout to have a laugh. Made it out to the road crossing at 1:00 and awaited the arrival or our trail angels!
They arrived as planned at 2:30 for the pick up, drove back to collect cars and drove to a hotel for a well deserved shower . By the way we needed it !
The assent from the cabin to the crest of the mountain was another draining hike. My eyeballs were sweating on this section as well as an assortment of other parts that I shouldn’t mention. Bernard was also sweating out of every pour. After about 2 hours of this the trail became more manageable and miles were chewed up and spit out, it felt good to be on the move once again. Many types of terrain had been covered during the past two days, one section had a bed of bright green ferns that seemed to be energized from the sun, in the spots between the leafy greens there was many light yellow butterflies that seemed to have hatched just as we arrived, these are one of the moments I will try to remember. Bernard lead the the trail the whole trip I am not sure if he likes being in front or just likes to clean the webs for me! I hope it is the web cleaning he likes. At one point he had so many webs and green caterpillars hanging off of his glasses they looked like the hanging balls around the windows of a Mexican car.
Stopped for lunch at a shelter again and took our time to sit and enjoy the sun and location. While sitting and thinking I realized that Bernard and I hardly spoke while hiking , we just poked along in the rhythm of the trail. Watching our every step bouncing along to the sound of my spoons clanging together as this was our beat. When I say we didn’t talk that wasn’t entirely true , We did pause throughout to have a laugh. Made it out to the road crossing at 1:00 and awaited the arrival or our trail angels!
They arrived as planned at 2:30 for the pick up, drove back to collect cars and drove to a hotel for a well deserved shower . By the way we needed it !
Long Ups and Downs
We crawled out of our tent on the lean to site in the Bradbury state park, we were up before the sun crested the tops of the tall hardwood trees. We rejoice as it is another beautiful day to be in the Vermont wilderness. As we hike through the mountains today our thoughts will linger back to the chicken that was grilled on the open fire last night. Grilled meat on an open fire seems to infuse the flavours with every lick of the flame, this gives a taste that propane can not replicate. Now that being said I do miss The Blackstone. The hike today completed another milestone, it was at Maine junction. This is the part of the trail where the LT and AT separate so today we were strictly on the long trail. The trail sure changed when this happened. The white trail markers were less frequent which had us second guessing if we were on the trail. Stopped for lunch and had the worst meal to date , it was corn tortillas they were terrible I actually threw them away but could have eaten the package the came in. Moving on from the shelter we expected an easy day, this of course was based on the map. The elevation didn’t appear to be extreme. Much to our surprise this was not the case , they went up and down and up and down , you would turn a corner and the trail would go up then up again. It never gave you time to get a break, to add to it the water along this section was sparse. Hmmm after knowing that the water was low that was all we could think about. The thought of stopping had crossed our minds but the terrain would not allow this to happen. If we weren’t going up or down we were skirting the side of the mountain. With no choice we pushed on to the shelter , it was a welcome sight to see the sign for the shelter. It said 0.2 miles away, do you how long that is at the end of the day being tired? Me either... but it sure seemed long! Once acquainted with the camp surroundings we made tents and prepared supper. Tonight’s gastronomic delight was beef stew over mashed potatoes. Yum this was needed after the day we put in. As darkness fell we talked to the other hikers at the shelter. We then made a quiet quick trip back to our humble abodes and waited for slumber to enter our lives. 5:30 am seems to be the times when owls want anyone sleeping to awake. I stayed in until 6:00 before making coffee as oatmeal.
