Date: 2006-09-18
From: Danby-Langrove Rd, VT - Mrs Gorp's Home

To: Mad Tom Notch Rd, VT - Mrs Gorp's Home
Miles today: 12.3

I am not getting enough sleep. I stay up late each night and get up early each morning. I smelled the coffee this morning and went downstairs about 6:30am. Mrs Gorp made Larry and I some blueberry pancakes and eggs with orange juice and more coffee. I went back upstairs and packed my day pack, then Mrs Gorp dropped me off at Mad Tom Notch Rd at 8:50am. I'm walking north today to make it easier on her to pick me up at the end of the day. I entered Peru Peaks Wilderness area and started climbing right away. It was about 1,000 feet up to Styles Peak, then on over to Peru Peak. The area in between the two peaks still has lots of mud that you have to make your way through. I love getting into those higher places though because the smell of spruce is usually pretty strong. I descended Peru Peak to Peru Peak Shelter and signed the register. I wanted to take more pictures, but the charge on my camera's battery was all gone. I can't believe I didn't recharge the battery. I have the battery charger with me and there's even electric here at Mrs Gorp's home. :-))) I walked on by Griffith Lake. I didn't mind quite so much about the dead camera batteries because there's more of a breeze, so any photos of the lake wouldn't have been as nice as on a calm day. I was walking along and there were more leaves falling today because of the breeze. I got to feeling very generous and decided to let any leaves that fall on Goosebump The Snow Princess' belly and don't fall off, be counted as a true leaf catch just the same as if she caught it by hand. (She's 8 months pregnant) :-))) She could give me plenty on leaf catching competition with that big belly and she wouldn't even have to move from her chair. Oops, why do I say things that I know I'll have to pay for later?? :-))) My next climb was up to Baker Peak.I got to the summit and found a rock that fit my body pretty well, so I laid down and ate lunch while I enjoyed the views and the nice breeze. I ended up being there for about 30 minutes before walking on. I stopped next at Lost Pond Shelter. I checked the register and saw where Mrs Gorp had been through here a month ago. She better get moving or I'll catch up to her. I signed the register, used a couple more smiley face stickers and walked on. It was only a couple miles to Big Branch Shelter. That shelter is right on the Trail, so I stopped and signed that register. That was three shelters I passed by in just 12 miles today. I saw I was going to be early at the road that Mrs Gorp was picking me up at, so I slowed down even more. The breeze was blowing and the leaves were falling and I was catching a record amount of them. Ended up the day with a final count of 43 leaves....and leaf #14 almost hurt me because I had to chase it down and almost fell. This is where I should warn would-be leaf catchers...it CAN be a dangerous game, so take precautions. :-))) Anyway, I finished walking out to Danby-Langrove Rd and was about 45 minutes early. I spent most of that time stretching and some of the time was spent chasing leaves. :-))) Mrs Gorp showed up right on time again. I got in the car and we headed back to her house. I had just enough time to check my email and take a shower before the three of us headed out to Rutland for dinner at a local steakhouse. Mrs Gorp has informed me that I have to go tomorrow...vacate, vamoose, walk on and don't come back....and there's a 90% chance of rain too. :-((( I guess they didn't like my adoption idea. ;-))) We went shopping after dinner and I resupplied with enough to get me to N Adams, Mass in about 4 days. I can't thank my very dear friend, Mrs Gorp and her husband, Larry, enough for fattening me up before they tossed me back out into the forest to fend for myself again. Like I said Mrs Gorp....if you ever need anything, just call. Thanks!!! :-)))