I got out of town and on trail at 8:30, and headed east to Hanover. I felt good this morning, the extra rest day was something I now know I needed. Of course, all day yesterday I was itchy because I needed to put some miles in.
The trail today was good. The climbs were fairly hard, especially the first one at 1300 or so feet. Getting us ready for the Whites. I met a few SOBOers, and got passed by Sweaty Eddy and his dog, as well as Pringles and Fox. Just before sunset, Freedom Fry, Cooter, Crow Daddy and Clown Car showed up.
This cabin is actually off the trail on private property but the owners allow hikers to use it. There's not a water source or privy but the owners built a viewing deck on the roof. You can look back west to Killington and a bit north of East to what looks like the beginning of the dreaded Whites.
8/23/15 - Thistle Hill shelter
I woke up about five this morning and eventually took my Pop-Tarts up to the roof of the Lookout before dawn to watch the sunrise. There was a long cloud on the horizon that kinda spoiled it but it was a good sunrise anyway.
Today was only fourteen miles but they were tough miles. The trail is running east, over the ridges like it did down south near Bland, VA. I had to deal with five hill climbs today. Tomorrow is one climb but nothing as steep as today. I don't really mind as I need the practice for next week in the Whites.
I managed to gather a double handful of ripe sweet blackberries today without getting too badly scratched up. It reminded me of when I was tree planting and we'd have to bend down in improperly cleared areas to plant the trees and get our faces ripped. One guy paraphrased the Wizard of Oz, "Briars and brambles and stumps, Oh my!" The berries were worth the scratches.
It looked like I would be here solo tonight but again people showed up late. Kat and Lone Ranger were going to hike on but he decided they'd done enough. Eleven miles to my fourteen but we all have our own limits. They'll pass me tomorrow I'm sure, they started the Trail on May first!
8/24/15 - Hanover, NH
Another state completed! I woke up at five and was on trail by six thirty, walking fast. Empty food bags help. Of course, the humidity was high, so within a short time I could feel the sweat dripping down my calves. Yech.
The trail today was supposed to be fairly level with only one major elevation gain. That turned out to be reasonably true, and the condition of the trail was pretty good too, something that's been lacking lately. So I could scoot right along, wet or no.
I reached West Hartford pretty early, and was walking into town with Squirrel (2015 hiker). As we crossed the Pomfret River bridge a woman came out onto her porch and waved and offered coffee. We were in a hurry to get to Hanover and declined. Her kids came out to see the thruhikers. A bit later a man on his porch waved and wants to know where we were from. He gave us a thumbs up in return.
At six miles, next to a logging rod and a creek I stopped for an early lunch at ten thirty. Some dog from down the road came up and accosted me for my intrusion. I ignored him and after a bit he walked off. Twenty Names and Cat caught up and also stopped and off I went again.
I met hiker Rosie Eagle, southbounder, he's about 67. I ran into Pringles again, he warned of a hornet nest on the trail in front of me. There were notes left by others, the only time I'll condone littering. I gave them a detour even though it tears a new path on the woods.
A bit after noon I made it to Elm Street on the outskirts of Norwich, VT. I stopped to talk to a southbound section hiker who was already feeling a bit down even though he started in Hanover, three miles away but downhill for me. Squirell, Twenty Names and Pan caught up. Almost immediately we hit Trail Magic, cold sodas and Oreos left at someone's mailbox. But it got better! The very next house, the owner, Long Trail thruhiker Short Stuff, came out with cold homegrown watermelon slices and home made banana bread! What a welcome to our last town on Vermont!
We detoured in Norwich a block or so to the Dan and Whit's General Store to see if they sold stove fuel. They did but packaged for car campers not hikers. So, another cold drink and we headed down the street for the Connecticut River bridge and the border. We stopped for pictures at mid bridge and entered New Hampshire. About ten minutes later we topped the hill and found downtown, and Dartmouth College. Lots of college kids too!
I saw Miss Janet, Baltimore Jack and Bag O' Tricks at a local diner just off the square but on the Trail. BoT I had met at Hog Camp Gap in 2007, so it was nice to see him again. I also saw Sweaty Eddie and his dog and I got a yelled greeting by Freedom Fry when I was at the post office. I had picked up my winter gear and had my stuff strewn over a park bench out on the street. I'm sure passersby thought the hiker was nuts.
Hanover has a free bus line, so I caught it to the Sunset Motel. It's a quaint place, not quite as good as other places such as the motel in Williamstown, but clean and quiet. Cricket is here too and will also zero. Squirrel's mother came up from Connecticut to see him, he's supposedly hiking out tomorrow.
Boston is climbed Moosilauke today, he's four days ahead of me.
8/25/15 - Hanover Zero
I spent the morning doing town chores in a steady, sometimes driving, rain. I caught the bus and went to West Lebanon to the EMS store for new shoes and to the grocery store.
Shades was in Hanover still in he afternoon, with Fancypants and Fuego, they headed out in the afternoon as the rain was ending.
I made my reservations for the Whites huts, now to keep my schedule. Looks like I'll get rained on at least a couple of days though. Yech.
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