River Night
This morning we awake to the dripping leaves from the heavy dew that accumulated on the leaves over our tent. The river flowing in the background was still music the our ears. I gently stoked Anita’s should as I asked her to move her feet so that I could exit the tent. Of course she was happy to comply. NOT. Once out of our one bedroom accommodations I proceeded to boil water for our morning coffee and oatmeal. Anita crawled out of the sleeping bag and joined me for the morning Java. We sat and watched the river flow by as we sipped away. These are one of the moments that will be etched in our memories. With breakfast completed the camp site was packed up. Squirrel emptied his pack as always before repacking all the gear . We hit the trail about 8:00 am. It would seem the start and finish of every day starts the same , with a climb and today was no different. The path led us up into the fog as it skirted along the side of the mountain all along going in the up hill direction. The forest at times was dark as the sun tried to break through the overcast skies. We stopped at a few vistas and enjoyed the sprawling mountain ranges that stretched into the horizon. The colours are changing with every night, for the light yellows to the beginnings of the vibrant reds and oranges. Killington was in our sites and we hiked hard to make it there for lunch. Once there lunch was prepared on the tenting platforms that had been constructed at the top. This was not the peak of Killington but very close, the wet fog or clouds cooled our bodies as lunch was prepared, soup and sandwich was on the menu and you can believe me nothing tasted so good. It’s funny what it takes to make you happy on the trail. It’s the little things it really is. Life is all about perspective and this is showing us what is relevant. With lunch completed the next road crossing was 10km away. It doesn’t sound like much until you see what has to be hiked in order to get there . Also keep in mind we have hiked about 7.5 before lunch. Anita was moving slow in the morning but picked up the pace in the afternoon and was moving quickly in the afternoon trail section . I estimated we would be to the road after 5:00 but to my surprise it was just after 4:00 that we hit the road . A great accomplishment!
Our trail angels were at the parking spot waiting for us. This was a tremendous boost that have them looking out for us. To say thank you to them never seemed to be enough! We were happy to see their smiling faces when we emerged from the trail.
We moved to a campground called Gifford park, another state park, Vermont sure know how to do these.
Killington marks the 100 mile mark on the trail , we were a little short due to the run to the hospital for stitches but we are still happy with our progress
The inn at the long trail would be our destination for supper, a good hearty meal was had by all and setting was quite unique. Back to site for an early tuck in.
I think we all still like each other.
Our trail angels were at the parking spot waiting for us. This was a tremendous boost that have them looking out for us. To say thank you to them never seemed to be enough! We were happy to see their smiling faces when we emerged from the trail.
We moved to a campground called Gifford park, another state park, Vermont sure know how to do these.
Killington marks the 100 mile mark on the trail , we were a little short due to the run to the hospital for stitches but we are still happy with our progress
The inn at the long trail would be our destination for supper, a good hearty meal was had by all and setting was quite unique. Back to site for an early tuck in.
I think we all still like each other.
Bromley
Cool temperatures greeted us again this morning it seemed that this changed like a flick of a switch. Our car was completely unpacked this morning as I was looking for a puff coat, as fate would have it this would be found in the very last bag in the car. Go figure! Bernard suffered the same issue while on the trail, everything he wanted was in the bottom of his pack. Anytime we stopped he would be seen squirrelling through his orange backpack. He now has the trailname squirrel which is fitting. With all the unpacking completed it was time to pack up , this was done in record time. Well it was really the first time we did a complete repack but I felt like it could’ve been a record.
Drove to the 11/30 road crossing and hit the trail again . Bromley here we come, the start was a gently grade but soon changed to a steep switchback. Bernard was moving quickly through the wooded footpath. I though someone was chasing him. Made good time because of this , three miles were chewed up in short order.the summit was fantastic! We were treated to a 360 view of the green mountains. Mother Nature was at work last night, she gave the sprawling landscape a light blush of colour, things are changing! After took the time to enjoy the feast for eyes we then slipped back into the green tunnel. We again skipped along this next downhill section . Our next stop would e Mad Tom Notch. Once at this destination we relaxed and talked with other hikers.
Another good day.
Drove to the 11/30 road crossing and hit the trail again . Bromley here we come, the start was a gently grade but soon changed to a steep switchback. Bernard was moving quickly through the wooded footpath. I though someone was chasing him. Made good time because of this , three miles were chewed up in short order.the summit was fantastic! We were treated to a 360 view of the green mountains. Mother Nature was at work last night, she gave the sprawling landscape a light blush of colour, things are changing! After took the time to enjoy the feast for eyes we then slipped back into the green tunnel. We again skipped along this next downhill section . Our next stop would e Mad Tom Notch. Once at this destination we relaxed and talked with other hikers.
