Date: 2018-07-01
From: Claredon shelter

To: Yellow Deli Hostel
Miles today: 16.7

Big day today! Started hiking at 6:45am because i knew it was gonna get hot AF and i had to get up and over Mt Killington, a big freaking mountain. It was a 6 miles hike from base to summit and it was a bitch. I killed it though! Was passing section hikers and Long Trail hikers the whole way up, which felt amazing lol.I was really pumped to get to the summit because i heard there was a restaurant on top. A lot of these bigger mountains have stuff on top for all the skiers in the winter. Ended up being super disappointing though because it was like some upitty, over priced ski lodge cafe and bar. Their veggie burrito was $16! So ya, no thanks! All the people up there were so white and clean. They all took the gondola ride to the summit. We were apparently the only ones crazy enough to hike it in this 97 degree heat. I did happen to manifest some trail magic for myself today though! Early this morning, i was coming up on a road crossing, one of the only crossings for the day. I kept thinking there better be some magic up ahead, i need it today! So as i was walking across the road about to dip back into the woods, this truck goes blazing by and all of a sudden it pulls over to the curb when it sees me. This older, big white guy with thin framed glasses steps out and yells "you want a soda!?". He opened the bed of his truck and had a cooler full of off-brand sodas (my pick - Dr. Perky) over ice and then he went back into the cab and pulled out a case of peanut butter crackers. THE TRAIL PROVIDES! I met back up with Sky at the summit of Mt. Killington and we hiked the rest of the way to Route 4 and then hitched into Rutland, VT. While talking to the guy who picked us up (Dave), we discovered that the bride of a wedding Dave went to recently was Skywalker's geologist professor! lol Small world!We're staying at the The Yellow Deli Hostel tonight run by the Twelve Tribes cult! Excuse me, "intentional religious community" lol. So stoked to be here. As the evening roles on, more hikers role in: Me, Skywalker, Riddler, Twigs, Foghorn, Tarzan, Handy, Steady, Too Lazy, and Chip n' Dale. I don't know what i was really expecting this place to be like, but it's absolutely amazing. The deli is a big, restaurant on main street. It has elaborate murals on the walls, everything is made of handcrafted wood, and fiddle music is playing in the background. I feel like i just took a step back in time and am in The Hobbit movie. Right when you walk in they give you a free glass of their famous peach Mate' ice tea. Skywalker and I feasted. I got a banana almond milk smoothie and the most delicious veggie burger i've ever had to my whole life. Seriously though. I think they put crack in the patty. Or maybe it was the tea. The whole place is so captivating and the people are so nice. I'm hooked. The hiker hostel is upstairs above the deli. There's a bunk room for the men and a separate one for the women, and a sign asking hikers to not co-habitat lol. This is the nicest place i've stayed on trail yet. Everything is so clean. They even put little goodie bags on all the beds with a towel and welcome card. We got a tour of the whole place. Free hiker breakfast is at 7:30am everyday. Instead of a "hiker box" like most businesses have (usually a random assortment of things hikers get rid of), they have a hiker closet! In which i found a bottle of Ibuprofen and Jock Itch foot spray, two things i desperately needed lol. Skywalker and i decided that tomorrow we're gonna zero here. "Zeroing" is a day in which no trail miles are hiked. I haven't taken one day off from hiking yet, so this will be my first zero! I think it's gonna feel really weird honestly. i'm scared i'm gonna get a little stir crazy, but it's for the best. My body needs it. Fortunately, since staying at the hostel is free, there's lists of chores on the walls in every room that tell you what needs to be done and how to do it. Helping prepare the "hiker breakfast" is one of the jobs, so i plan on doing that early in the morning. Ended up hanging out at the deli bar with Steady tonight. Steady is a NoBo whose been hiking the whole trail with his girlfriend, but she just had to get off trail for a work situation and it doesn't look like she'll be coming back. He was gonna ask her to marry him on top of Mt. Katahdin! So he's having a day. Started talking to the guy behind the counter about my former life as a Jamba Juice GM. Told him how much i miss smoothies. And what does he do? Whips up a vegan strawberry smoothie on the house!! WHAT. Can i stay here forever??