Sunday, November 4, 2007

October 30, 2007

10-30-07. The Night Before Halloween. Me and Jim Beam tented on the side of the trail somewhere short of Long Trail/AT junction. Camped on wet leaves, probably on top of a part-time stream. Oh well, it was dark and I was through hiking. SOBO mile: approx 486.9. 16.4 trail miles hiked 17.8 total miles hiked.

Last night I made it to the privately owned cabin at The Lookout, just off the AT 900 feet or so. A ladder leaned against the cabin and led to an observation deck. The wind was bitter and the temperature was dropping so I just wanted dinner and to be in my sleeping bag. Nobody was there. I attempted to get a back log going in the fireplace and almost had fire all night. There is a loft in this cabin but I slept on the main floor hoping to get great views of the stars from the corner windows. I did plus the moon was orange and dark...kind of like Halloween.

The sunrise was beautiful. I was up for it and stayed up. I left around 9am, which is early for me of late. A little warmer today than the last two so I elected not to start off wearing rain pants.

Up and down, up and down, sprinkle in some switchbacks, roads and farmland and some more up and down. That is Vermont, so far. The Long Trail section is nicer. I did not like or enjoy Vermont the last time I hiked the AT through it. Come to think of it, I didn't like paddling through this state on the NFCT either.

VT100 is the highway leading, eventually, to the town of Killington, VT. The trail led me here and I headed Left on VT100 then Right on US4 for the Killington Post Office and General Store. What oasis did I see rounding the corner but both, along with a deli and liquor store practically all in one building. Today was a good day.

1 litre Jim Beam, 1 awesome sandwich, 1 Powerade, 1 coke and one unhealthy sugar-rich ressupply makes for a heavvvvvvvy pack. Of course the sandwich and coke went into my stomach, everything else in the pack.

Tomorrow, Mt. Killington. I am skipping The Long Trail Inn. Next full service town stop Manchester Center then Bennington, VT.

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

Happy Trails,
Totally Different Subject

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