Another good day.
After Rutland
Still pouring rain this morning... hmmm what does this mean to us? Nothing ! Just means we hike in the rain . We did wait for a short time before going out in the weather, it seemed to take a break while we staged the cars . Once cars were parked Tom and Pauline shuttled is to the drop off location. Route 140 Parking lot was our starting point. This climb up bear mountain was filled with many switchbacks which guided us to the top. 5 minutes on the trail and the rain started, if it is said that the rain is the music in the forest we had an orchestra this morning. Actually a couple of them. We donned our ponchos, looking back not sure this was a good decision, I left my hood off so my head was wet but underneath it was a sauna, a stinky smelly sauna , after an hour I removed the sauna poncho and went with just the tee shirt. This was much better ! We had a couple of nice views throughout this hike ! So much to see . Stopped at a shelter for lunch which was nice break. The mountains rose up around us as the wispy legs of fog creeped up on top of the green foliage which blanketed the rocky terrain, truly a magical sight. Met more hikers and some smelled worse than us ,others were better , such is life. Nearing the end of the hike we came across a bridge crossing at Clarendon gorge . We stopped and viewed the flowing water, met met a young prospector who was planning for gold . I had a good talk with him about what he was doing, we talked about how he did this and what gold he actually pulled from the river bed . Very interesting. The suspension cable bridge was a treat for us to cross at the end of this leg of the trip. Looking back at the photos it amazed us the colours of all greens that were seen , from dark to almost fluorescent green , the light played off on all the leaves and ferns as well as al the other leafy greens that covered the forest floor. We stopped many times just to marvel at it all . A great day to be alive !
Rutland Hotel
Today the forecast called for heavy rain with this in mind we planned to resupply and plan the next leg of this amazing race . Of course with these plans made the rain held off I suppose Mother Nature wants to gives us some liquid sunshine along the way so she will wait to rain tomorrow while we slip and slid through the woods. Yes we will be careful! Tonight we will be staying in Rutland , Tom and Pauline wanted to go back to the Rutland restaurant to bring back some minestrone memories shadows of the past. The town was toured as supplies were purchased. Tomorrow we will do a small connection hike between two road crossings. Bear mountain will be tackled first and should be for the most part a downhill hike. Rained very hard late in the day so the trail will be muddy we will certainly e taking our time through this next section. Good news for Bernard tonight he had extra crispy Kentucky fried chicken, good news for me, Bernard removed my stitches . Anita is feeling better so all is good on the trail. This is our plan right now but may change in the morning. To bad Colleen didn’t give us Jubes for the trip we could have used them
Anita had a fall
Well woke up This morning to find Anita still likes me or so it would seem . I neglected to mention that she slipped on a log yesterday and twisted her hand back . All I could think of, was the lengths some people go through to get out of doing the dishes , taking a dive . I suppose it wasn’t really like that but that’s what we said to her . This pissed her off more than falling. Breakfasts was made , it was a wonderful mixture of brown sugar oatmeal with a little extra regular oatmeal to top it up. We also had a life giving coffee that coursed through our veins as we packed up the camp. The sun shone through the heavy green foliage to cast a wonderful hue upon our faces . We packed up quite quickly and were cascading along the trail before long. Today’s pace was nice due to the weather , lightly overcast with cool temperatures . It seemed the sun was out long enough for us to pack up then hid behind the light grey clouds as we moved on. How will we remember the trip? Will it be from the smells , how about the sights or even how it makes you feel ? If you are one of the lucky ones you will have the chance to draw on your memories with a touch of all three ! It’s funny to us even on the short time we have experienced this phenomenon of hiking on the trail how we can’t wait to get back out once we leave. I have talked to many others during this trip on the trail and they all voice the same opinion.
