Date: 2012-06-26
From: Melvin Nauheim Shelter

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: light rain

Wet. It rained all night and was foggy and cold this morning. I got up around 5am as usual, and started the breakfast and dressing process, but it was just too cold to get out of my sleeping bag. By 6:30, my usual start out time, I was sitting upright wedged against the shelter wall, still wrapped in my sleeping bag, and actually dozed off again! When my shelter mates woke up and started stirring I woke again and had another breakfast, but still couldn't separate myself from the bag. Finally I accepted that I was not going to get my 10+ miles in today and got the maps out to rethink. The next shelter was almost 6 miles, with a possible camping spot at water about 10 miles, that might be a possibility if the day turned out dry.Well dry definitely did not happen. My first mile or so was steep downhill to the road to Bennington, Vt. I was very tempted to go into town for the night, and a warm dry bed, but looking at the profile map, the uphill on the south side of the road was even steeper that what I had come down, and if I went into town here I'd be coming back out with 5 or 6 days of supplies and a heavy pack. Call me a wimp if you wish, but for it's a testament to how steep and rocky the ascent was that it wasn't even worth the warm dry bed and shower!By the time I reached the road it was raining lightly again, and as I very carefully and slowly picked my way up the half mile of steep rock steps the thunder started up again, and heavier rain soon followed. Today Vermont lived up to it's mud reputation. I hiked less than 6 miles today, but the last 3 or so were just a sheer mud slog. I gave up trying to keep my feet dry early on, but towards the end of the day gave up even trying to step on rocks to avoid the deep mud. By the time I reached Congdon shelter i was soaked to the skin and ready to be warm and dry. I usually try to keep my wet hiking clothes on for a couple of hours after I arrive at camp/shelter at night, just to let my body heat dry out the worst of the wet, but that just wasn't happening today.  I stripped right off and got into my dry nightgear and jacket as soon as I could. That and a hot cup of tea made the day much better.I have a couple of options for tomorrow depending on the weather. I'm told the forecast is for more cool and wet the next couple of days. I have enough food for one more day out, then could go into town early the next and make the most of a town day and only spend one night, but if it is miserable and cold tomorrow morning again, then I also have an option for a short day to again to get me halfway. We'll see what the weather brings.I'm on a top bunk in the shelter tonight and the roof is about 8" above my head. If it rains again tonight I just have the to hope the roof doesn't leak.The really good news of the day is that apparently I am dropping weight, or at least inches quite rapidly. When I tried out my regular backpacking clothes back at home, I could not get the snap fasteners on my hiking skirt done up comfortably so I added a couple of velcro fasteners to allow for my expanded waistline, and have been wearing the skirt that way for the past couple of weeks. This morning, while dressing in the sleeping bag, I pulled on the skirt, and did it up automatically without paying attention, and to my surprise hear the comforting 'pop' 'pop' of the snap fasteners closing. Nice!