Date: 2004-08-31
From: Big Branch Shelter 

To: Clarendon Shelter 
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

Start: Big Branch Shelter @0807Finish: Clarendon Shelter @2032Weather: Rain in the morning, sunny & cool afternoon.Breakfast: Granola w/ strawberries & blueberries.Lunch: Trailmix, Snickers, banana chips, cherry cola. Dinner: Whistle Stop Restaurant ¢ turkey grinder, onion rings, root beer, ice cream sundae.Trail Conditions: Several good climbs, lots of downs and flats. Muddy & rocky in places.Animals: Eft, birds, dogs, horses.People: Tangent (SOBO), Aussie Brian (SOBO), Freebird, Amanda, Page, Roland Irish, Holly, 2 SOBO hikers.It rained steadily into the night and then stopped, and resumed again in the morning. I left at a decent time again and after about 30 minutes of walking it started raining. I passed the craziest trail magic today ¢ summer squash and zucchini. How bizarre. Fortunately it only rained for about a hour.I caught up with Freebird and we spent the majority of the day hiking together. He is a really cool guy and a professional wind surfer from Hawaii. He has thru hiked the AT in 1996, the PCT in 1997, and is back for another thru. He started only two days before me, but I never ran into him until Waynesboro and not again until Mt. Greylock. Finally our hiking paces coincided.The rain passed by mid-morning and the skies cleared up. It turned out to be just a gorgeous day with cool temps and low humidity. Walked thru a lot of balsams today, which are so fragrant, I love their smell. I was in no real hurry today so I really stopped and smelled the roses. It was very enjoyable.I took a nice break at Bully Brook. I am experimenting with taking photos in black and white, and took some of the cascade. They turned out OK. I think the pictures will turn out better the greater the light contrast. We¢ll see.I rested again at VT 140 and ran into ¢Old Ridge Runner¢ a veteran thru hiker from 1986 and ALDHA volunteer. He, Freebird, and I chatted for a good 45 minutes and he gave both of us two sodas. Thanks dude!Clarendon Gorge was spectacular. The suspension bridge over it reminded me of the rope bridge in Indian Jones Temple of Doom, but it got me across in one piece. I took a lot of pictures and scampered on the boulders along the stream. The rocks have been shaped and polished into many unique forms.Freebird offered to treat me to dinner at Whistlestop Caf©, which was super generous considering I am totally broke now. We stuck out our thumbs and got a ride a half mile from Amanda. Thanks. Holly the waitress hooked us up with free drink refills and ice cream sundaes; how awesome is that!? Totally gorged we caught a ride back to the trailhead with Paige as the sun disappeared behind the Green Mountains.I night hiked into Clarendon Shelter and am staying with two SOBO¢s (who¢s names I cannot recall, but are friendly). They had a nice campfire going so we shot the breeze and I took the opportunity to dry out my boots, super feet, and socks. Unfortunately, the fire got a bit too toasty and burned a hole in the toe of my only pair of smart wools! DOH! I¢ll be walking to Hanover with some holey socks, but I¢ll survive somehow.Aside from the sock incident all was well today. Good weather is in store for the next few days so spirits are extra high here. New Hampshire here I come!