The hike would have us travel up and down through this foot path of The wilderness . We have encountered roots , rocks , mud , trees (ouch) and mud , roots, rocks and trees , you get the picture . The truth is the trail is all the same and Is always different . That doesn’t sound right but is .
- [ ] We travelled along and found a look off called prospectors rock. This looked into a valley and into a town called Manchester. Hard to describe ... the rock was a few hundred feet below the summit , it was a shear face that i could it see the bottom of and made us nervous just to be close to the edge. Looking into the valley we saw a quaint small town surrounded in the bosom of the green mountains. The sun beamed it’s way down between the peaks to highlight building tops . Many colours of green were visible to the naked eye, we wanted to stay but had to move on! Our next stop was the spruce peak shelter for lunch , ramen noodles in a cup, yes I know what you are thinking , I sure know how to treat a girl. She is living good , travel and exotic cuisine. This was a nice little shelter that slept about 15 to 20 people as required. After lunch our hike continued out to the 11/30 road . Tom and Pauline were there to greet us , they are our trail angels. Trail angels are people that wait at cross roads to assist long trail hikers or anyone who may need it . They fit the bill. After the pick up we drove to a state park called emerald lake named after the colour of the lake that the park surrounds. Cool night, outside fire , in bed just after dark
- [ ] Plan to be on the trail in the morning, MT Brommely awaits
crowd at the shelter , made our way out
Woke the next morning around 5:30 I felt that I had a nice sleep, started the water for coffee while I waited for the others to wake. The crowd at the shelter were stirring as well. Our coffee was served while the oatmeal was prepared. After that we did the regular morning routine eat , pack up and hit the trail. Last nights shelter or camping spot was about half way the mountain this meant we would have to climb up to the summit first thing in the morning . This was the most rocky area we encountered thus far . Took it slow to get to the top , what a great warm up ..LOL
After the top we focused on eating up miles . Kicking up mud as we travelled through the trail working our way out to the pick up point. Passed a few other hikers but didn’t spend much time talking as well were on the move. Crossed a lovely bridge that built over a gently flowing river. The sound of the water was tranquil as we paused for a break and enjoyed the moment.
We moved at a quick pace inching closer to the road , our trail legs were beginning to form. Not really calf’s were sore but other than that not in bad shape.
A welcome pick up with cold drinks and hand baked cookies. We hopped in the car but had to keep the windows down , we actually smelled like hikers . We picked up our cars and hit a motel room for the night.
We ate at rail car diner , turkey supper and some had meatloaf, the pies looked amazing . Tucked in for a early night.
After the top we focused on eating up miles . Kicking up mud as we travelled through the trail working our way out to the pick up point. Passed a few other hikers but didn’t spend much time talking as well were on the move. Crossed a lovely bridge that built over a gently flowing river. The sound of the water was tranquil as we paused for a break and enjoyed the moment.
We moved at a quick pace inching closer to the road , our trail legs were beginning to form. Not really calf’s were sore but other than that not in bad shape.
A welcome pick up with cold drinks and hand baked cookies. We hopped in the car but had to keep the windows down , we actually smelled like hikers . We picked up our cars and hit a motel room for the night.
We ate at rail car diner , turkey supper and some had meatloaf, the pies looked amazing . Tucked in for a early night.
