Date: 2005-08-03
From: Smarts Mountain, NH

To: Near Happy Hill Shelter,VT
Miles today: 29.2
Weather: scattered clouds

29.2 miles todayNear Happy Hill Shelter, VT. I'm in Vermont!!! I woke up at 4:30 this morning with the first light hoping to catch a nice sunrise from the firetower I slept in on top of Smarts Mountain. Yard Sale had come up last night and asked if it would be ok to stay in the firetower too. There was plenty of room, so he moved in. I made my coffee and was eating breakfast when the sun came up. It was nice, but the clouds were to low and thick to take on much nice pink early morning color. I still enjoyed the morning and sitting on top of the world to greet a new day. Yard Sale went back to sleep and I packed up and was walking at 6am. I hiked down Smarts Mountain. I ran into a nobo by the name of BamBam who I had met earlier this year at Fontana Dam. We talked a while. He said he had hiked with Heald some down south. I was out of water again and when I got to Lyme-Dorchester Rd, I remembered a house that let you get water from their outside spigot. It was just 8am and the people were still home, so I got water and left quickly. I ran into Wingman and Boxer next. They were heading north. I hiked by Trapper John Shelter without stopping in because it was .3 miles off the trail. I continued climbing until I got to the top of Holt's Ledge. I looked for perigren falcolns, but didn't see any. This is supposed to be their breeding grounds. I did have a nice view from there though and a lite breeze. I hiked down that mountain, then up Moose Mountain. I got to the North Peak, but decided to keep going to Moose Mnt Shelter in hopes of getting more water and eating an early lunch. I ate an early lunch, but there wasn't any water. :-((( I hike on up to the South Peak of Moose Mountain, then headed down. When I got to the bottom of it, there was water flowing in Mink Brook, so I tanked up with about 1 1/2 litres and filled my water bottle. I hiked on and about 2 miles before Velvet Rocks Shelter I ran into Two Track and Esoteric Ninja. They had just left Velvet Rocks Shelter after staying in town too late last night. I ran into Unknown, Sowegan and another guy shortly after that. I had originally planned on staying somewhere near here today, but is was still way too early to stop. I hiked on and got into Hanover, NH at 2:30pm. I stopped at the food co-op and resupplied. I drank a quart of chocolate soy milk and a coke there. I hiked on into town and stopped at Everything But Anchovies Pizza and ordered a large 4 topping pizza, which had mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and, of course, anchovies. :-) I sat there and had a couple cokes and ate the whole pizza...all by myself. I can't believe I was able to finish it. They had a phone there, so I sent in my journal entry and checked my email. Chief, don't work too hard. Grandaughter, good luck in the 7th grade. Mrs Gorp, I'm getting closer!!!Superfeet, maybe I'll see you soon since you're skipping from Gorham to Hanover. I spent almost 3 hours in town, but I was ready to leave. I had food for tomorrow and my stomach was full of pizza. I hiked out of town and just before I crossed the state line, I got to say hello to Pamela. I hiked across the Connecticut River Bridge into Vermont!!! Another state done...only 12 to go. ;-))) Dillinger was just coming out of the woods as I was going in. I told him my stomach hurt from having too much food in it and he said his stomach hurt from not having any food in it. A girl stopped me and was asking questions about the trail. We talked for probably 20 minutes before I hiked on. It was about 6 miles from Hanover to Happy Hill Shelter. When I got there, I heard someone yell out my name. It was Superfeet. He had finished a nobo thru hike a few weeks ago and is just jumping around hiking different sections of the trail for now. Buhda, a sobo and Jason's Mom, a section hiker were also there. Buhda had a fire going, so I dried out my shirt while we talked. I stayed there about 30 minutes before I headed off into the woods looking for a nice soft flat spot to set up my tent. I carried 2 litres of water with me from town, but the pizza made me thirsty and I've already drank half of it. I had to stop or I wouldn't have enough left for coffee in the morning. ;-((( I've been watching a few hikers eat fresh avacados on the trail, so I decided to get me 3 at the food co-op. They are usually about a dollar apiece. I just looked at the sales receipt and these ones were $3.00 each...$9.00 worth of avacados. They better be good. :-))) There's an owl hooting close by while I'm writing this. I haven't heard one of those guys in a while.  I hope he stays around long enough so I can fall asleep listening to him. Good night.