Date: 2018-08-23
From: Brimley Shelter

To: Winhall River
Miles today: 10.6

Cold this morning. I waited until I heard someone else move and make noise then I got up. Took a while but got out of the toasty sleeping bag. Packed up and put wet shoes on. Left at 7:30. About a mile down the trail at a rock with some sun I heated water for coffee. Then heated water for a shave and to wash my hair. A town day so no greasy hair, I needed some fluff. Took rain gear off and put my wet clothes on then headed the next mile to the road. At the road I hid my trekking poles and took my vest and long sleeve shirt off. I was in the sun and it was warm. I originally was going to go east to the Bromley Deli but at the last minute decided to go the other way into Manchester. I began to hitch when a vehicle from Manchester direction pulled in and dropped off some hikers. He signaled me over and offered me a ride into town. He owns the hostel there. He dropped me off at McDonald's and I thanked him. I went in and ordered the Big Breakfast with Pancakes...1,330 calories. The woman said I meant "hotcakes." I said OK. I ordered coffee with extra cream and one sugar. She said the standard for coffee is three creams and three sugars. I said OK, a little perplexed. She gave me the receipt and said I could go online and tell how wonderful she was today. Again, perplexed, I just said OK. Afterwards I went to Price Chopper then to the laundromat. While doing laundry my shoes were out basking in the sun in the parking lot. Inside was Beaver who I met back at Smarts Mtn. He had caught up with his dad who also is hiking the trail. Before leaving town I went and got a quarter pounder at McDonald's before heading out. I had another clerk. I walked out of the town of outlet stores and a car stopped. Hiker Gnome, who hiked in 2017, offered me a ride back to the trail! She is from Helen, Georgia, which is right near the trail and said to call if I needed anything when I'm in the area. She dropped me off and I thanked her for her kindness. I retrieved my trekking poles then went to the road and waited for traffic to clear. A truck pulled in right in front of me and asked if I needed a ride to Manchester. I said no but told them how grateful I was for them stopping and asking. I got across the busy road with no problem. I was very happy for the rides today and I was back on the trail and it was only 12:15! The trail climbed but was steady. A woman in her late 60's came hiking in the opposite direction and we talked. She hikes every weekend and lives nearby. Pat was very pleasant to talk to. She said the trail is bad near Stratton Pond. Instead of calling the state Vermont she said it should be called Vermud. The trail was good for about five miles. After veering off a dirt road I noticed it really got muddy. A young man coming the other way asked me when the mud ended. He seemed depressed with the situation. I was glad to give him a good report that it's just a few minutes to better trail. He said it was terrible for the last four or five miles. As I continued another young man came by. He is doing the Long Trail and it's his first solo hike. He was very upbeat. He said the trail is bad but he just walks right through it. I could tell because mud was nearly up to his knees. He also said four or five miles of mud. I kept going and was maneuvering pretty well around the mud holes. It was as bad as Pat and the two young men said. But as I got to the bridge at Winhall River at 5:45 my feet were dry and only about one inch of mud on either side. I camped within sight of the bridge. I had to dry out my tent as it was still wet from yesterday morning. A very good day indeed. Good to be dry. Tomorrow I think I will wear the empty bagel bags over my socks just in case the mud gets worse.