Date: 2012-07-30
From: West Hartford VT

To: Hanover NH
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

This morning we were all awake and packed up for breakfast at the country store at 7:00am. Once we all had breakfast we started back up the trail at around 7:45am. The trail went on the road for about a mile before it went back into the woods then went up another mountain. About half way up and with 1.7 miles to go to the next shelter I took off out ahead of everyone because I was in need of the privy.From the shelter we only had just under six miles to go till we got to town and the last 2.4 miles of it are all road walking through Norich VT and Hanover NH. Hill Hiker and I got out ahead and just talked the whole way and soon we did the 3.5 miles to the start of the road walk and the rest showed up no more than five minutes behind us. We started down the road and came upon three different trail magics out in front of some of the houses. The first one was empty, the second on had watermelon, homemade banana nut bread, breakfast sandwiches, and candy, then the third one had homemade ginger snap cookies...thanks everyone for the delicious treats.We continued on down the road to Main Street in Norich VT then headed down to the Connecticut River which is where the border of VT and NH is. We all stopped and took pictures at the border then continued into the square of Hanover NH. Hill Hiker was meeting some friends from his church back in Arkansas at the square. We all talked for a while then a guy came up to us and said that he had a hiker hostel at his house and we could stay the night for $12.00 per person. We decided to take him up on his offer but we were not ready to go yet, we still had to eat and Ii had to get my new boots at the post office. He said he was close to town and we were to give him a call when we were done in town and he would come back and pick us up.Big Sky, Sugar and I decided to just go to Subway and Just John went to get some pizza. I then went to the post office and got my new boots but when Ii opened them they were the wrong boots. Merrell sent me a pair of very light weight flimsy trail runners and Ii do not like them at all. They have no boot laces just a bungee pull string and they have no ankle support whatsoever. I called them up and explained to them what happened and they said all Ii could do is send them back and once they get them they would send me the right ones. That does not help me at all, I can¢t wait another 14 to 20 days to get new boots so I just decided to buy a new pair myself, send the trail runners home and i will decide what to do with them then.We gave Steve a call when we were ready to go to the hostel and he was there in 10 mins. When we got there we settled in, showered and did our laundry. The rest of the evening we just hung out and relaxed. Hill Hiker then called me and he said that he booked a room at the hotel in town and said there was no extra charge per person and we could stay there the next night for free so that¢s what we planned on doing. Tomorrow we are going to get a ride from Steve to the airport so Sugar can get a car because today is her last day out on the trail. We then have a few more errands to do as well so tomorrow is going to be a busy day so we need this zero day. Now it¢s time for bed...night all.