Date: 2015-07-29
From: Prospect Rock

To: Manchester Center
Miles today: 4.9

Yes, it is a nero. And yes that means I have no chance whatsoever to make mileage even in the 125 miles per week range. And yes, I am totally fine with that!This morning I got up early again. I think me getting up early is related to temperature. It was warm last night, so I was fine getting up. The last few nights have been cool, which is wonderful for sleeping but not as enticing when it's time to get up. In fact, as of today, Vermont, and likely a much larger area, is experiencing a heat wave. The next few days are supposed to be in the nineties.I only had about five miles to hike before hitting the road that leads to Manchester. It is more than five miles from the trail, so it does require a hitch. I passed the shelter where everyone else was staying but didn't go down the side trail. A few minutes later, I could hear music playing. It was the hiker who has some sort of music device that looks like a fifties transistor radio but is probably some sort of iPod type device. I have no idea why he doesn't wear earbuds. Fortunately he was moving fast but it's still pretty obnoxious.When I got to the road and parking area, a woman in an SUV had just pulled in. She asked me if I was a thru-hiker and I asked if she was going back to town. It turned out to be Sherpa, Ice man's wife who slacks him a lot of days. She took me to town, right to the donut shop. Easiest hitch ever! And reassuring after my Hamburg experience.I sat at the donut shop with two Boston cream donuts and a large tea and it wasn't long before other hikers showed up. I chatted with the Moons, and then followed the others to another breakfast place, Up for Breakfast. That place was fantastic. After my two donuts, I didn't think I could finish Eggs Benedict or something similar, though they had various very appealing versions on the menu. So I got yogurt and fresh fruit and sourdough toast and that description doesn't do any justice to the great plate they put in front of me. Also, great raspberry jam! After breakfast, some people mosied over to the bookstore or the outfitters and I found myself a shady spot and called Gary. We are trying to figure out logistics for this weekend and I think we have a plan. Hopefully we'll have enough cell service to execute the plan. After that, it was time to test the next food establishment in town, so I crossed the road to the coffee shop and had an iced latte in the shade. Followed a couple of hours later by lunch at the Second Rising Bakery. Also quite good. By now, I was ready to move to Manchester Center, I was enjoying the town so much. It is the chi-chi side of Vermont, where well-heeled out-of-staters go to vacation, it looks like. There are a bunch of outlet stores here and they are of the Ralph Lauren and Eileen Fisher variety. But all the food places I tried were really good and there is a wonderful independent bookstore. I walked back to the grocery store and bought a smoothie on the way. I ran into all of the others right there. They kindly had gotten dinner supplies for all of us, and Adios, a professional chef, was going to make fresh tomato soup, salad and grilled cheese sandwiches. It doesn't sound like a gourmet meal, but I just ate the best meal of my hike so far. I helped with prep (Clover said my evenly sliced bread slices were very Dutch, heh) and now I am just waiting to have room for dessert: a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, included with our stay. We're all staying at Green Mountain House, which is excellent and has everything a hiker could want or need. Nice beds, a very clean place, laundry, loaner clothes and a kitchen well equipped enough to make a good meal in. And free sodas! We had some food left (what kind of thru-hikers are we!) and invited Jeff, the owner to come and join us, which he did. It has been a most excellent nero day, which I haven't had in quite a while. Tomorrow we go back to hiking, in 90 degree heat. My freshly laundered clothes will smell good for roughly 20 minutes!Open map in new windowWant to add a map to your journal?