Date: 2003-07-05
From: Hell Hollow Brook (2480') 

To: Story Spring Shelter (2810') 
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

Aloha! As I sit listening to nine of the 12 folks camping here tonight I know for a fact that I am where I am supposed to be. In the woods with a group of great people laughing their fool heads off. All without a care in the world. All with one purpose - to have a great time on their way to Katahdyn (AT) or Canada (LT). All living a dream. It's awesome out here!   As for the day, there are two things I can tell you about Vermont for sure. First, in my opinion, it's much like hiking in Virginia. You hike UP to the ridgeline and then follow it UP and down until hell freezes over through one long green tunnel. Now and then you get a glimpse of the mountains from a vista but more often than not it's just a green tunnel. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a fact. Oh yeah, and they throw in PA rocks now and then just to irritate you/me.   The second thing I know for sure is that Vermont does not have a shortage of biting bugs. Geezz, this place is nuts for bugs! I've learned something new today about them too. What I was expecting as black fly¢s, big horse fly type critters is not the case. Black fly¢s are actually what I have been calling irritating, annoying, eye-diving, ear-buzzing, skin biting gnats. Argh! They're enough to drive a person loony. I'm living in Deet and if there's one tiny little spot of skin not covered, they'll find it... and bite it! At times you can't even stop long enough to put on bug juice. They're vicious! Bugs! If they're really on this earth to feed the birds and frogs then we need more birds and frogs because our current inventory isn't doing the job! Arghhhh!!!   In regards to the hike itself, it was pretty decent. Yes, it went UP and down the ridgeline but in the process it did take me UP to Goodard Shelter (3540') and the Glastenbury Mountain (3748') observation tower. The Shelter was nice in comparison to the rest on the trail. It included a front porch and round table along with a view of Mt Greylock. It looked so far away for only having been there two days ago! It was a nice place for a snack and breather. The observation tower was a short hike UP from the shelter. Even though I knew I would see nothing due to the overcast skies I still climbed to the top. It was agreed this evening by all that did climb the tower that it wasn't the safest of towers to climb. Pretty rickety for a view of nothing in my case. Oh well, I still have to do it all... within reason.   Next on my scenic tour of Vermont was Big Rock. And that's exactly what it was - a big rock at the top. Couldn't believe I had been drug UP another mountain to see a really big rock at the top and then head back down. A big rock, yep, had to see it.   Lunch was spent lounging at another shelter located directly on the trail. With it came an introduction to another "new-to-me" section hiker named Slow Joe. Slow Joe and I turned out to have lots in common. The most important being that he also is from Hawaii and from the same town, Kailua! As a matter of fact, we didn't live but maybe four miles apart! Excellent! It was fun chatting with Slow Joe about some of the places in Hawaii. It's been agreed that we both would love a dinner of Loco Moco. (Rice, hamburger patty, over easy fried egg, and brown gravy. Yum!) Makes my mouth water thinking about it.   Tonight is the first night since starting that I've seen this many women at one time. Normally it's a one to 15 ratio. Tonight there are actually six women and 7 men. I am the only woman doing the AT though. Four of the others are doing the Long Trail and one is a weekender. As for the guys, two weekenders and the rest are AT thru-hikers. It's certainly festive with this many people. Right now there's a rousing game of Ono going on. For those of us not playing we're just impressed that Lucky is carrying the additional weight of the deck of cards.   Burrr... sitting out here I'm getting a chill. Granted I'm not that high at 2810' but when the wind hits after the sun goes down it sure seems to have a little more edge to it. I do believe it's time for me to shut this down and say aloha to you and the happy campers. Tomorrow may end up being an 18-mile day shortening my day into Manchester Center on Monday where I have new boots waiting. Or it may be a 15 miler. Or even a ten miler. Who knows? It's all good no matter what.   For now, off to bed with me. You take care and try not to envy me too much. Remember, envy is a sin. Don't envy me, come join instead!BSandTs: same ol' stuff, lots of sweatAandPs: head and chest cold still with me, ugh. Arches, reminding me constantly that I need new boots.MandGs: bugs, bugs, bugs, damn bugs!..waah!Critter count: 3x tiny toads, 1x big toad, 1x black and yellow garden snake (18", index finger width), that's all.   Even the chipmunks don't go to the top!