Day 17 & 18: (July 2 -3) Rutland
After all the cold nights, it felt warm sleeping in 70° F. I threw off all the blankets except for the sheet. Not complaining, though. After breakfast, I went to a self-serve laundry mat, the first time in about 40 years. The attendant was very helpful and explained how to operate the coin-free machines. It cost…
Day 16: (July 1) Killington Peak and Cooper Lodge
Its the first of July and cold and rainy, just as it has been since we started the hike more than two weeks ago. Dennis used to brag that it did not rain on him.Nature decided to change his good fortune and make up for all those years of sunshine. Dennis was the first up in…
Day 15: (June 30) Governor Clement Shelter
As we lay comfortably in the tent, Dennis mentioned how difficult it was for hikers to be intimate. Too cold, too tired, too stinky. We both have a mummy bag, which makes cuddling difficult. Looking forward to our next “zero” (rest) day in Rutland. The 3.7 miles to the Clarendon Shelter were difficult. Coming into Clarendon…
Day 14: (June 29) Minerva Hinchey Shelter
We left the shelter and headed for Wallingford. The trail crossed a raging river. Dennis walked up a found a place that we could hop stones to get across. He helped me a “Quaker” cross. While I was waiting for Dennis to find a suitable crossing, a couple with a young puppy tried crossing the river. The…
Day 13: (June 28) Greenwall Shelter
Cold with high winds. A tree fell just as I was walking by. Yes, when a tree falls in the woods, it makes a noise. Scared the daylights out of me. Since there was only one other hiker, “Quaker” in the shelter, we set the tent up in it to stay warm and, hopefully, dry…
Day 12: (June 27) Big Branch Shelter
It was very cold last night and I was glad we used the tent instead of the shelter. The tent adds about ten degrees; it was 57º F inside it this morning. Even Dennis was cold last night! We are slowing down at bit—not because of my ankle, but because the Post Office in Wallingford,…
Day 11: (June 26) Peru Peak Shelter
We sat at Ms. Murphy’s eating an egg sandwich and listening to the locals chatter. Two old codgers kept everyone entertained. After breakfast we hitched a ride to the trail head with Miles, a painter and building restorer. My new shoes are comfortable. I appreciated all the time Vincent at EMS in Manchester Center, VT…
Day 10: (25 June) Sutton’s Place
Jeff from Green Mountain House dropped us off at the post office where we forwarded a couple of packaged to upcoming towns. From there, we stopped at EMS to see if the driver had returned our poles. No luck. As we were leaving, Dennis started talking with “Proud Foot,” who was thrilled to meet the…
Day 8 and 9: (23 – 24 June) Green Mountain House
One of the advantages to sleeping in a shelter is a quick morning start. No need to take down and stow the tent. We were on the trail by 7:20 AM. We had about 11 miles to the intersection of the LT and Vermont 11, which would take us into Manchester Center where we had…
Day 7: (22 June) Stratton Pond Shelter
This morning Stratton Mountain loomed 3,940′ (1,201 m), the tallest peak so far. The air was cool but the steady uphill climb soon had is sweating. Dennis and I long for indicators on the trail telling our location. Though the map indicates a stream or pond, there are enough of them to cause uncertainty. I no longer believe…