Rock Climb
Left the hotel this morning bright and early. Completed our laundry last night so we have clean clothes ready to get dirty. Life goes in circles. The forecast called for sun but there was none of that in sight at least for the start. We left the 103 junction and crossed. What appears to have been a field. There was wooden steps constructed to cross over barb wire. Looked like it was going to be a nice morning. Into the woods it soon went bad as we faced the most extreme climb encountered so far. Rock staircases if you could call them that were placed by Mother Nature for us to use . With in minutes we were a lather of sweat and maybe tears as we moved on further. The make shift stairs zig zags between huge rock crevasse. I took photos but don’t think they will do it justice. At the top we stopped for a break and a drink! To bad it wasn’t bud light. The trail then evened out and for the most part was enjoyable, at least for me. Anita struggled for time to time as the humidity was at 100%. She does not deal well with the heat. We motored along at a steady pace , not fast but steady. There were road crossings , river crossings and bridge crossings every corner something new. At one road crossing a trail angel had a bag in the tree filled with energy drinks for the hikers ! Yes people here love to help the hikers . This is something we would certainly not see in Nova Scotia. Amazing! The trails were very clean even in places that were close to the road garbage could not be found. Again something else you wouldn’t see in Nova Scotia. Our shelter we stayed at tonight is the governor clement shelter , one of the oldest on the trail. It is rock construction with a fireplace inside . I can’t say how happy I am to have seen so many wonderful sights. We are actually camped at the river just down from the camp so we will be hypnotized by the gurgling river as the light rain gathered and fell from the leaves above us, they tap danced on the roof of the tent. Another moment I am happy to share with Anita and Bernard,
Leaving the shelter
Next morning
Woke to coffee being made in our little jet boil stove , as there was plenty of water we decided to eat our oatmeal before leaving , this would be another thing learned on the trail . Everyday there is something new to learn! After breakfast we packed up and hit the trail. A quick but steep climb to the fire tower to warm our bodies for the a happy pace to kid gore shelter. I say a happy pace but the truth is it is work . I know I talked about the heat but it was and is the main issue as we go along. We sweat more drink more and walk slower , it would seem that the trail sets the pace! Mother Nature will let you know how fast to go.
We talked about a lot of foolishness as the kilometres fell behind us. It’s funny what comes to mind or what each person talks about when there’s nothing else going on. Do we miss tv ? Not at all , really no time for something that wastes our time . We now eat hike eat sleep and repeat. Quite a change for all of us! We again met some characters along the way , Ross told me this would happen ,
We went through one section that felt like a rain forest, hot humid , it was that bad we started to look for monkeys... of course none were found .. the rest of the trail was like life , plenty of ups and downs . The final assent the the shelter was again hard uphill that slowed our progress but with a destination in mind we didn’t stop , the truth is we could not have, we needed water and a rest and this was available at the shelter. The story brook shelter was a welcome sight. We cooled off , set up tents and prepared supper . We had a pasta with bacon and a sloppy joe sauce . Hmmm doesn’t sound great but turned out fantastic! No flies and it seem to cool down . Finally bed time . Bern snugged in his tent as me and my bride tucked in ours as we listened to the the other hikers talk until bed time which started at 8:32 pm the quiet time .
Good night
Woke to coffee being made in our little jet boil stove , as there was plenty of water we decided to eat our oatmeal before leaving , this would be another thing learned on the trail . Everyday there is something new to learn! After breakfast we packed up and hit the trail. A quick but steep climb to the fire tower to warm our bodies for the a happy pace to kid gore shelter. I say a happy pace but the truth is it is work . I know I talked about the heat but it was and is the main issue as we go along. We sweat more drink more and walk slower , it would seem that the trail sets the pace! Mother Nature will let you know how fast to go.
We talked about a lot of foolishness as the kilometres fell behind us. It’s funny what comes to mind or what each person talks about when there’s nothing else going on. Do we miss tv ? Not at all , really no time for something that wastes our time . We now eat hike eat sleep and repeat. Quite a change for all of us! We again met some characters along the way , Ross told me this would happen ,
We went through one section that felt like a rain forest, hot humid , it was that bad we started to look for monkeys... of course none were found .. the rest of the trail was like life , plenty of ups and downs . The final assent the the shelter was again hard uphill that slowed our progress but with a destination in mind we didn’t stop , the truth is we could not have, we needed water and a rest and this was available at the shelter. The story brook shelter was a welcome sight. We cooled off , set up tents and prepared supper . We had a pasta with bacon and a sloppy joe sauce . Hmmm doesn’t sound great but turned out fantastic! No flies and it seem to cool down . Finally bed time . Bern snugged in his tent as me and my bride tucked in ours as we listened to the the other hikers talk until bed time which started at 8:32 pm the quiet time .
