Date: 2014-06-25
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 11.7

We shared the campsite with a few younger college aged students who were training to take younger children outdoors later on in the summer. In the morning as one of these students came up from the creek, that was about .1 downhill. She told us that a moose and her cub were down by the creek. Instantaneously and simultaneously 4 of us thru-hikers grabbed our phones and headed towards the creek to see our first moose. But, false alarm. They must have taken off before we got there, either the noise or the smell of several hikers coming closer drove them away. Too bad, maybe soon?I had a mail drop to get in Bennington, Vermont. Unfortunatley this town is over 5 miles off the AT, and sometimes a hitch is the only way in. I wanted to stay near Finn and Dorothy for the morning knowing that they were heading to town as well and hitching with 3 might be easier/less work. The southern end of Vermont is pretty, not that rough and kinda muddy. They nickname this state "Vermud" due to just that. But I traversed it just fine even though the final half mile down to the highway was steep and rocky with a small misstep possibly leading to a big injury. Luckily it wasn't wet. When I arrived at the trail head at VT9, I start to walk across the state highway to the parking lot and I see I gentleman get out of his car and open the back hitch to his Mazda SUV. Trail magic! Yes! A blue cooler of Gatorade, sodas, and snacks. The mans name was Steve, a local guy who is almost retired from Energizer, but spends most of his spare time helping hikers get into town for their needs. After chatting with Steve for a few minutes Finn and Dorothy come out of the woods and there expert nose can spot trail magic a mile away by this time. We threw our packs in the back and off we went into town. It's just an in "in and out" thing for all of us......... or is it? I wanted to get my package, eat some real food, go to the library for a few minutes then catch the bus back to the trail that leaves at 3:45. The other 2 supposedly went to a dollar store for 2-3 days worth of food and back at the trail. I walked across the street to Friendly's, a restaurant chain known for burgers and ice cream, but didn't realize how expensive they had come. Ughhhh. Probably left there hungrier than when I arrived. However when I was there eating, Steve came in and handed me his number, and told me to call him when I was ready for a ride. So that took care of my shuttle back, one less thing to worry about.I hit the library for about an hour then walked outside to the convenient store for my new "need" of Muscle Milk, and coconut water. As I was going to call Steve a nice gentleman asked me if I was heading back to the trail, I obviously said yes, and the next thing I know I was throwing my pack on top of his golf clubs in his working, windowless van heading back towards the trail. Then, the rain started. When I got dropped off 5 miles back out of town and to the trail the rain got heavier, but I sought refuge underneath the info kiosk in the parking lot. I waited for the rain to let up, but it didn't seem to cooperate. A familiar looking SUV came back to the parking lot and sure enough it was Steve. I jumped in his vehicle and we sat chatting while the rain pounded harder and harder outside. Now it's getting late and the lightning storm soon begun. A quick decision led me to head back to town and spend the night at the Catamount Motel that Steve refers hikers to. (DO NOT go to the Autumn Inn! It is closer to the trail head but the rooms smell and the owners are not friendly, Steve and others have been trying to get AWOL to take that place out of the guide book for years now. Stay at the Catamount, they love the thru-hikers) So I grab my pack and my poles but the poles are not there! What? Where can they be? The only thing I could think of is that I left them in the windowless working van. Sigh. What is it with these poles? The bad thing is I have my GoPro Stickpic on my right one, and that would seem more valuable than the poles themselves. On to the motel as I feel more comfortable about my decision to call it a night. I can get my pack reorganized and dry some things up. Sometimes that is better than shower and laundry. What a trail angel Steve is. One of the best on the entire AT as far as I'm concerned. He plans to retire in a few years and hike the AT himself. I'm sure he will get treated very well when he does, paying it forward in advance! SOTD, Not Unusual, -Tom Jones