Date: 2006-07-26
From: Sherman Brook Campsite

To: Bennington, Vermont
Miles today: 16.8

Today was one of those days that even right from the moment you open your eyes you know it is going to suck. I woke up at 6:00 AM and said, no, I am not ready to get out of this damn tent...and again, at 6:30 AM and again at 7:00 AM...until we finally crawled out at 7:15 AM, very reluctantly. Even with the excitement of putting another state behind us...we were in no mood for this hike.My feet tripped and tramped over the trail today. I fell once while eating my second breakfast of a snickers bar. My foot sunk into the mud but the rest of me felt the need to move forward, causing a nice fall, knees sinking in mud.It was nice to be in Vermont. We saw a few more sets of moose tracks. But today was just not a happy hiking day. More of just put one foot in front of the other and don't think too much about the day. I do all this complaining just to show how easily things can 180 out here, even on your worst days.Swansons had sprung a slow leak in his platypus and therefore we decided mid way through the day to make a stop in town to get it replaced. But we weren't going to stay there, just in and out and up the mountain another two miles to the shelter.By the time we got down to the road that leads to Bennington, VT, I was ravenously hungry to the point of exhaustion and Swansons was just plain exhausted. SO we stuck out our thumbs and after about a half hour caught a ride. It was Swansons and I plus another thru-hiker, named Fred, who we met a few days ago.The outfitter was not able to help Swansons out with his water bag problem, which bummed us out and called for a beer and a good dinner of all you can eat fish and chips. Very uplifting. But, then came time to discuss getting back to the trailhead and even worse, the 1000 feet climb we had to the shelter. Ugh, my legs screamed! But, we knew it was best to just do it. Go and get it over with.We went to Stewarts down the street to get Fred his dessert fix before trying to hitch hike out. I was trying to avoid leaving at all costs because I was just too damned tired to climb that rediculous mountain, no matter how short.   Swansons was asking around about a ride to no avail and Fred and I sat on the curb, probably looking a little lost.That's when a big old black Suburban came pulling up next to us. The woman inside asked if we were thru-hikers and if she could do anything for us. Swansons asked her if she could give us a ride to the trailhead. I thought, Oh well here we go, time to hike. But when we piled into the truck she began telling us about how she had been putting up hikers all summer-and she had a pool! That was enough for me. We asked if she didn't mind if we crashed at her place, and that is how I avoided climbing the mountain for the night.Ann's place was awesome. Right on top of a hill with an amazing view of the mountains. She had a gigantic yard that Fred decided he was going to mow for her. And Swansons and I got to run around with Trey and Zoe, her 7 and 5 year olds, on the trampoline and in the pool. It was very refreshing all around. Until the mower broke...Swansons and Fred were up until about 11:00 PM trying to fix it as Ann and I watched (a little nervous) from the deck. Before we went to bed it was decided a new part was needed for the mower..and Fred was staying another day to get it fixed for her. And of course, Swansons and I couldn't let him have all the fun...he needed a landscaping crew, after all.