Date: 2011-05-29
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Governor Clement Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: broken clouds

Heard barred owls chattering and calling throughout the night last night, as well as hearing that porcupine. It didn't get very cool last night. We sweated in our sleeping bags and had to wear the mosquito nets all night in order to keep the bloodsuckers from eating us alive. It was just us at the shelter last night. We were up and out this morning at 7:50 under partly cloudy skies. Hope it stays cloudy to keep the temperature from soaring. It wears us down to spent entire days dripping wet from heat and humidity. Again, the newts darted underfoot, lady slipper flowers cheer us on along bends in the trail, oodles of waterways to cross--from fast-moving streams to bogs, some have boards, some with rocks, some we just figure out the best way not to sink into the slimy ooze. About two miles into today's hike we stopped and chatted with a civil engineer(the woods are full of them, apparently!) who's out for his annual 2 wk hike of sections of the AT). He carries binoculars for birding, and a rather heavy 40 lb. backpack. It was a fun conversation, but the day was several degrees hotter before we parted ways. Crossed over a bouncy suspension bridge that is well-built, but so bouncy over the raging, wide creek it made us hurry over it. Two couples who were camping streamside for the weekend crossed in front of us. It was interesting to note that in their wake we could smell beer. Funny how sensitive our noses get. Clean, detergent-washed clothes, perfumes, food and drink smells are easy to discern out here. Just like yesterday, we passed several stone fences here in the woods, making us wonder what life was like for the landholders and their staff of years gone by. Heard grouse drumming and one even startled us when it flew out of the trailside underbrush. Had a very steep, boulder climb out of the gorge. Just past the top we reached a vista overlook where a mother, father, and college-aged daughter were just leaving to hike down the gorge. Hope they take their time figuring out the best way to descend. Finally arrived at this shelter, hot and sweaty, greeted by two cheerful, outgoing ladies who said this was day 2 of their AT hike. Boots, happy and laughing recounted their trail highs and lows; Scat, a psychologist, expressed her delight that they wouldn't be alone in the wilderness tonight--Scat is terrified of bears, and last night spent alone with just Boots to calm her bear fears was a long night for sure. Great ladies with good humors and feisty attitudes that will hold them in good stead as they deal with future trail challenges. Just plain generous, they cooked up a Mountainhouse dinner for Take It Easy! That's a great, well-appreciated way for them to drop pack weight! It was so much fun sitting around with them talking and laughing before turning in. Rambler, a thru-hiker who started from GA in March, stopped in to fix up a quick meal of peanut butter on a burrito wrap, topped off by M&M's mixed in with peanut butter. After his meal and some conversation, off he went. He has a long uphill to conquer before reaching the shelter at the top of Killington Mountain. Guest Rambler gone, it was back to just Boots, Scat and us sharing life-stories and hopes-- which kept us revved up til dark. We turned in, promising to keep our ears on alert for their screams which if heard, Take It Easy and I will rush to their rescue. Boots and Scat declared right up front that if Take It Easy and I hollered for help, they'd be quaking in their tent, and possibly clearheaded enough to try to summons help via their cellphones--what a hoot these ladies are!