Date: 2013-07-30
From: USFS 21, Mad Tom Notch

To: William B. Douglas Shelter
Miles today: 11.3

DAY 51MILES ON AT FOR DAY- 11.3MILES TOTAL FOR DAY- 11.8Headed out early to get back to the trail. Nick dropped me with my family and we said goodbye. I would be seeing him in a week and a half though thankfully. Now that I was getting closer to NY it would make seeing each other more often much more possible which I liked We talked the whole way back to the trail and then quickly we were there already. This was the last time I would see my Mom and Stepdad and Brother. It's always tough saying goodbye. But it wasn't goodbye. Just see you in a few months! I was thankful they were able to help me get to the wake in the first place. Without them it wouldn't have been possible. My new crew was in the next town but to avoid skipping miles I started back where I left off. I'd catch up. I started up hiking at 10am and it was a beautiful day out. I headed up Bromley Mountain which was beautiful and came across Houston. I was always coming up on him or vice versa in the funniest places. Or I guess just unexpected places. Heading off Bromley you walk down one of the ski runs so its nice and open. Down the trail running up at me was an adorable doggy. I love when you look up and a dog is running down the trail at you. It just brightens your day! The owner and her friend came along shortly after and were super friendly. They were just amazed at what I was doing and were trying to offer me food but I had just resupplied so I was stocked up. At the bottom of Bromley, I came to the road that led into Manchester Center which was where everyone was. I contemplated going in, but I didn't want to get sucked into town and end up staying there for hours so I was going to hike on. Literally a minute after I crossed the road and was hiking down the trail, a NoBo named Cacoon came along. We started talking and he said he was going into town. He convinced me to go as well. Luckily for him, having a female made hitching easy. We got dropped at the Ben & Jerry's where Moto!, Globe, and Happy Ending were. Just down the street was the rest of the crew at a sandwich shop. Lunch first... then ice cream! Cacoon and I headed down there and hung out and got sandwiches. After Stinky and Cacoon and I indulged in Ben & Jerry's. My first Ben & Jerry's in VT on the trail! It just seemed right!After eating too much, I said bye to Cacoon and the others staying in town and we headed out. Smithy, Nectar, Stinky, the dog, and I. It was like I hadn't even been gone for a day. We passed NoBo's Spirit Feather and Barbarossa. Nectar and Smithy hiked on but Stinky and I stayed and talked with them for almost 45 minutes. Longest I had stopped to talk to ANYONE on the trail! They were great though! Very funny. We hit the shelter and Smithy must have hiked on. Stinky Jesus, Nectar, the dog, and I headed down the .5 side trail to the shelter. We were by ourselves. A rarity these days! Likely due to it being so far off the trail. Nightwalker had been here 2 nights before. Had done a 30 mile day! Crazy kiddo. It was actually nice that it was just us 3 and the dog. A nice change of pace. Would have been nicer if Nectar and Stinky weren't at each others throats and I was in the middle of it. Yikes! Won't go into detail with that. Hiker problems.