Date: 2018-07-10
From: VT 30/11

To: Little Rock Pond Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

We ended a wonderful stay at the Palmer House over breakfast. From there, Which Way drove me to the trailhead and we once again parted ways. Seeing her again was a real boost for me and, as usual, it was hard to let her go. But, I know she will be with me in spirit for the rest of the journey and we will be together again soon.I also know that I am on the easy end of this separation. She so longs to be hiking with me and it torments me to think about how she must feel to know that the AT experience is passing her by with every mile I walk. But, if you knew Which Way like I do, you would realize that it is hard to find someone as unselfish as her. So, seeing me move on without her is an easier burden for her to bear than not seeing me fulfill a lifetime dream. I have come to realize that the two main ingredients needed to successfully complete a thru hike of the AT are determination and luck. No one would dare question her determination. She endured so much in hiking over 1,000 miles of the AT. It was a huge accomplishment for her to make it as far as she did considering the pain she was in, especially in the last couple of weeks. For her to come back out and try to jump back into it (although she clearly hadn¢t fully healed), shows just how much she wanted to finish this together. I got a text from a friend today that I think best sums up her grit and accomplishment. It read ¢The "MAX" effort that Which Way (Tuffy) has put forth only confirms my nickname for her. The number of miles she hiked boggles my brain. Wow, just wow.¢Which Way and I have faith that that there is a reason for everything. I know that the Lord has a different plan for her right now and she is where she needs to be. I hope the same is true for me.Which Way stood at the trail head as I disappeared into the woods. As is our tradition, we both held one hand high, flashing the ¢I love you¢ sign until we were out of each other¢s sight. WW is driving back to Kentucky. She stopped at the post office on her way out of town to mail me a resupply box. Yes, I now have the best trail support crew a hiker could ask for. She will be stopping in Carlisle, PA to stay overnight with our good friends turned Trail Angels. Please pray for safe travels.It was a steady 1,500¢ climb up Bromley Mountain. I paused at the Bromley Shelter to stretch and grab a snack on the way up. As I was leaving the shelter Epic came racing up and we hiked to the top together. The final half mile was up a ski slope. At the top was a ski lift.After descending Bromley Mountain, for about 1.5 miles the trail climbed another 1,000¢ to Styles Peak. The two biggest climbs of the day were behind me before noon. On the way up Styles a Swainson¢s Thrush flew right below my feet. It had built a nest in a cup of moss beneath a rock. Inside the nest were four pale green-blue eggs that are finely spotted with light brown in a well-built cup. I walked about 15 yards up the trail and waited for about 5 minutes in hopes that Mama bird would fly back to the nest and I could sneak down for a picture. She was satisfied just standing guard from the tree above the nest. I also came across two snakes and several lizards and newts today. More signs of moose too, but still no sightings. There was an outcropping with a nice view atop Styles Peak. I decided to stop there for lunch and to soak in some rays. Next came Peru Peak, followed by Griffith Lake, and then Baker Peak. The trail also passed through three wilderness areas today. It was a short, but fun climb to the top of Baker Peak. The trail worked its way up a granite rock formation that culminated in an open ledge. There was a great view to the west of the Tatonic Mountain Range, specifically Dorset Peak. Three nice young women who I ran into before my Zero day were soaking in the rays and the views at the top. They are middle school teachers from Tennessee who are hiking the Long Trail. Thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon. I had good signal from the top so I checked the weather. There was a Severe Weather Alert and the radar showed a big red blob headed our way. I told the others that bad weather was moving in and that the top of this rocky peak would not be a good place to be when it hit. About that time we heard a rumble of thunder and I could see dark clouds forming to the north. The next shelter was 1.5 miles down the other side of Baker Peak. We all put our pack covers on and started down the mountain. I ran most of the way, catching up to another female hiker just before the shelter. I was the first to arrive at the Lost Pond Shelter. It was empty when I arrived. The hiker I had just passed came in a minute later. The three hikers I saw at the top of the mountain came in about 10 minutes later. One other hiker came in just behind them. We all made it just before the storm hit. It rained hard and lightning was in the air for about 45 minutes. I went ahead and ate my dinner meal as the storm passed. The others followed suit. When the rain let up I packed up and hit the trail again. The other hikers were still contemplating whether to stay put for the night or move on.I ended up hiking another five miles to the Little Rock Pond Shelter. I arrived a little before dark and just before the rain picked up again. I ended up bunking in the roomy double-decker shelter. There were a 1/2 dozen other hikers in the shelter. A noisy group of kids were tented close by. I hope they know about hiker midnight. Peace & Blessings - NSElevation Data:Ascent - 3,850Descent - 3,820Grade - 7.3Weather:Day - 75 / PM StormsNight - 55 / Rain EarlyOver The Horizon: Killington Peak, VT