Date: 2015-07-16
From: Roaring Branch

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: overcast clouds

First impressions of Vermont:It's pretty.It's pretty muddy.It's pretty freaking cold.At least, cold this morning, and tonight. It is the MIDDLE OF JULY. WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE FALL?! The Green Mountains are so chilly! It took me an extra long time to crawl out of my tent this morning. I placed my vile hiking clothes (which were actually almost dry! I had hung them up on a tree branch in yesterday's afternoon breeze) in the sun to warm them a little before I suffered the morning ritual of putting them back on.I said goodbye to my sweet little stealth site (I miss it already), and hit the trail......and got lost. By that, I mean that I missed a blaze and ended up following a very muddy dirt road for a very long way, thinking, "Maybe the trees are just to skinny for blazes. Maybe they think it's obvious that this is the trail. There are so many footprints, it must be the right way. The pond listed in the guidebook should be right up here..." NOPE. No pond. I did find a nice little stream, where I spooked a deer away, though. It was was beautiful and peaceful, the water flowing along slower than a Red Panda hiking uphill. It was almost worth the outrageously long accidental blue-blaze.I was incredibly frustrated. How could I have been so stupid?! I had realized the lack of blazes but kept going for SO LONG. I don't know if it was because I was just tired and out of it, or if it was because I had been wearing my rain jacket to keep warm. With the hood up, my peripheral vision was obscured. No matter the reason, it was kind of a dumb mistake. Oh well. Eventually, I found my way back to the trail.My detour had been muddy, though. I had ended up sinking BOTH feet in it enough to drench my socks. Like my shorts and underpants (both blissfully dry today, my recovering butt is happy to announce), wet socks mean chafing. The last few days have been miserable. My heels are rubbing and sore. I applied tape and BandAids this morning, but they still hurt As I was heading back up the Long Trail (instead of the wrong trail), I crossed paths with a man who asked if I was thru-hiking. "Congratulations on the accomplishment." He told me. I just blinked. I didn't accomplish it yet. He continued on, telling me that even though it doesn't seem like it now, because I am out here with so many other thru-hikers, completing the AT is a big thing. It will give me confidence in the future. I will think, if I finished the AT, I can do anything.I hope he's right. Hear that, mom? If I complain about my hiker hunger after my hike (I will), just smack me and yell, "You were Red Panda! You hiked the entire trail! Suck it up and stop eating candy! If you can hike 2189.2 miles, you can overcome the M&M addiction!"Rambling through the woods doesn't feel like a huge thing while I'm doing it, honestly. It is weird to think about how I will reflect back on the hike once I've finished. I do hope that it does make me stronger, and I don't just slip back into being the same old Danielle.Although this exchange made me feel much better, I still needed to call my mom to vent about my own stupidity (she's a good listener.) "I just want dry socks!" I cried into my phone. Since I was running late, due to my mishap, I was trying to talk and walk at the same time. This was a bad choice. I entered a muddy stretch, trying to keep my balance with my trekking poles in one hand. They are so useful in the mud. I can test ahead for stable footing and buried rocks. I can propel myself forward like a double pole vaulter, or catch myself if a foot gets stuck and I lose my balance.Two poles in one hand is clumsy, though. I was struggling unsuccessfully through the muck as I talked. I hopped to the edge of the trail, clinging to a sapling for balance "I have to go," I said frustratedly as I struggled through the muck. Right as I said goodbye and let go of that little sapling to hit the end call button on my phone, I lost my balance and SHLOOP! Both feet ended up in the mud. I hiked off my depressed anger. Trail therapy! I felt better after a few minutes.Early in the day, I passed a flip-flopping couple. One of them was named Iron Maiden. I forgot the other name. They asked if I was thru-hiking northbound. I answered in the affirmative. "Lucky!" They said. "We still have like... 1600 more