Date: 2005-08-19
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: Vt.11 & 30
Miles today: 10.6

Started @ Stratton Pond ShelterDestintion: Vt.11 & 30Miles today: 10.6Total Miles: 1634.0Stayed in motelDay 161We were colder last night than the night before. The tent mayhave been warmer but we were in the shelter. I think it mayhave been a little colder, too. Once we started hiking wewarmed up.Pokey and Gumby were going into a lodge to stay tonight and wedecided that if there was a room we would stay, also. We calledfrom on the trail when we could get a signal and reserved ourroom. When we stopped for a break at Prospect Rock to view atown below, which we decided must be Manchester Center, Totosaid that by the looks of the sky we were going to get somerain. We had 5 more miles from that point and I was hoping wecould get to the lodge before rain came. We did not see any moose today but we did see some tracks in themuck--smaller ones than we had seen before so thought it mayhave been from one of the calves. When we passed the lake shore this morning we looked for them in the lake but saw nothing. The trail was nice until the last few miles when it got veryrooty and rockier. Our feet were feeling very bruised and sore. It seemed to take forever to get to the road.Pokey and Gumby were at the parking lot at the road where thetrail crosses when we got there and they got a ride with a manand his son in a jeep, so there was no room for us. We sawPixie and Pine Dragon at the parking lot--they were just leavingManchester Center after taking 2 days off there and were gettingback on the trail. They had left their platypus (water holder)at a shelter before Bennington. They had told a south-bounderand he told us he had put a note on it at the shelter askingsomeone to carry it north to them. We took it and when we gotback on the trail after taking 2 days off we gave it to UmbleDog at the first shelter past Bennington because he will behiking faster than us. But, since Pixie and Pine Dragon took 2days off, Umble Dog is ahead of them now. Anyway, now they knowwhere their platypus is. They said Poet, Scholar, Serenity, andFeelin Free were in Manchester Center and were planning to headout today. We thought they would be way ahead.After we talked to Pixie and Pine Dragon we started thumbing fora ride. Soon the jeep that took Pokey and Gumby to the lodgecame back to get us. It was so nice of him to come back for us.The lodge where we are is an old one with an interestinghistory. They serve a breakfast and a dinner every day andsince there was nowhere else close by we splurged and ate here. We had our reservations for 7pm and all 4 of us had the rack ofribs which we had heard were very good. And they were!! When wegot in earlier in the afternoon we walked about a quarter of amile down the road to a little store and bought a couple ofsandwiches and cokes for our lunch. This area has several ski slopes The mountain, that we willhike over tomorrow, also has one. It is unbelievable, almost, that weare in Vermont and soon will be in New Hampshire. We decided we will stick around in the morning for breakfast andthen the owner will be taking us back to the trail. When we wereon Prospect Rock I had a vision of us awaking in the morning topouring down rain and wondered what we would do if it WASraining. I hope we do not have to make a decision like that. Well, I have washd out our water containers and filledthem--ready to hike out in the am. This has been another mostinteresting place to visit and enjoy. We may go broke beforethis hike is over!