Date: 2016-06-17
From: Thistle Hill shelter 

To: Stowe, VT via Hanover, NH
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: heavy intensity rain

****(Welcome to the first entry of my journal after my long hiatus! I summitted Katahdin on July 14th, after a wonderful journey through New Hampshire and Maine, and am now happily back home. Right in Eastern Vermont, my phone's screen protector suffered an impact that made hitting "l," "p," "o," and "backspace" nearly impossible, which made journaling incredibly frustrating. So I stopped. I kept notes for every day, and now, back at my computer, I plan to flesh them all out into full entries over the next week or so.)****I woke up earlier than everybody else this morning - tends to happen when you're the only thru-hiker - and tried to pack up quietly. The boy scouts were up and making a ruckus soon enough. I availed myself of the privy, which is usually not worth a mention, but the privy at Thistle Hill - called the Cloudland Privy - is a tall hexagonal tower with wraparound screened-in windows. Very swish. I moved quickly over the bumps of Vermont down towards West Hartford. The trail in Eastern Vermont has been unlike any other on the AT, and very beautiful. The trail cuts through wide open pine forest, when there is as much as thirty feet between trees. The trail disappears, and you are left picking your way from blaze to blaze over a soft bed of red pine needles below your feet. I descended a final hill and hit the road leading into West Hartford, Vermont. Walking down towards the White River, I noticed the cars flying by up on the opposite hillside on Interstate 89. I have traveled that road countless times on my way to Stowe, Vermont, and even recognized the white-and-green Hartford public library, which I have seen from the highway but never been up close to. I walked across the bridge over the White River, and was looking down into the lovely water when I heard a bell ringing. I looked over to see one of the scout leaders from last night ringing a bell on the front porch of a house across the road, and I was reminded of Jeff Taussig telling me that there is a family in West Hartford that "won't let a single hiker pass without feeding them something."I hurried over to find Dill sitting on the porch along with the scout leader, who identified himself as "Merlotrin PM." I was quickly met by Mrs. Hart, who lives there. She immediately handed me a plate of scrambled eggs with cheese and ham, a cup of piping hot coffee, and a toasted muffin. I couldn't believe it. I spoke with her adorable four-year-old grandson and enjoyed the morning with Dill, whom I hadn't seen since Harper's! I suggested that I wanted to go jump off the bridge into the river (a hiker tradition), and Mrs. Hart generously gave me a towel to dry off with. The water was fantastic, and I jumped twice off the bridge. I love jumping off things into water. Sebastien and Genevieve, the Quebecois couple, showed up momentarily and were treated to eggs just the same. As we sipped sodas from a cooler, Dill and I looked at each other with the "I could stay here all day" look in our eyes. But finally we managed to pull ourselves away. We thanked the Harts profusely and wished them the best, then headed off up the road. Only a block or two later, we were stopped by a woman in a minivan, who identified herself as Bobby and gave us each a snickers bar! She is one of Sooner or Later's neighbors, and asked me if I knew where he was at. Unfortunately I didn't, ever since he got off-trail at the Cookie Lady's house. We moved on through quiet Vermont streets and under the highway, then back into the woods for the ten miles between West Hartford and Norwich. I stopped to fill up water and lost Dill for the duration of the section, catching her just as we stepped out onto Elm street, which leads down into Norwich. Bobby had called this street "Trail Magic Alley," and when we found a cooler filled with fresh watermelon slices and homemade banana bread, we were not disappointed. We continued down into town and stopped in at a little grocery store in Norwich to grab a drink before beginning the long roadwalk across the river into Hanover. The day was hot and gorgeous, and we walked excitedly towards our second-to-last state. The Connecticut River was filled with boats and paddlers, and we stopped in disbelief and elation at the river pylon where a big sign proclaims the border between Vermont and New Hampshire! Wahoo!We pushed up the hill into the town of Hanover. It was reunion weekend, and the city was mobbed, but we weaved our way through the seas of green shirts and onto main street. I had thought that I would push on past hanover today, but the extended stay in West Hartford made me want to go no further. Dill and I laid our packs down and headed into Lou's, where we had heard tell of free muffins for hikers. We were offered doughnuts instead - even better! Then we headed to Ramunto's, where we had heard of free pizza. We were given a free cheese slice, and each decided to get our own full pizza and a beer. That's how they getcha, I spose. Entice you with a slice and you'll stay for dinner. A couple days ago, my dad offered to come visit me when I got to Hanover, and we agreed on a meeting time that morning. And so a few minutes into my pizza, my dad strolled into Ramunto's! It was so good to see him. He and Dill had in fact already met in Virginia, and bonded over being Canadian and stuff. The plan for the evening was to head back to my family's place in Stowe, Vermont, clean up and have some dinner. I had offered earlier in the day for Dill to come along, and she had demurred, but I offered again and she accepted our offer of a stay for the night! So we all piled in the car and drove to Vermont. Dad and Dill talked a lot about Ontario and where Dill is from and where she studies. Once home, I hopped in the shower before realizing that we hadnt turned the hot water on. Dill, being the polite Canadian she is, made do with a cold shower rather than ask if there was hot water. We threw in some laundry and we all went out for a meal at the Whip, enjoying the evening air and Heady Topper, one of my favorite beers. Then we all headed back and turned in for the evening. Tomorrow, we're on for a day of slackpacking out from Hanover!