Date: 2003-07-10
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: VT 9 Bennington VT (Autumn Inn)
Miles today: 11.5

Day 119 Avg Mls/Day 13.4Weather: Clear and cool overnight. Sunny to partly cloudy during the day. High in low 70's. Light breeze.Today's nature: Not a lot of wildlife today...no snakes, deer, etc.Falls Today 0 Total 4Woke up around 5 to a crisp cool morning. Had a hard time getting out of my nice warm bag...trying to decide when to get up. Drifter was up and packing early. He was off hiking by 6 while it took me until 6:45 to get on the Trail. It was cool enough for me to wear my long sleeve stretch top while getting ready and eating breakfast (pop tarts) Reminded me of the early days.The hike was good also. Today I listened Imus In The Morning on my radio while taking my time. When I started out I thought I'd do 20 miles or so, but after hearing the weather forecast for showers tonight and tomorrow, decided to go into Bennington, at least for the night.Passed one SOBO Long Trail hiker and a few more later in the morning...no thru-hikers. Seemed to have an appetite...stopped several times to eat a half pound of Famous Amos cookies.At about 10:30, stopped at Congdon Shelter for a break. Talked to a lady just out doing some of the Long Trail. She said Ranger Rick spent the night there...so he did not make it into Bennington last night as planned. The Trail wasn't bad today until the last 300 yards when it dropped down to cross route 9. It then became extremely steep with stone steps for much of the way down. There were some changes in elevation of several hundred feet prior to this descent that were fairly gradual. There were also some rocky sections, but nothing like PA.I waited as another hiker was trying to hitch west on route 9. He gave up and started walking. I then walked across and took his place in the hot sun.Within a few minutes, a nice young lady, Andrea, who was on her way to the post office in Bennington, picked me up. She has a summer job at a state park east of the Trail. Thanks again Andrea!I took a room at the Autumn Inn...a nice clean place with a pool, cable tv and ac...all at a special hiker rate of $38. That's the best rate on a room since down south.After taking a dip in the pool and doing some laundry, I took a shower and watched some weather channel. I really didn't want to take a zero here tomorrow, but I talked myself into it. Showers are to move in tonight and last through tomorrow afternoon. I also wanted to slow down and see if Charlie was getting back on the Trail soon too.After eating dinner, I took a walk downtown...about a half mile west. In front of a house a large flag hung next to the front door with a picture of a pug dog. I saw the lady in the yard; introduced myself and told her I had a pug at home. She had two males, one less than a year and the other over 8. The older one was about as wide as it was long. It seemed to get around alright but I still felt concern.Later when I asked a couple of young ladies where the library was they pointed it out across the street. It was open until 8 so I dropped in and used the internet. Got caught up on a few other hiker's journals. One guy, AWOL, who is around Harpers Ferry, sprained his ankle and is taking a few days off with friends. I haved turned my ankle many times when the foot steps on a rock or edge, but I seem to sense it quickly enough to avoid injury. It is kind of scary to think of how in a second one's thousand plus mile hike can be ended just like that.After the library, I walked a few blocks west of downtown. Never did come across Friendlys but got a soft serve cone at the local ice cream shop. On the walk back picked up a lemonade at a gasmart.Thought for the Day: Only in America do people walk for 5 months and 2000 miles to be in the wilderness and hitch into town to get out of the rain.