Date: 2004-05-14
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: VT103 (North Claredon,VT)
Miles today: 18.6

Log entry: 104Start time: 0800End time: 1545Morning weather: Sunny and muggy, Afternoon weather: Hot and humidEvening weather: Clear but still warmBreakfast: Strawberry CIB (Carnation Instant Breakfast) and OCPsLunch: Brownies (thanks Mom) and Payday barsDinner: Barbeque chicken wrap with friesTrail description: Not much spectacular about the trail today but just a general beautiful 18 miles. Little Rock pond is another splendid glacial lake, it just beckened to be swum in but it was still snowing up here last week. So although the air temp was steamy the water temp is still quite chily.I did cross some pretty streams. Bully Brook had some great cascadingwaterfalls. The best was last though, Clarendon gorge. The Mill River flowsthrough a narrow rocky gorge. Not quite what I expected in Vermont.People: EZ1Animals: A dead porcupineMoney spent: $8 for dinner at the Whistle Stop $43 for motel room.Complaints: It was super hot and muggy but it was really my first hot day on the trail. But I should not complain. I will only see a handful of warm weather hiking days the average northbounder will.Thoughts: I slept in a bit, 0700, and it felt good. The weather was warm and the rocks were slimy. So I moved at a mile eating pace, but not a dirt eating one.I passed 4 shelters today and found a couple of interesting shelter log entriesby "Andy and Pigpen" from New Hampshire. Andy is a math teacher and I am hoping to find an afternoon in the Whites to speak to one of his classes. First on April 26th at Lula Tye shelter then later in the day at Minerva Hinchey on the 25th. It took me a second to register but I just thought it was neat. I have read that in hunting dogs, if you hunt with the pregnant mother the pups are supposed to be better hunters. Sammy should be well on his way.On my way over White Rocks mountains I ran into a familiar face. It was hiddenbehind a Outdoor Research bug net and I did a double take but I recognized thepack. It was EZ1, the 81 year old thru-hiker. He is sectioning his way up anddown the Appalachain this year. And when he completes his hike he will be theoldest man to thru-hike the AT in a single calender year. He recognized me right away and was expecting to run into me eventually. I knew he was going to section this summer but I figured our path wouldn't cross again.He had been following me up through the Maryland and Pennsylvania and was gladto see me still out here. I mirrored the same emotions and sat and chatted with him for over an hour. The section he is doing now is Hanover south to Iron Bridge,CT. We chatted about his past and past hikes. In fact he told me the story of one of the 8 known murders on the AT. He was doing a section northbound from Port Clinton, PA area and met the murder of the young couple just south of Duncannon back in the early 90s. I forgot what shelter it was at but the shelter has since been relaced. Anyways he remembered the short chat with the suspect and passed the information on when a few days later he walked up on the crime scene and when asked he told authorities what he knew. He remembered the exact model of the pack the suspect was carrying which belonged to one of the slain hikers. They eventually caught the dude on the bridge across the Potomac river in Harpers Ferry. EZ1 got subpoenaed and spent a week at the courthouse listening to testimony and giving his own. It was a great story. But a cloud or two rolled in and we both got to thinking that we may have an afternoon shower, so we parted ways.The afternoon heat and long climb up Bear Mt made me think that an eveningshower of my own would be nice. I crossed the suspension bridge over Mill river and planned on grabbing dinner at the Whistle Stop a half mile from the AT. I started walking but didn't get far when a younger dude stopped and offered me a ride there. The food was excellent and I passed on ice cream for dessert due to the factthat I felt like a night at a motel. So I moved along up the road and withinminutes a passing motorist found sympathy and dropped me off at the CountySquire motel. Nice and simple, no cable so I won't get to watch the Piston'sgame. But I will get a shower. Which, in the end, is really what it's all about.