Date: 2008-06-07
From: rutland, vt

To: wintturi shelter
Miles today: 19.9

Woke up at the usual time and went down to Wal-Mart to find something for breakfast. They were closed so I went to the Price Chopper. I was contemplating doing a box of cereal, and then I came to the racks of fresh hot donuts. Sold. Half dozen for two dollars. Can't beat that. Big ones too.The donuts were my breakfast, morning snack and lunch.Got on the bus to go back to the trail. Actually hit the trail just after my normal starting time. Supposed to be hot today, so I started booking.That didn't last long. Just didn't feel like it. From about a couple miles in on I took a leisurely day.Got to Maine Junction where the Long Trail and AT split. 165 miles from that point to Canada. I've come a little ways. A little less than 500 to Maine.This section till Hanover is the one section of the AT I've hiked before. A lot of the trail was familiar, and part of me was bored with it, but another part knew where the easy parts were and liked that.Hit a state park and made use of the flushable privy and picnic tables for a snack.Some nice scenic lakes and streams for a while, and an awesome cascading waterfall. Then it was back to the hills. Had a 1200 foot climb up a mountain. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but it was over a freaking mile which made is steep, and it was getting hot out. I actually stopped about five times on the uphill for quick pauses. I never do that. Even the 2000 feet up Killington I never stopped. It was going to be one of those days.Word of the day: HOT.Over the ridge and down to a shelter for lunch. Saw my signature in the register from when I was there last year. Kinda neat. I was eating lunch when who should roll up but Indian Summer {formerly Dr. Small Pot}. He had been ahead since Hot Springs, and I never thought I would catch him. Really cool guy and funny. Great to talk to. We chilled and talked for over an hour, when we decided it might be a good idea to get rolling.It was getting insanely hot and just draining my energy. Still travelling somewhat quick, but it just sucked. Drank a gallon of water on the trail today. Most cool days its a liter.Passed a logging operation. They had some BS notice up about how their bulldozing and destroying the forest was helping it. S. Pot said he stabbed the sign with his trekking pole.Got to an overlook. It was a cabin with a rickety ladder going up to a platform on the roof. It was extremely hot out and the sweat was just pouring off me. I climbed to the platform above the top of the mountain and just laid on it for twenty minutes letting the wind whip past. Felt great.Decided I might as well get moving and arrived at the shelter an hour later.Had no energy at all. Wanted to go further than the next shelter, but I just couldn't do it. Mockingbird and Little Miss Sunshine were at the shelter, and Indian Summer caught up. We all talked for a long time and eventually Indian Summer decided to press on. Too bad. I should be seeing him again though. He borrowed my backup water purification since his steripen broke.Had dinner and talked with the girls a bunch. Little Miss Sunshine gave me some food she didn't want to carry any more. Didn't object. I also mentioned my canister was almost empty, and she later presented me with an extra she had found in a hiker box and said she didn't need. Great.Will probably try to pass through Hanover tomorrow if the day isn't too brutal {supposed to be 93}. Would like to pass through later in the day so I can get a large pizza. We'll see what happens.