Date: 2014-07-11
From: vt 100 killington vt

To: winterri shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up late, 7:30 and felt slow. I also felt hungry so i snuck over to the gas station to get some high calorie filling and coffee. Maple glazed donuts seemed like a wise choice, so did a honey bun. I ate while watching the news and typing away at my journal. I gotta say, being inside is easy, sometimes i like easy. There is plumbing, a frij, and electricity all in this little motel room. Its luxury. I felt like i had to go but did not want to leave but i had to go. I got everything back together and headed off to the bus station at 10:15. It was a little over a mile but a nice walk checking out rutland. I got to the station, went in, and asked for a bus ticket to killington. She smiled and said 'you need the diamond express, two bucks'. Ok cool...... do i pay you? No, pay the driver. Ok, cool.......uh how do i find the diamond express? She was now annoyed at me. He will pull up right over there and leaves at 11:15. Ok, cool, i walked back out to the bus loading area where all the people that knew how to ride a bus were. I thought to myself, how the hell will i know which one is the express? All the busses here looked identicle. I could not go back in and ask so i decided i would figure it out. When a bus pulled in with its sign lit up that said hospital, i figured it out, the signs light up! These other busses were not running so their signs were black, im brilliant. I caught the express., paid my $2 and was on my way. He dropped me off at the little market just off the trail head. It was nearing noon so this was perfect as it was getting time to feed again. I got fueled up and hit the trail. First i walked around kent oond, a beautiful big pond with some people fishing. I wished i was fishing there, or just watching a bobber float along. Then i got to thundering falls, a bit of an exaggeration i would say. It a neat waterfall but, thunder, not so much. The biggest hill of the day was next. Quimby mt was about a 1300' climb and pretty steep. I made my way up and notice that the only noise was me. No wind, no water, no birds. This was strange to me. My white noise for the past 1700 miles was at least birds singing. Hmmm. Down the other side i came to the stony brook shelter, nobody was there so i moved on down the way. At the actual stony brook i stopped for a drink from the perfextly clear water. It was so incredibly clear i could not pass it up. I sat for a bit and ate a snack then carried on. From there it was up another thousand feet over an no named mt. Seemed a bit climby today. About fourteen miles in i got to the lookout. The lookout is a privately owned cabin on a hill with a deck up on top of the roof. The owners let hikers stay there overnight. Its incredible. Its the cutest cabin for one thing and then the platform on top is rediculous. You are above the trees and can see every direction for days. I cant believe to generosity of people, i still cant grasp it. They would let anyone stay there. I wished it wasnt as early as it was and i didnt have any cooking water so i didnt stay. I made the last few miles to the winterri shelter and headed down the side trail to it. Cowboy and cornwall were there, the first two people i had seen all day. They hadnt seen anyone either. I hadnt heard hardly any birds all afternoon, it was a strange day. At least my tent was now by a stream so i could listen to that. It sounds strange but sometime you should try listening to nothing, its a weird feeling. I ate some dinner and filtered water for tomorrow and was in bed before sundown, just as it should be. I hoped to make some good miles tomorrow so i wanted plenty of rest. Even though it was a quiet day on the trail, it was a good day and i would gladly take another. Still living this crazy dream.