Date: 2007-09-01
To: Sherbourne Pass Trail
Miles today: 14.0

mi. 14sleep hammockdest. Stealth site up the Sherbourne Pass Trail across the street from the Inn at the Long Trail day 51 The views last night and this morning were spectacular. We woke up just in time to get up to the deck on the roof in time to see the sun come up. It was already getting light, but the best views were coming out. This has to be one of the best places with the best views on the AT in Vermont. Killington peak, which is higher, was socked in this morning and a little last night. So higher isn't always better. I headed south. The trail is really easy through here. There is still lots of switch backs, which isn't a bad thing. The only thing I don't like about them is that it is hard to tell which overall direction you are headed in. I like to look out and see the bump that I am going to have to hike over. I did meet someone I had heard about today. I ran into our good hammocking buddy Michele's former hiking partner Persistant today. She is still making her way up north. No I didn't peach the hammock gospel to her, I figured she had heard enough already. :} I had a good quick talk with her and her hiking partner and went about my way. I was going to take a swim break in a pond today, yet again the pond was more of a lake. But I got to the stop were the trail crossed it and there was a wedding party there taking pictures. I think there is a park or banquet hall there. They were all dressed up and I didn't want to be that guy. I did get a picture of them from a distance. I think they were all farmers. The men in the wedding party had cowboy hats on. Oh and there was also sheep and other farm aminals walking around. It was a pretty strange site. And I even grew up in farm country Ohio. After that I was all about the deli I heard about yesterday It was about 11 miles into my day and around 2, I was starting to feel the hunger. I got to the road. I walked about a about a half mile down and saw a store. No deli, but they did have ben and jerrys. I scored the new flavor Vermonty Python. The guy at the counter said the deli was a .25 miles down the road the one I was walking down intercested with. So I went down there. I decided to get 2 subs, one for now and one for dinner. They also had a decent liquer store. Now there is no way I would carry this for any distance if I was not basically doing a half day resupply. But the $6 cheap bottle of champain was looking really good. So I figured why not. If I stopped with someone else, they would be in for a treat. I sat on in front of the store and eat. The Ben and Jerry's flavor was probibly one of my top 3 favorite so far. Coffee with choclate and carmel. After all of that I had the fun road walk back to the trail. I could have resupplied there enough t make i to mancester center i                                                                        Right after I got back onto the trail, it went through a state park. The best part of the park was the coiin operated showers. $1 for a 10 minute shower is not bad at all. I also washed out my hiking clothes, they were getting a little bad. I figured this would save me the time and money of doing it in Rutland tomorrow. In the end the only downside was wearing my wet shorts until they dried. I should have worn my wet hiking shirt, but I really didn't want to deal with it. It was getting a little chilly. I can forsee me paying for this one tomorrow. No way it is going to dry out tied to the back of my pack now. Taking a shower and doing my laundry there reminded me of the classic hiker jokes. What's the difference between hikers and the homeless, Gortex. Or the only difference between hikers and the homeless is where we sleep. Either way I consider the term hiker trash a compliemt. A little bit of AT/Long trail history. The LT was the first long distance trail in the country. The AT and LT overlap for the last 100 miles or so in VT. I am just about where they meet up. Up until 2000 they connected and ran right past the Inn at the Long Trail. Then it got rerouted around. I heard it was because of some ski resort. The old trail is still there. It is a blue blazed trail called the Shourboune Pass Trail. Named for the pass between 2 mountains it goes through. Funny thing is that Presistant suggested it to me. I already had made up my mind after looking at the map and talking woith freebird last night. The trail from where it split off the AT to the Inn was actually reministant of ME. Lots of large rocks to walk across or around. Really different from almost everything else I have seen in VT so far. I got to the Inn. There are lots of soigns not to put your packs in front or in it until you check in. I went around to the side, but could not find the wood sheld I was told about to put my pack in. So I just stashed it in the bushes. I really don't think anyone would want it at this point. I went in with the thought of looking around. Ok I really made a bad logistical decision earlier. This place has an Irish Pub, that I was told about, with good food. I should have forgone the deli earlier and went straight here. Oh well. I managed to only buy 2 pints. I talked with a couple northbounders. There was probibly 6 or so staying here. I wasn't planning on staying, but I would if anyone wanted to split a room. No go from anyone. Plus the Inn was full up for the night. I would have been fine sleeping on one of the floors in someone's room, but no one offered and I didn't want to be that guy and ask. Probibly for the better I left anyways. I could see myself dropping some cash if I stayed. I ended up walking across the street and following the trail up a half mile or so. I probibly could have camped really close. I just feel safer being were no one can find me. I went off the trail and down and over a couple bumps. It was starting to get dark at this point. I didn't forsee anyone going down the trail until morning. I managed to get setup and my food hung before dark. Funny thing is that this is my 51st day on the trail, and other than my $6 bottle of champain only my 3rd trail night alone. I really only spent 1 town night alone and one semi alone. I had wanted to get to a place were I could see the sky. I read at the deli there is going to be a fireworks show tonight. But no go on that. I did hear them though. Nothing fancy, but fireworks are always fun to watch.