Date: 2004-08-02
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: few clouds

Today the sun was finally out for real. We learned this has been Vermont's wettest July ever, with 3 times the normal rainfall. Hence all the mud, which is like that of springtime here when hiking the Trail is discouraged. It is finally starting to dry out. But we have also been assured that today's section is muddy ALL of the time so our mud fest will continue.The first half was indeed muddy. To make it more fun part of it ran through a wilderness area where the undergrowth is allowed to encroach on the footpath, meaning more scraped legs.Finally I got to a drier section and on a sunny hillside eight miles in I found two ripe blackberries. By such a thin thread is my berry eating streak sustained. Later I also found some raspberries but left them for anyone else who is hiking for berries.Just after that while crossing a stream I slipped on a stepping stone and fell. The fall should earn extra "Technical Merit" points because I ended up sitting in the water with my legs tangled in an awkward knot and one pole underneath me, pinning my right hand to the ground by the wriststrap. I managed to shift my weight enough to free the pole, then got it through the brush until it was in front of me, then levered myself back to my feet. No harm done that time.Shortly after, the Trail led along the brink of a 3 foot waterfall with hard rock below and one pole slipped just as I put my weight on it. A yelp of sheer panic ripped from me as I frantically scrambled to avoid toppling over. Once I had my balance again I had to just stand there and take several deep breaths to regain my nerves. I would surely have survived the fall, but bashing my head on the rock from that height would have been nasty. When meeting a family of dayhikers I could tell my face was drawn and haggard instead of bright and smiley. I found myself wondering about taking tomorrow off to rest in town, but it was equally tempting to press northward instead.I got a ride at noon to within a mile of Manchester Center and walked the rest of the way then found "Sutton's Place", where I hoped to stay. It turned out to be a hostel in the owner's house, with the nice decor and furnishings worthy of a good bed and breakfast. I took my pack up to my room, then tripped and nearly fell down the staircase! I hope I get over this falling-down thing, it seems to be following me everywhere.I started off at a Scandinavian deli where I had a delicious pickled herring platter and a rootbeer float. At the local outfitter I got my bent pole section replaced, again for free. At the EMS store I got a new pair of the same model as the worn out shoes I have been wearing and gunk to waterproof them with. Then I did laundry and bought food, including a supply of textured vegatable protein as a lighter alternative to meat.I spent the rest of the afternoon resting and applying coats of waterproofing on my new shoes, went out for pizza, then continued the process until bedtime. I could not hog the bathroom to do this like I could in a regular motel room. So I would wet the shoes in the sink, then take them into my room to coat them and let them dry, then repeat the process. I was a bit nervous about doing it in a room with such nice carpet, but managed to keep it over plastic bags and confined the mess that way. Hopefully it will work out as well as if I could concentrate on doing a good job instead of avoiding damage to the rug or bathroom.