Date: 2015-07-15
From: Mark Noepel Shelter

To: Roaring Branch
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: light rain

I am in Vermont! Two feelings on this:1. Yay! Another state to explore!2. Dismay! Another state gone!Massachusetts went by so fast... How does this keep happening?! I also passed the 1600 mile mark this afternoon. That means that I have less than 600 miles left of the AT to hike before I summit Katahdin.This morning was gloomy again, and I was treated to another drizzly shower as I began the ascent to Greylock (which is the highest peak in Massachusetts). As I climbed in elevation, heading into the dense morning fog, the biome around me changed. I hiked along, squishing through the mud. I passed a pond and could barely see a cabin on the opposite shore through the dense moisture. Deciduous trees morphed into conifers. Needles covered the forest floor. Spiny spruces and friendly firs scented the air. I love that smell.It was like being in Maine! The only difference was that the moisture surrounding me lacked that salty ocean scent. It made me miss Schoodic, the peninsula section of Acadia National Park where I have served as an intern twice now, with Trail Mentor Alexa and Ranger Kate. Luckily, I have been invited back again this fall, to intern again after I complete my hike. It will be AWESOME because there is a mountain on the peninsula which I can hike EVERY DAY if I want.I think that working at the park again will be good for me. It will help me adjust back to civilized life. Not that I ever intend to be very civilized. I do plan on resuming the practice of showering regularly though. I do miss that... tonight I shaved my legs in a stream. After I scrubbed off a thick crust of dried mud. I AM ALWAYS GRUBBY. SO GRUBBY.Anyway, the forest was gorgeous and smelled so wonderful, and I didn't even mind the muddy bits that much, but imagined that I was slipping and sliding my way down the Sundew Trail in Maine instead of on the AT.I climbed up Greylock, slow and sluglike as ever, and was rewarded with an amazing view of... FOG. I could barely even see the top of the freaking tower! And the tower was closed, so I couldn't even climb it. These disappointments, though a bit of a bummer, didn't really bother me. Greylock is close enough to home that I can make a trip back someday. That is, as long as Connecticut continues to be the place I call home. Who knows where I might end up next (I surely have absolutely zero idea). Don't worry, mom, I'll try not to go too far.The descent continued over afell ple more small hills before heading down, down, down into North Adams. I passed a southbound gentleman with a big, huge, giant old pack, who asked me if I was climbing down Notch Mountain. He was heading to Salisbury after walking the Long Trail (which, from the Vermont border, coincides with the AT north for 105.2 miles. That's right, I am now on the AT AND the LT. Double trails! Woohoo!) I had absolutely no idea what mountain I was on (was I even near the summit of one?!) If so, it wasn't marked in AWOL's guide. I apologized for my ignorance and inability to help, but he seemed unperturbed and continued on after sharing a kind goodbye.The descent into North Adams kind of sucked. It was steep and slippery in some places. I slid and fell once (but didn't bleed!) As I hiked down, my stomach rumbled. I'd had oatmeal for breakfast (mixed with yummy dehydrated fruit from Auntie Becky), but hadn't had my morning snack yet. The idea of town was so tempting...I had just enough food to last me the 70 or so miles to my next mail drop. I figured it would take about four days. Thus, my food bag was fairly full and hefty. I didn't NEED to go into town. But there was a Price Chopper on the map, and the opportunity to eat something that hadn't been dehydrated or formed into a bar seemed so wonderful... Yesterday I was strangely craving chicken nuggets, but today, dreams of bananas and apples filled my head. Maybe I could get a turkey sandwich! Or salad! Real food!It was 0.7 miles from the trail to the supermarket, though. I debated whether it would be worth the torment of my poor toes to add that much road walking to my day.One fact about me: I am terrible at making decisions. TERRIBLE. When I started debating whether I should commit to attempting a thru-hike, I asked EVERYONE their opinion. "Should I hike the Appalachian Trail?" Was my most-asked question of the fall. It was like polling my friends and family, and making my choice based on theirs. Probably not the best way to do it... but it turned out okay, right?!I could not for the life of me decide if I should walk to the supermarket. Spend money and eat delicious fresh things? Or save money and eat not-fresh but still decent things? Going shopping is also dangerous because my hiker hunger takes control and I end up buying unhealthy things... like pints of ice cream, giant bottles of chocolate milk, and multiple large size bags of M&Ms (Waynesboro...) I am trying to get my eating and chubby buns under control, but grocery stores provide so many amazing snack opportunities!So I did what any responsible adult would do. I called my mommy. She is the best enabler. "I would do it." she said, after I explained that I wouldn't have another chance for an off-trail meal until at least Saturday. I promised not to buy any candy. It has been making an irritable beast out of me lately.I wandered the store for a good 15 minutes or so, trying to find healthy food to fill my cravings. The young man working in the produce department greeted me with a smile and gave me directions to the bathroom, where I washed my face, scrubbed the mud off of my arm from my morning fall, and filled my water bottle. I appreciated his kindness. I smelled rank and probably came across as a total nut, pushing Gertrude around in my shopping cart. If I came across me in a supermarket, before I learned about the trail, I would have kept a wide berth. But this guy didn't seem to mind at all. Yay!My final purchases included a bag of Caesar salad mix (with a $1 off