Date: 2017-08-13
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: VT 11 and 30/Manchester Center 
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: scattered clouds

8/13Stratton Pond Shelter to VT 11 and 30/Manchester Center 10.7 milesTotal miles:  1650.7Becky awoke this morning to find that she apparently now has a trail name.  I'm afraid I inadvertently caused the situation that led to her new moniker. I didn't write about it last night, but we had a small misadventure with her stove. She borrowed it from Stephen, and I'm afraid I may have added a wee bit too much alcohol to its fuel reservoir last night.  It was already dark when we started cooking, and I filled her stove by the light of a headlamp. Everything was fine until just after the water boiled, when all of a sudden the stove became enveloped in a ball of flame.  Those who know me understand that mishaps with stoves are not an uncommon occurence, and I asked Becky to put on the snuffer as soon as she patted out the small areas of flame. Unfortunately, the snuffer had no effect, and my next course of action was of questionable effectiveness.  Specifically, I tried blowing out the flames. This had a less than positive response, as the alcohol flared up and lightly singed my beard. Except for smelling a bit like burned feathers for a bit, there was no harm done. The pyrotechnics actually appeared far more spectacular than they were.  I took my water bottle and wet down the table around the stove and waited for it to exhaust its fuel. No harm, no foul. However,  Becky is now being addressed as Torch. Works for me if it works for her. The rain ceased during the night, and we hiked today under a clear sky. The mud was bad early on, but there was not nearly as much as yesterday. We disturbed a little, green frog as we slogged by his home. One hiker commented on the state of the trail in these parts, maintaining that they were actually ponds supporting aquatic life. I commented that we should be glad that we are encountering a very muddy season because it gives us future bragging rights.  Apparently, last year was a dry year and the mud situation was greatly reduced.  We, however, can forever claim that we survived the muddy year of 2017.  I always told my Boy Scouts that you don't want everything to always go well, because then you will have no future stories to tell. That being said, by the third time my foot slipped into the slurry past my ankle, and I felt the cold, muddy soup fill my ahoe, I was content that I had enough material for bragging rights and was ready for drier trail.  Which we soon got. The last few miles to Prospect Rock, and the entire trail between there and Highway 11/30 were much less muddy.  We actually hiked for over a half mile on an old gravel road to get to Prospect Rock.  The view from Prospect Rock was beautiful. This being Sunday, we encountered numerous day hikers, as we also did yesterday.  I was again taken with how obviously clean they smell. I mentioned this phenomenon at the shelter last night, and Beanie had the perfect term for clean-smelling hikers.  She calls them Laundry Comets. No improvement possible on that term.  Becky and I made excellent time to the highway and relaxed in the shade until Gravity arrived. We then stuck out our thumbs. Within a few minutes, a woman, whose son thru hiked a few years previously, stopped and gave us a lift to Manchester Center. We had her drop us off, with many thanks, at Mountain Goat Outfitters. Unfortunately, Gravity was unsuccessful in his search for a new pack, but I was able to get the tips on my trekking poles replaced.  Manchester Center is a fascinating place with many shops.  Becky and I went to the bookstore, as we were told they had a public restroom. While the store front is small, the book store is huge, going back away from the street and up to a second story. I was amazed at how large a store it was and, as I climbed the staircase to the juvenile section, commented that it was magical like something out of Harry Potter. Becky then pointed out the four large banners hanging along the stairs: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.  Too cool. Becky bought a few postcards and commented that she could spend all of her time and all of her money there. After getting what we could at the outfitters, we headed for Price Chopper for a bit of resupply and then to McDonald's so Becky could get fries and a vanilla shake. I countered with a Big Mac meal and a chocolate shake. We then headed for Fireflys, a highly recommended restaurant/tap room. There we met up with two of my favorite people on the trail, Pippi and Mechanic. Pippi had texted me that they were also in Manchester Center, and that they very much wanted to meet Becky. We had a wonderful, often silly, time at dinner. We opted to eat outside due to olfactory issues, but our fabulous server/bartender, Jamie, invited us inside after all the other patrons had left. We stayed a bit longer and then Gravity texted Jen to come and take us to her home. Jen, a friendly and outgoing person, has very recently opened her home for thru hikers to spend the night. She is not yet mentioned in AWOL's guidebook but is in Guthooks. She treated us wonderfully, and I am presently showered and resting in a very comfortable bed. Coffee and coffee cake await me in the morning.  Jen and I talked this evening, and she is also a teacher of students with special needs. We could have talked all night, but hiker midnight (actually hiker 1:00 am) rolled around, and everyone headed for bed. We'll get a ride back to the trailhead early in the morning. Becky can hike for two more days, and we are heading for Wallingsford, which is twenty-five miles to the north. From there it will be in to Burlington to visit Becky's friend, Julia, where, for at least one day, I can be a Laundry Comet, too.