Date: 2017-06-15
From: Seth Warner Shelter 

To: Bennington
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

6/15Bennington - Catamount Motel11.7 milesI slept well in my tent and woke up feeling like a rock star. My low mileage, high calorie day worked out great! I fetched my food bag and had a high protein breakfast, minus some smoothie I spilled on my tent. Whoopsie! I rinsed it off as best I could. That won't keep me awake worrying about bears, or anything. Sheesh. I might as well rub honey on myself. I got going a little before seven. The day was cool and beautiful, and the terrain was gently rolling and less muddy than Vermont often is. I went by several ponds, where I paused to listen to the croaking of bullfrogs. I couldn't see them but the calls came from all around the edges of the ponds, echoing across the water. Several times today I thought I heard voices, only to realize that it was bullfrogs when I stopped to listen. Too funny!My pack was nice and light with minimal food left in it, and with lots of water around me today, I limited what I carried to one liter. Of course this meant receiving new mosquito bites whenever I stopped to filter water. The skeeters are getting aggressive. I was surprised to find that they could bite through my sturdy pants. The permethrin is not a problem for them. My bug spray only works for short times as well. I haven't yet gotten desperate enough to use deet, because that cure is so far worse than the symptoms. We'll see, though. I got to the road a little after three. Trail angel Oneismus offered me a soda and an ice cream sandwich, which I gratefully accepted and devoured. We talked for a bit, then I set about getting a ride into town. I should have called for a ride from up on the mountain. There was no signal by the road. Instead I relied on my thumb and a smile. My backup plan was the 4:30 bus - which is apparently painted with cow spots?A mom driving her son to Grandma's house picked me up. Sid told me all about his school and a video game he liked as we made our way to Grandma's. Then mom took me the rest of the way to town on the way to run her errands. I found my way to the motel, showered, and collected my clothes to be laundered. Then I got a ride to the Dollar General. I managed to leave with only enough to fill my little daypack. Shopping for food is a fairly haphazard activity. It's hard to buy things in the right multiples, and most places don't have everything I want. But I managed to cobble together food and supplies for a few days. Next stop was the Madison Brewing Company for a blueberry wheat beer and a burger the size of my head. The burger came with cheese, thick cut bacon, an onion ring, and steak sauce. The server dropped off a pile of napkins, unasked. That's a good sign, right? I stared at the burger for a while, trying to figure out how to fit it in my mouth. Finally I shrugged and mashed it into a shorter configuration- but not before the concerned waitress checked to make sure I was all right. I guess most people don't stare at their burger first. The burger was delicious and juicy. I needed all the napkins. It came with fries, and I ordered a side of grilled asparagus because I'm trying not to die of malnutrition. At home I eat a LOT more fruits and vegetables than I manage here. The asparagus was good. I finished it first. I had thought about calling for a ride back to the motel, but when I left the restaurant, my feet just sort of went there on their own. I spent the rest of the evening sorting things out, separating a few items out to be mailed. And now I'm tired. I think it's about time for snoozing. I hope the gathering of hikers outside their rooms gets tired and goes to bed too. I don't begrudge their fun but I'd just as soon it happened a little further away from me.