Date: 2017-08-11
From: VT 9, Bennington, VT (Catamount Hotel)

To:  Kid Gore Shelter Tent Site 
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: overcast clouds

8/11VT 9, Bennington, VT (Catamount Hotel) to Kid Gore Shelter Tent Site 14.4 miles Total miles:  1625.0I had another vivid dream of hiking along a wooded trail, only to wake up totally bumfuzzled in a hotel room. I soon reoriented myself and slept well the rest of the night. Becky and I were both up in plenty of time to prepare for the early shuttle back to the trailhead.  Pete gave us a lift, along with Gravity.  We thanked him again for all that he does for hikers.  He told us that four years ago, only one hiker stayed at the Catamount, but this year there have been over four hundred hiker-nights at the hotel. He added that some hotels don't like to take in hikers, but that he finds us friendly, appreciative, and we only stink until we shower and get our laundry done. I can't say enough good things about Pete, Alan, and the Catamount Hotel.  Thanks again, guys!  We were on the trail by 8:45.  Early on, we crossed City Stream on a handsome, iron footbridge and then began the 6.5 mile ascent of Little Pond Mountain, increasing our elevation by 2,000 feet.  After a small descent, we tacked on an additional 450 feet as we completed the climb to the top of Glastenbury Mountain.  The trail along the way was quite reasonable, with its fair share of rocks, roots, and mud, but nothing outrageous.  We stopped for lunch prior to the summit, and I enjoyed a short catnap before we completed the climb.  Becky did well, and the time went by quickly as she filled me in on news from home, details of her day in Burlington, and the fact that the next doctor on Doctor Who will be a woman.  We called Sandy during lunch to let her know how we were doing and to get a cat update (Sandy is cat-sitting Pip and Dana, Becky's pair of feline companions). We then completed our trek up Glastenbury Mountain.  The summit is home to the Glastenbury Mountain Lookout Tower. Constructed in 1927, the tower has undergone recent renovation and is in wonderful shape. Unlike most of these towers, you can climb into the observation deck for 360 degrees views. I am so pleased that the decision was made  to renovate and not remove the tower. Without it, Glastenbury would just be another mountain with a viewless summit. Instead, there are views of mountains in all directions. Looking down on the fir trees that surround the tower also adds a very unique perspective. A light, misty rain began to fall while we were on the tower, and I'm sure the views are far more grand in clear weather.  My original thought was to stop at the shelter prior to the summit and call it a ten mile day. Becky was feeling great, so we decided to add an additional 4.3 miles and continue on to Kid Gore Shelter.  We paused at Goddard Shelter to get water at the nicest water source I've seen in quite some time and to use the privy. Some budding poet has penned a long tale, told in Dr. Suess style, on the inside wall of the privy. It tells of a northbound and a southbound Zax, both of whom refuse to yield the right of way. They remain stubbornly rooted on the trail until they are both paved over by highway construction.  The flies in the privy were numerous and the odor was odorous, so I did not hang around to copy down the poem. So if you want to read this cautionary tale, you will need to hike up to Goddard Shelter yourself.  We continued to make good time and arrived at Kid Gore Shelter at 6:30.  It is located in a very rocky area with few tent sites, but a hiker at the shelter clued us in on a very nice tent site, just big enough for two tents. We set up camp, cooked dinner, and prepared to go to sleep. Our little campsite sits right by the valley that the shelter overlooks, and the sunrises here are reportedly glorious.  Unfortunately, it began raining soon after we went to bed, which will probably put a damper on the sunrise scene, as well as undoubtedly add to our fun tomorrow with wetter rocks, slicker roots, and sloppier mud. We now plan on covering fifteen miles tomorrow, which will put us into Manchester Center the day after that. It is wonderful to have Becky hiking with me to share part of this adventure. She'll hike four more days with me before we both head up to Burlington to spend a day with Becky's best high school friend. I'm now being lulled back to sleep by the sound of rain on the tent.  It's a beautiful sound but will make for a "One Mud, Two Mud. In Mud, Through Mud" kind of day tomorrow. Alas for my brand new shoes.