Date: 2014-07-13
From: Sherman Brook Campsite

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: light rain

Up and out at 545, one of the benefits of staying in a tent. tough climb of a rock wall with cobble. It was so difficult that they offered an alternative bad weather route. Today was overcast and breezy with only a little threat of rain. At mm 1592.8 I crossed over into Vermont my 12th state on the hike. This is also where the Appalachain Trail (AT) and the Long Trail (LT) both come together for about 105.2 miles and the LT goes all the way to Canada. I ate more rasberries but I am still ahead of their fully ripening otherwise I would be gorging myself. Had a long haul out of Seth Warner Shelter with lots of big mud bogs. If PA is where boots go to be eaten, Vermont is where they go to be swallowed whole! I continued to meet a lot of section hikers going both north and south. My phone battery is dying as I forgot to charge it up while in town and will have to nurse it along as I have 3 more days until I get into town. I will also cut back on the number of pictures I take but that shouldn't be a problem as the overcast days have kept the views to a minimum. I did meet a nice guy yesterday Al Ghins (sp?) who is section hiking the AT using his car which he leaves at various trail heads and then hikes to it. He and I got to talking and he offered to take me into town when we got to the parking lot where we could get a bite to eat. I was initially going to take him up on his offer but the threat of rain, the terrible descent to the road and the 1100 foot climb in a mile and a half convinced me to head up as soon as possible in order to beat the rain. The rocks above VT 9 going down were a huge pain in the *&(% and dangerous. They went on forever, were more than steep and slippery at times. It had to be one of the more precarious descents I have had to make to date and constantly reminded me that we are only one step away from getting hurt and being off the trail for good. It was like a rock wall climb only going down. It took me over an hour to work my way down and I couldn't imagine doing it in the rain. With that in mind I started up the other side and was pleasantly surprised that the trail was much better and well graded. After some speed hiking up hill I beat the rain and got to the shelter where there was only 1 other person. I got my water filtered and had a bite to eat. I will eat some more again later - the hiker appetite you know it really is kicking in again. Tried to take a nap but couldn't sleep. Mostly talked witht he section hiker who is completing his hike tomorrow going south. Woodstock showed up and is in the shelter with us. I made some soup and ate that along with pepperoni and cheese and of course dark chocolate for desert. I still can't believe how far I've come (1608.7 miles). Have I really done this? and is it really that special. I think about all of the other people in the world who do more important things than this hike and how I couldn't have done it without the support of many people both on and off the trail. I've also been thinking a lot about how the hike has become more of a grind recently with few views or special places to look forward to. It seems like it has just been day after day of dampness, roots, rocks, mud bogs and bugs. I am trying to keep my focus on the goal and the fact that I will be getting to Hanover where I may see my friends Doug and Terry and shortly after that I will get a break and go home before heading into the Whites and moving on into Maine. Either way I will get this done.