Good night
Fall Colors
The fall colours are becoming more intense with every night that passes, the water colour brush strokes of yellow and red trace along the green deciduous trees. Vibrant reds can be seen in isolated locations ready to explode into the autumn foliage. Each day we see changes and if you pay attention you can certainly smell the changes. Autumn has its own personal scent that is different from any other season. Fall is upon us, although we are experiencing warmer than expected temperatures the nights are starting to cool just a bit. As we move along yellow leaves fall and almost cover the path ahead , all I think is about how much this will change in the coming weeks but we will not ha e the fortune to see the vast landscape fully transform. Our life will take us back home before this happens. Looking back over the past few weeks i realize how lucky we are ! First we were able to have a dream and actually pursue it, the next bit of lick and a huge factor is the support that we have all along the trail. Tom and Pauline were instrumental in us going as far as we did. Truly TrailAngels !I would like to think this was not a factor but we all know the difference. As we entered the long trail with the path closing in behind us or emerged pushing our tired bodies out at a crossing we were truly happy to see this them! They greeted us with smiles , encouragement and of course a cold drink! Again I say this for all of us , we cannot thank them enough!
As for the rest of the team I would say I am very proud of Anita as well , going into this she didn’t say how far she would go but would be with me for support and encouragement. To make it as far as she did was an accomplishment especially based on hurting her wrist. She went back out to the trail and hiked many more miles and these were over some of the challenging encountered. Great job!
The squirrel was another welcome addition , it was entertaining to watch him bounce through the trail, adjust his backpack, look for gear, engage with other hikers along the trail. It was truly a special time for me to be able to spend time with both Anita and Bernard unplugged from the rest of the world all to myself. These times will linger in my memories and have a special place in my heart. I know when asked about the trip I will not be able to fully articulate how much fun I had but I hope all involved understand how much it meant to me that they were all involved
As for the rest of the team I would say I am very proud of Anita as well , going into this she didn’t say how far she would go but would be with me for support and encouragement. To make it as far as she did was an accomplishment especially based on hurting her wrist. She went back out to the trail and hiked many more miles and these were over some of the challenging encountered. Great job!
The squirrel was another welcome addition , it was entertaining to watch him bounce through the trail, adjust his backpack, look for gear, engage with other hikers along the trail. It was truly a special time for me to be able to spend time with both Anita and Bernard unplugged from the rest of the world all to myself. These times will linger in my memories and have a special place in my heart. I know when asked about the trip I will not be able to fully articulate how much fun I had but I hope all involved understand how much it meant to me that they were all involved
Trail Names
Trail names,
It would seem that most folks on the trail have a trail name . The reason for this I cannot explain, it’s just one of those things that started long before we thought about the trail. It would seem that hikers would like to have some Anonymity I suppose. Some of the characters we met had these trail names and each of the names held a meaning. The thing about the names is the typically someone will give you this name because of something you did or said or that happened to you. Some examples of this are , one guy we met was called triple zero, so this was based on zero meaning no miles hiked and the triple was he had to take three days off when he started due to twisting his ankle, triple zero. Another guy was fish fry, this guy carried a fishing rod with him and fired up what he caught along the way. There were many others that had funny or interesting names. We have named Bernard “squirrel” because like a squirrel when ever we stopped he would go through his backpack or his car looking for something. Of course it would always be the last thing in the pack or the car . Very similar to how a squirrel would behave. My name became light days , now it sounds from the name that I may have carried a light pack, this was not the case. It may have been that I just did a few miles a day, this was not the case , the name came from when I cut me head open the the only thing Anita could get her hands on quickly was a light day pantie liner to stop the bleeding, hence the name light days. So you can see how some names come about , now when we meet the other hikers on the trail and explain our names they have a good laugh as we do as well!