miles to go!"I replied with the honest truth... I was a little jealous. My hike is already close to ending. Sometimes, when I am hiking, I think, "I JUST WANT TO GO HOME." But then I stop, and I am fine. Soon, I will have to go back to real life, and I don't want that. I want more adventure!Vermont is really pretty. Lots of evergreens. Lots of GREEN. The state and forest are appropriately named. After a few miles, I passed another beautiful pond. The water level rose past my knees, built up by a dam to my left as I walked an overgrown boardwalk to the right. It was a little dangerous. Rotted planks thrust into the air as I stepped on unsecured ends (yikes!) Threats of splinters and ticks were plentiful. BUT IT WAS SO PRETTY!I arrived at the top of Harmon Hill and turned on my phone to take a picture. When I did so, I got a text message from my dad that Cindy's father had passed away last night. His last name? Harmon. Freaky, right? "Maybe it's a sign?" I texted dad back.I definitely believe in signs and weird supernatural forces a lot more since starting the AT. Seriously bizarre coincidences are commonplace out here. Magic comes when you need it. It is the strangest experience I have ever had, walking this long trail (get it?! I'm on the Long Trail now, too!) through the wilderness.Today's hike included descending to route 9, which leads to Bennington, a town I did not visit. It was a steep, steep down. Rock steps hurt my feet as the balls of my feet crashed down, over and over on the hard surfaces. Ow.I stopped just past the road crossing, past the little bridge over City Stream, for lunch. Yum, tuna and peanut butter powder (not at the same time, I'm not that much of a barbarian!) I turned my phone on again to try to call dad... but had no service. Figures.Then, after a big descent, I of course got to enjoy a big ascent. It was just over 10 miles from my lunch spot to my shelter destination, and it was mostly uphill. Yay! You know how much I just LOVE those hills. It's a good thing Vermont is pretty.Actually, the hills weren't so bad, except for the beginning (a SUPER steep climb up more rock steps) and the end. My legs, bulky as they are, still struggle to lift all of my body weight PLUS the weight of Gertrude. Together we are a hefty pair.At Hell Hollow Brook, I avoided a hazardous footbridge, crossing the brook by hopping rocks. Croc Rocket was there, getting water. I had to ask him to repeat his name, thinking first that he said crotch (who would want the word CROTCH in their trail name?!) and then thinking of a pottery crock, totally blanking on the ubiquitous camp shoes. Apparently he hikes in his Crocs.I filled up two liter bottles here, too. Seven miles left to the shelter, and not one more water source in between. Water is heavy, but dehydration is worse than having to carry more water weight. I am trying really hard to be more diligent about drinking enough, consuming enough electrolytes (my shirt has lines of sweat-salt crusted on it), and not eating too much junk. I think it's making a difference in how I feel physically, though I can't say for sure.As I made the final climb (more stone steps, aghhhh), the forest around me grew darker, denser. More conifers, again, and that amazing for scent that warms my heart. I hoped that the shelter would be in a nice spot - sometimes they are just in boring, ugly clearings. But, thankfully, this one is wonderful! A nice view of the sky through the treetops, and mountains way back in the distance.Silent Force is here, as well as Banana Bread, a very, VERY talkative section hiker (also originally from CT!). Cheap Champagne is hammocking nearby. Croc Rocket moved on to look for a hammock site.My body, so well rested Monday morning after a week and a half of slackpacking and SIX ZEROS (seriously, SIX!), is now back to being stiff and tired. My toes are also stiff and losing a little feeling again. 568.1 more miles, body! We can do it!I am thankful for this gorgeous wilderness. This is my HOME again for the weeks to come. How freaking awesome is that?! I am thankful that my parents are alive and well. I can't imagine if they weren't, and I'm not going to try because it will just make me sad (I used to wonder if my crybabyness was hormones or something but at this point I am just going to accept the fact that it's just who I am). I am thankful for another day to look forward to. Also for sleep. I can't wait to sleep.