Date: 2007-09-02
From: 1.5 miles north over Stratton Mtn, Vt

To: Bromley Mtn Warming Hut, Vt
Miles today: 14.5

I woke up late and was surprised at how little traffic that come by. I was close to the trail and it was Labor Day. As I was leaving, I met a Dad and son from the local area and we started talking about the movie, SLAPSHOT(I had watched this movie at The Mountain Harbour B&B on 19E TN), with Paul Newman. I dont know why; but, had been saying out loud, like the Hansen Bros(in the movie): "yeah, old time hockey. Should we tape our knuckles, coach?"(in a canadian accent). I know, Ive been out here tooooo long; trust me, I know. I got going and noticed that my legs were sore. I was back to carrying a heavy pack like a man. This is a joke; so dont everyone act out now. The "little girls" that are carrying these little 15-20 pound packs are going to have a "rude awakening" when they have to start carrying winter gear up in NH and Maine. Even that 11 year old girl, Hailey, was carrying a 25 pound pack!(OK let the e-mails fly) I was partly carrying all this food to avoid going into towns to resupply which were kind of far off the trail through VT; but, also to prepare for carrying all that winter gear after Glencliff, NH. I kept going to Stratton Pound where alot of people were swimming. THey were all, "Come on in sothern boy!" I was like, "Hell no, I know that waters freezing. No more swimming for this "Wild Eyed Southern Boy"(I guess man, now that I look in the mirror). I stopped and ate a really good meal from a good spring next to the pond. No pond water for me. I got going and took some good pictures of the pond. Finally, a flat soft piece of trail. I made good time. I was going great when I hit Old Rootville Road. I took special attention to not miss the trail when it darted back in the woods. I did not want to miss it and end up down the mountain on this road and have to walk back up. Well, you know what happened. I looked over to the left at Prospect Rock and missed the damn trail going up to Spruce Peak. Please trail maintainers; put some good blazes up in these areas. Your killing me! So I noticed this about a 1/2 mile down the trail and set down and pouted and then cussed my way back up to Prospect Rock and took some pictures and talked with a SOBO and then made the up and down walk to The Spruce Peak SHelter. There was a group of about 12 incoming freshman and college leaders from Williams College and a SOBO named "RedBeard". I went and got some bad water from the spring that was a big puddle and sat and watched the college girls and really wanted to be a college professor someday while I sipped on some Crown Royal whiskey and ate some dinner. They gave me a good burrito and heard about a really cool warming hut up on Bromley Mtn. I got going and met "THe Artful Dodger"(AT Drifter, see "Red Dane's" 2006 AT Journey). I had heard of him and he was friendly enough; but, I just did not have the time; so, I got going. It was dark now and I crossed my first paved road since route 9: Vt 11 & 30. I then started the 3 mile climb up to Bromley Mtn. I did stop at a nice brook and loaded up on water because there is none at the top. It was a tough last mile with the wind whipping; me sweating; the temperature dropping; but, absolutely star filled as I walked the last .3 miles up a green ski slope. I went into the Warming Hut as I barely avoided a group of Outward Bound folks in the trail. Inside I said, "a thousand pardons for coming in late." The guys said for what? I said I was sorry about coming in so late. They said no big deal. They said they were out to see there buddy going SOBO. They asked my name and I said Zero and I swear to you: the nearly jumped out of their shoes, "ZERO!" We met you back at Neel's Gap when Otis was preparing for his southbound hike. I said that I remembered him. They went and got him as he was up on the SKi lift. When he came in; he said his name was now, "HalfBrew". We talked late into the night. We both lifted each others spirits as we are both of the same hiking mentality, "No Pain, No Rain". They had some local girl that had always wanted to hike the AT and they said come out and hike with us and she did, it was friendly. I did not sleep well. I felt nauseous from eating so much pepperoni and cheddar cheese.