To: Mass to Warren N.H.
Miles today: 0.0

Tom for Short's trail journal part 2Though I am keeping a day by day journal of the hike, I am going to attempt to summarize what I have been up to in the past few weeks.8/9/03Talked with Foxy and Hopeful at the shelter and hiked 11.2 miles to Shaker Campsite in a light rain.8/10/03It rained hard off and on all night and all day. Lots of swamps and ponds in this section. I stopped at October Mt. leanto. An 18.7 mile day.8/11/03A rough hike through mud and swamps, got to Dalton mass at 1:00 p.m. and checked in at the Shamrock Village Inn. Then I picked up my food drop and got cleaned up, not that I needed it!8/12/03Ate breakfast at the Dalton diner. Went to the laundramat, then hiked out of town. Got to Crystal Mt. campsite and set up the tent in a light rain shower.8/13/03Bad thunder and lightning storm lasted all night. There was a 2 inch deep pool of water under my tent and the only dry place was on my thermorest mat. I stowed everything in plastic garbage bags and slept in my raincoat. Later in the day the sun came out and I stopped and dried my gear on a rocky overlook. I hiked to Mt. Greylock and got a bunk in Bascom Lodge. Met some section hikers and had a real interesting evening. ( It is all about the people)8/14/03I had a great breakfast at the lodge and hiked out with a section hiker, named Ed and a thru hiker named "opposite George". We hiked into North Adams and ate lunch at Friendly's and Ed picked up the tab. I crossed into Vermont about 5:30 p.m. and walked on the long trail to Seth Warner Shelter at 13.2 miles.8/15/03A bright moon light night and cooler temps. The trail is muddy but easier than normal. I had a great view of Bennington Vt. from Harmon Hill. When I got to rt.9, a woman was selling hot dogs and cold drinds etc. I sat and had several of each! I ended the day at the Melville Nauheim Shelter. The air is dryer and there are fewer bugs! Today I hiked 13.1 miles8/16/03The morning seemed to drag, but I made good time to the Geddard Shelter where I stopped for lunch and then went on to Kid Gore Shelter for the night. The forcast called for severe weather, but all we got was a short shower. The shelter is full. There are a lot of hikers because the A.T. and the Long trail are on the same path.8/17/03It's cooler today but I still sweat a lot. I saw my 1st moose tracks on the trail about 2 miles north of Kid Gore Shelter. It started to rain when I got to the top of Straton Mt. I stopped for the night at Straton Pond Shelter.8/18/03Ate breakfast on the trail. It was great to be away from the crowd.I hiked to the road and hitched into Manchester Center, where I got a room at Sutton guest house. I was able to get my bump box and mail and catch up on other things. Brown Bess showed up here along with 1/3, Scotland and Applejack.8/19/03Ate breakfast with Scotland and later hitched a ride back to the trail. I climbed to the top of Bromley Mt. and used the phone in the warming lodge to call home. The view was fantastic. I set up my tent at Griffin Lake. I love Vermont!8/20/03Climbed Baker Peak which had great views. Gnats are back and humidity is high.I spent the night at Minerva Hinchey Shelter with Buckeye and 2 other hikers. Mosquitoes are bad here tonight.8/21/03I hiked out early this am and hiked kown rt. 103 to the Whistle Stop restaurant for breakfast. I was able to hitch a ride back to the trail. I climbed to Killington peak at 4,235 ft. a tough hands on climb. I spent the night at Copper Lodge, a shelter below the peak. It was full! One section hiker, called "Doctor Gramps" who is a pediatrition in Calf., went to school in Rochester N.Y. and dated my high school principal's daughter. Small world! At White Rocks some one had built about 100 small carins, a strange sight!8/22/03Got down to rt. 4 and hitched a ride to the Inn at the Long trail, an old and quaint building. I got a room and shared it with Brown Bess. I did laundry and took a bus into Rutland to resupply and get a haircut! Later I had a couple beers in the pub.8/23/03Started the day with a hot shower and a big breakfast at the Inn, which was included in the room cost. Later I hiked through a nice area with ponds and lakes. I ended up at the Lookout, a cabin on top of a mountain with great views from a deck on the roof. Doe and Lyme and Paul and Sharon spent the nignt. Today was cool and Fall like.8/24/03It got down to 45 degrees last night and was great hiking weather , but I'm looking forward to getting my winter sleeping bag in Hanover. I had some great views today. Vermont is beautiful. I am in my tent tonight at Thistle Hill shelter.8/25/03Stopped at the general store in West Manchester Vt. and had brekfast. I crossed the Conneticut River and entered Hanover N.H. at 2:20 pm. I found Baltimore Jack on a corner in the center of town talking with a 2002 thru hiker, named John Kalb. John offered to let me stay in his room at a frat house which I accepted gratfully since hotel rooms were very expensive here. I picked up my mail and made phone calls home etc. I got my winter sleeping bag in my mail drop. Later I went EBA's Italian restaruant and then to a pub called Olde Nugget Alley and met several hikers there.8/26/03I hiked out town with a heavy pack and my bump box, went to the P.O. and met Chemo and Granpa Doc. and we had breakfast at Lou's. I got Coleman fuel and stopped at the Co-op and bought groceries before leaving town. I had a pain in my hip that caused me to limp, but it went away after a couple hours. I hiked to Moose Mt. Shelter and met Kung-Fu and two friends from Seatle and Sarah and Jason and her dad, Stumble Down.8/27/03Light to moderate rain all night, finally stopped at 6:30 am. Steep ups and downs got to me. I was pretty tired coming to Smart's Mt., where I camped in an old fire wardens cabin with Doc and Lyma and Kung-Fu and Stretch.I need some Vitamin I tonight.8/28/03It was a cool night. It's only 48 degrees in the cabin this a.m. and the wind is howling. A strange thing happened this morning on the way off Smart's Mt. A jack rabbit came out of the woods behind me and turned and ran up the trail a short ways and then came straight at me and ran between my legs and my hiking poles before it disapeared into the woods. Maybe a Jimmy Carter attack rabbit!After some steep climbs, I ended up at Ore Hill Shelter with Kung-Fu and Craig. We had a nice campfire.8/29/03Hiked down to N.H. 25 and walked 1/2 mile to the Hikers Welcome Hostel in Glencliff. I set my tent up in the back ward with Brown Bess. The post office is in a house across the road and a pay phone is mounted on the exterior wall of another building by the road. It rained hard all night and the floor of the tent is wet. I left my sleeping bag and gear in plastic bags and slept in my rain gear.8/30/03Spent the morning drying gear. I hitched a ride into Warren with Brown Bess and the buddie who has a car here. We ate breakfas and by the time we got back it his getting late and I decided to stay another night. It got down to 55 degrees at night.