It would seem that most folks on the trail have a trail name . The reason for this I cannot explain, it’s just one of those things that started long before we thought about the trail. It would seem that hikers would like to have some Anonymity I suppose. Some of the characters we met had these trail names and each of the names held a meaning. The thing about the names is the typically someone will give you this name because of something you did or said or that happened to you. Some examples of this are , one guy we met was called triple zero, so this was based on zero meaning no miles hiked and the triple was he had to take three days off when he started due to twisting his ankle, triple zero. Another guy was fish fry, this guy carried a fishing rod with him and fired up what he caught along the way. There were many others that had funny or interesting names. We have named Bernard “squirrel” because like a squirrel when ever we stopped he would go through his backpack or his car looking for something. Of course it would always be the last thing in the pack or the car . Very similar to how a squirrel would behave. My name became light days , now it sounds from the name that I may have carried a light pack, this was not the case. It may have been that I just did a few miles a day, this was not the case , the name came from when I cut me head open the the only thing Anita could get her hands on quickly was a light day pantie liner to stop the bleeding, hence the name light days. So you can see how some names come about , now when we meet the other hikers on the trail and explain our names they have a good laugh as we do as well!
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Stratton mountain and beyond
A night in the motel completed we made a plan for the next phase of the trip. For this part we had to get dropped add at the same location that we were picked up on. With car shuffles and food sorting it was decided that we spent a night in state park. With the dice cast the wheels were set in motion , groceries were needed as we need to eat of course. We decided on steak with Tom and Pauline choosing chicken , this would have string beans and asparagus added and all grilled on an open fire pit. Just like the old days , and just like the old days it took a couple of hours to heat up the coals before things could get started, what to do with that time ...hmmm bud light seemed to fit. After eating the rain poured down as we sat inside a lean to shelter in the park. Lucky to have the river meandering beside our campsite so we could listen to that as slumber overtook each of us.
Friday morning we would be facing Stratton mountain , the highest elevation so far on the trail. The drop of cars had been completed and the hike started around 9.30 and we made the summit for lunch . I climbed the fire tower and took a few photos. Meet another north bound trail hiker “triple zero “ was his trail name . Going down the other side we met the caretakers of this area. Had a nice chat with him and his wife,as it turns out he was related to folks from Nova Scotia.small world. With Stratton behind us the worst of the climb was also behind us but this was just today. Next stop was Stratton pond, it is to bad the temps had cooled off as we would have been in for a swim. Found another caretaker to talk to , this guy was young not like the the first couple who were in there late sixties. This young fellow was responsible to keep the trail somewhat clean and deal with the privies. By that I meant clean then out. He was a professional shit disturber I suppose we all know someone like that in life. He told us of our next camping spot next to a river . It was about a mile away so cheerfully we moved along. It’s funny as you travel along you have long periods of quietness followed by light conversation and laughter . That seemed to the rhythm. Arriving at our campsite we released the backpacks and Bernard did his thing , scouting the area looking for the best sites . Once the was decided we set up tents clothes lines and prepared a meal. Life is simple in woods and there is a certain charm to it . It’s not easy though! Tonight we were in bed before the sun went down.
I am lying in bed and wondering if Anita still likes me ...then doze off the sleep.
Route 9 and on
Today we walked from route 9 to Goddard shelter , the humidity and heat was almost unbearable. We scuffed our feet along the trail leaving our footprints in the muddy soil. We meet lots of eclectic folks that travel the long trail. One thing we noticed is we are built differently then most on the trail. They are slimmer and have longer legs and not to mention a lot younger ( most were) we also saw many young ladies as couples and singles with dogs trailing along .
