Date: 2009-08-01
From: US 4

To: "Lookout"
Miles today: 17.5

I joined the circular, eight-person table for my last breakfast at the Long Trail Inn. Mississippi later came along and sat across from me. However, he was still refusing to acknowledge me, making things very uncomfortable. I packed up, re-taped my ankle, and got a ride to the trailhead from the two girls from New York. (There is a blue-blaze path directly behind the Inn, but the real AT is about a mile up the road). Then, I was off into the woods! Giddy-Up and Kog passed me. I was glad to see them on this trail, as I heard most of the hikers were planning on taking the blue blazed path. Today, the AT would split from the Long Trail as we turned east toward New Hampshire while the Long Trail continued north to Canada.    I took a break on the small wooden dock at Kent Pond. I decided it would be a good idea to put my swollen ankle in the cool water. There was a young girl there, with the confidence of a 30 year-old woman. I couldn¢t imagine what she would be like when she was actually that age. I enjoyed watching her interactions with her friends, as well as with the thru-hikers, whom she seemed very comfortable around. Although she camps a lot, she told me she couldn¢t imagine walking all that way and asked me how I did it. I enjoyed talking with her. Giddy-Up came along (he had taken a side path and got behind me), and one by one, the rest of the group straggled in. Almost everyone stopped to put their feet in the water, and some went swimming. There was a lodge nearby that offered lunch, but unfortunately not on this day, as they were setting up for a wedding.    I got going while more people came in and the rest of the group lounged and ate. Giddy-Up and I would leap frog all day, as I would get a head start after every break and he would catch up and pass me. We passed a waterfall, walked along pretty fields on a nice boardwalk and climbed a couple of mountains before coming to Stony Brook Shelter. Once again, Giddy-Up was there, awaiting the rest of the group, and I took off before him after looking through the register. At one small road crossing, where I saw a suspicious car creeping along, I couldn¢t find the trail! In one direction, there was caution tape all over a rickety- broken down bridge that looked like it was being blocked off. I turned back the other way and went toward a brook, but couldn¢t find a place to cross. I was so confused! I finally determined that the only way to go was to step over the caution tape. I always wonder if the hikers behind me have the same problems... I was very relieved when I found a white blaze again!    Most of the hikers planned on staying at the ¢lookout¢- an old shelter-like house that was privately owned, but which hikers were allowed to stay in if the owners were not there. It had a crow¢s nest on top with a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. When I got there, Giddy-up was inside. I had to use all of my might to force the door open! I found a spot to lay down my sleeping bag, changed, and cooked dinner while other hikers came in. Three of them had hiked an extra six miles because they realized they were on the Long Trail, 3 miles in. A few hikers did not make it to the lookout and stealth camped a few miles back. One of them was Mississippi.    I headed up to the crow¢s nest and an amazing view! I hadn¢t had a 360 view since the balds in NC, I believe. Unfortunately, a group of trees blocked the view of the setting sun, but we were still able to see the fiery glow in the spaces between the branches. The horizon was an array of pastels, and the mountains were different hues of blue. A nearly full moon presided over the scene. I was happy to be here and felt peaceful and content.