Date: 2010-06-28
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Hanover, NH. Mile, oh, 1720ish?Things are rolling along. In fact, Vermont has been very cool, both in terms of trail, friends, and magic.After leaving Bennington we headed north towards Manchester Center, VT, where Moonpie got in touch with his high school crew coach and set the four of us Moonpie, Doozy, Mouse, and myself up with a place to stay. It was great. First we took showers, then we all went to a beautiful flooded quarry (a must stop for all hikers!) for a swim and some rock diving/jumping, came back to the house for an amazing meal, did laundry, watched television, and retired to real beds with linens. The next morning, we were up and treated to absolutely incredible waffles for breakfast, shuttled around town where we were able to do our chores, and then dropped back at the quarry. We meant to hang out half the day, and then do about ten miles, but, we never managed to leave. So! That evening, we head to the Green Mountain House, the local hostel, which may just be the single best hostel I have visited. Super clean, super friendly, super cheap. It cannot be beat.Then I think I hiked all of two days. And stopped.I stopped at a shelter just south of Killington Mountain. My best friend James, Elise (his girlfriend), and Lauren (a friend of theirs), were headed up to Vermont for a visit with me! So, I spent the day waiting out the rain, reading, laying in the sun, and worrying that they would never find the place (I had no cell signal and so had no idea where they were, or when they would arrive). Just when I thought it was a wasted day, I hear off in the distance, "Danny?" shouted. Actually, I thought I imagined it completely and was about to embarrass myself running down the trail towards the dirt access road. Sure enough, there they were. Cannot beat that.We spent the evening around a fire I had built in my spare time during the day and chatted, and eventually hit the sack. The next morning we drove into Rutland and got breakfast, did my chores (including picking up my new shoes at the P.O.!, 400 miles after I meant to get them), played ping pong, and went swimming, before they had to head home. Really, I can not thank them all enough for coming out. It was awesome seeing some familiar faces. I was really pushing for them to stay another night.Then, back to the trail. My friends are once again ahead of me, but this time I'm not alone, I've been hiking with Rocker, Flatlander, and Bard the last few days, and they're sure an entertaining bunch.Got into Hanover, NH! today and immediately began to posture for some trail magic of the highest order. I was looking for both a place to shower, and if possible a place to stay for the evening as well. After doing some walking, some smiling, some chit chatting, some more walking, getting a few leads (which did not pan out), I ran into two awesome trail angels, Milo and Cat. They found me, really, offered me popcorn (thanks again), and we got to chatting. I mentioned the need for a shower and they got me into a dorm where I could take one. While we were chatting they began to ask if I had a place to stay tonight, sure enough, I never really do, and mentioned possibly tenting near town, when suddenly Milo offers me her porch, draws up a map, and leaves me to my shower. Can't beat that. Well, yeah, I can beat that, I still have dinner to look forward to this evening.Oh! And one more note of luxury lodging in the past week. I may have possibly slept in a public bathroom atop one of the ski mtn/ski resorts we have passed recently. Lights, electricity, and running water. Not too shabby.Last thing, New Hampshire means the White Mountains. Which means I will have some really tough mountains, but huge payoff in terms of views coming up. I'm excited, and hopefully I'll get one or two good pictures as well.