Date: 2010-09-07
From: Pico Camp

To: Inn at the Long Trail
Miles today: 2.5

9/7 2Pico Camp to the Inn at the Long Trail2.5MotelI think the whole shelter is gradually sliding downhill. The end of the pad and I slid about a foot off the bunk. Fortunately the pad is six feet long and I'm only five four, so there was no catastrophe. But it was pretty funny. I had dreams of sickness. I awoke confused, but convinced I was dreadfully ill. It was a relief to wake up and realize it was a dream. However it was raining.  Viola, Zach, and I all woke up, heard the rain, and went back to sleep. It was a quarter to eight by the time we all started to rise. That qualifies it as one of my latest starts on the trail. I asked Viola to hand me my food bag. I was on the upper bunk and getting up and down was tricky. She graciously agreed, and I was able to eat breakfast in bed. Given that breakfast was a handful of granola and bed was an air mattress and sleeping bag in an unheated and slightly tilted shed, it wasn't as luxurious as the image the phrase "breakfast in bed" usually conjures. The rain got harder. I considered staying in bed all day. But previous experience has shown that I can only stay in my sleeping bag for about twelve hours before I start to ache. I needed to get to somewhere with modern conveniences. A hot shower, upholstered furniture, overhead lighting, beer. All good things. I reluctantly changed out of my warm fleece and into my thin hiking clothing. I kept my Rockdancer hat on until the last minute. A warm head goes a long way toward comfort on a cool morning. The rain continued to get louder on the roof while I packed up. I got everything set up for a wet day - camp shoes tucked inside the pack so the cover would fit over everything, raincoat and rainskirt handy, pack cover deployed. Then it quit raining. I didn't trust the sky. I started out wearing my raincoat. But the day warmed quickly and I had to de-coat myself soon. Also I became uncomfortably and unhappily aware of some chafing. I applied cream but couldn't do anything else about it. The only real treatment is to stop and let the skin heal. Which I was about to do, so I gritted my teeth and tried to walk with the smallest possible motion until I got to my destination. While I walked I listened to music. My two favorite songs came on: Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin, and Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves. Those songs never fail to put a smile on my face. The staff at the Inn at the Long Trail are great. I was greeted with a smile, and registered for a very reasonably priced room right away. The room was still being cleaned but I was able to start my laundry immediately. Then the pub opened. I went in wearing my laundry attire - raincoat, sarong, and rainskirt. Thus nattily attired, I had beer, potato skins, and a fantastic Reuben. By the time I was done with that and chatting with fellow hiker Milkman, my clothes were clean and dry. Sadly, I STILL haven't gotten any french fries. They don't serve them here. I may have to stop at a Mcdonald's on the drive home this weekend. My room was ready at the same time as my laundry.  Happily full from lunch, I had a nice hot shower. That made me very sleepy. And so I had a long nap in the middle of the day. It was glorious. Dinner in the pub was not as wonderful as lunch, but it's hard to beat a good Reuben so I don't hold it against them. Tomorrow I'll catch the bus into Killington for resupply. And I'm thinking about going to Rutland for a bit. The state fair is going on. I could have a spot of maple cotton candy and people watching. Or I could nap some more. Possibly both.