Arrived at Goddard shelter after a 16.5 km hike . The last 1/2 km was very difficult, large stepping stones that required high deliberate steps not to mention it felt like it was straight up. Anita hated me at this point of the hike , but fell back in love once I built her a shelter and let her sit on an air mattress. Yes today she was easy to please. It’s the simple things I suppose .We made camp with our z packs tents , boiled water and cooked a gourmet chicken mashed potatoes with a mushroom gravy . We have a coffee and a tea to close out the day. We were treated to a lightning show as we snuggled together with our side door open. Bernard picked picked a nice spot to set up. He was the same as always no changes. I think he even enjoyed himself a little.
Good night .
Next morning
Woke to coffee being made in our little jet boil stove , as there was plenty of water we decided to eat our oatmeal before leaving , this would be another thing learned on the trail . Everyday there is something new to learn! After breakfast we packed up and hit the trail. A quick but steep climb to the fire tower to warm our bodies the a happy pace to kid gore shelter. I say a happy pace but the truth is it is work . I know I talked about the heat but it was and is the main issue as we go along. We sweat more drink more and walk slower , it would seem that the trail sets the pace! Mother Nature will let you know how fast to go.
We talked about a lot of foolishness as the kilometres fell behind us. It’s funny what comes to mind or what each person talks about when there’s nothing else going on. Do we miss tv ? Not at all , really no time for something that wastes our time . We now eat hike eat sleep and repeat. Quite a change for all of us! We again met some characters along the way , Ross told me this would happen ,
We went through one section that felt like a rain forest, hot humid , it was that bad we started to look for monkeys... of course none were found .. the rest of the trail toady was like life , plenty of ups and downs . The final assent the the shelter was again hard uphill that slowed our progress but with a destination in mind we didn’t stop , the truth is we could have, needs water and a rest and this was available at the shelter. The story brook shelter was a welcome sight. We cooled off , set up tents and prepared supper . We had a pasta with bacon and a sloppy joe sauce . Hmmm doesn’t sound great but turned out fantastic! No flies and it seem to cool down . Finally bed time . Bern snugged in his tent as me and my bride tucked in ours as we listened to the the other hikers talk until bed time which started at 8:32 pm the quite .
Good night
Woke the next morning around 5:30 I felt that I had a nice sleep, started the water for coffee while I waited for the others to wake. The crowd at the shelter were stirring as well. Our coffee was served while the oatmeal was prepared. After that we did the regular morning routine eat , pack up and hit the trail. Last nights shelter or camping spot was about half way the mountain this meant we would have to climb up to the summit first thing in the morning . This was the most rocky area we encountered thus far . Took it slow to get to the top , what a great warm up ..LOL
After the top we focused on eating up miles . Kicking up mud as we travelled through the trail working our way out to the pick up point. Passed a few other hikers but didn’t spend much time talking as well were on the move. Crossed a lovely bridge that built over a gently flowing river. The sound of the water was tranquil as we paused for a break and enjoyed the moment.
We moved at a quick pace inching closer to the road , our trail legs were beginning to form. Not really calf’s were sore but other than that not in bad shape.
A welcome pick up with cold drinks and hand baked cookies. We hopped in the car but had to keep the windows down , we actually smelled like hikers . We picked up our cars and hit a motel room for the night.
We ate at rail car diner , turkey supper and some had meatloaf, the pies looked amazing . Tucked in for a early night.
the start
The start of the pine cobble trail was green and welcoming,as we walked away from the road the noise of cars,trucks and trains became muffled by the foliage. The sound of scurrying chipmunks and falling acorns soon replaced the white noise.The musky scent of the decaying forest floor engulfed our every breath and yes we were breathing! By this I mean the trail that leads to the long trail was steep and caused our bodies to work.
We completed the summit of the pine cobble trail, the final assent was not difficult but at the same token was not easy. At the top the tranquil peace was interrupted by barking dogs. Can't always get away from that I suppose
We walked until lunch time and stopped to take a break . Tea and coffee was enjoyed by all. The temperature today was about 20 degrees with over cast skies . It is the picture perfect day to start this hike . The lunch spot was a look off but was over grown so nothing to see. Others hikers passed us as we sat and rested. Peanut butter bagels never tasted so good.
Hiked a little longer
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