coupon stuck on it! Jackpot!), an apple, two bananas, a clearance Healthy Choice frozen microwavable dinner (for some reason my tired brain equated this with a sandwich... all of the sandwiches looked horribly unappetizing), and a bag of Goldfish. I really wanted at least one junk food treat. It was better than candy, at least (I tried, mom, okay?!) AND IT WAS ALL ONLY LINE SIX BUCKS. I am a master of cheapness! I still can afford to buy pizza next time I stay in town!I sat out in front of the store (another nice guy offered to let me sit next to him, even after I explained that I smelled YayLY BAD) and ate half my salad right out of the bag. I put the other half in a ziploc to be saved for later. The frozen dinner (chicken Alfredo ziti) was popped out of its cardboard tray and into the product bag my apple had been in, and served as an ice pack to keep the lettuce cool during the rest of the hike. I ate salad and pasta for dinner. The pasta was actually pretty good. It even had spinach! I even still have an apple left for tomorrow.As I walked back towards the trail, a car pulled over. I was munching on my Goldfish and almost didn't notice. It was a woman offering me a ride! The trail wasn't that far, but when I am walking on a road, my feet are crying with every step. I was so excited, and rushed to climb in the back seat (she had towels down - smart lady!) without spilling my snack everywhere. Gertrude was quite full and heavy at this point, nearly at capacity with water and full of my heavy new provision acquisitions. I awkwardly set her upon my lap as I poured forth my thanks. It was a dream come true!She asked my trail name, and recognized me from my trail journal. She said that she had wished she'd known, because she would have brought some M&Ms. So sweet! I had to admit that I am trying to cut back, though (although there is no shortage of the dark chocolate variety in my trail mix this week...)She asked me if I thought I would be able to catch up to Chris, and then asked if it was weird to have a stranger know so much about my life.I admit, it's a little strange. But I love the inclusiveness of the trail world, and I AM posting my life on the internet where anyone can read about it.As for Chris, I woke up to find a Facebook conversation letting me know that he had taken a few days off to visit his parents. Coco and Magnus took time off with him, too! I am drawing closer to my bubblemates! This is good... I miss them.However, I am not sure if I want to catch them quite yet. I am really enjoying hiking alone. I have been doing lots of good thinking lately and enjoying my freedom. I am anxious because I know that the end of the hike is SO CLOSE and that soon it will be harder to engage in trail therapy. Like I said before, I think differently alone than I did with Chris. I think it's easier to find yourself when you're not following someone else.This lady was great. She was so friendly and kind, and told me that she thru-hiked in the past and tries to give people rides when she can. The difference in even not having to walk 0.7 miles back to the trail is amazing. It made my day.I thanked her as I awkwardly got out of the car, hauling heavy, unwieldy Gertrude onto my back. I am sure that I am nowhere near as interesting in person, but I'm really glad I got to meet you, Bagel Ellen! Also, I really hope I remembered your name correctly... I suck at names.I rejoined the trail, finding Silent Force packing up. Just past the last road crossing in North Adams, the trail passes between two houses. On the left, there is a hose with a sign inviting hikers to help themselves. On the right, there is a beautiful flower garden, along with chairs and tables, where Silent Force had stopped for lunch.I chatted with him briefly, indicating that he should go ahead of me as I was still munching on my cheesy fishy snack crackers. Then I had to climb UP out of town. I had been filled with a sense of foreboding, anticipating the ascent to be as bad as the prior descent, but it wasn't that bad.When I got to the bad weather trail, I stopped for a drink and was pleased to find that I was closer to the top of the hill than I thought. Yay!Of course, the bad weather trail indication didn't quite sink in until I started up a nice, steep rock section. I suddenly understood why that trail existed. It was a good climb... just imagine a landslide of huge rocks. That's what I climbed. Kind of fun, but tiring.Soon after, I crossed into Vermont! Silent Force was trying to take a selfie with the sign. I congratulated him on another state down, offered to take his picture, and asked him to take mine.I continued on, past the next shelter, and am stealth camping. Partially because I want to be alone, and partially because I want to average closer to 20 mile days this week so I don't end up doing too many terribly long days. I still want to be able to take a half day into Manchester Center on Saturday to pick up my mail drop.I was super lucky to find an established stealth campsite near a swampy pond. It is a gorgeous spot. Seriously gorgeous. As I walked back from the water to my tent, I felt like, "This is what the AT should always be! Peaceful solitude in a beautiful natural spot! Not sleeping in shelters surrounded by just boring trees every night."Too bad it's impossible. I am totally enjoying this spot while I can, though. I lazed about and read my book and puzzled over miles (where should i head for tomorrow?! Where will I be in three weeks?! When will I reach Katahdin?!) for a long time. The air is amazing here.Some details are missing, but that's enough for today. I want to drink in the wilderness some more before I nod off.I am thankful for the trail, and this beautiful spot. I am thankful for salad and fruit. I am thankful for my ride and talk with a lovely trail angel today. I am thankful for my sleeping bag, because it is already a little chilly. I am thankful for so many things, I am thinking of them all but won't waste battery typing them all. I am very thankful that I am adjusting back to trail life.