Date: 2006-09-10
From: Manchester Center

To: Spruce Peak Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I joined the fellas for breakfast at the Hound Dog Cafe. Chocolate chip pancakes with real maple syrup that costs extra just because its real. But hey, I'm in Vermont the home of Maple Syrup! The fellas talk about doing a 17 mile slack pack today over Stratton Mountain. I think they are starting to feel the weight of their packs and since they have a vehicle, they are devising any way to make it easier on them. I don't blame them. I, however, am making it a number one priority to get new shoes. I had my dad fax to the hotel my receipt for my shoes (that I had mailed home) and I will be at EMS as soon as they open. Then I will head back to the trail and I guess I won't see the fellas again as they will be too many miles ahead for me to catch up before they get off the trail. It's been a good time hanging out with them and I exchange email addresses with Hopsing so that I can keep in touch.They drop me off at EMS and I meet with Brian the shoe expert and we talk about what is going on with my feet. He puts me in some Merrill's and they feel like pillows compared to the concrete I have been wearing. My toes are really numb, so I am still not sure about the fit, but he seems to think it's the right shoe for me so I test it out in the store and then decide to go for it. EMS lets me store my pack in their store and they also clean my trekking poles for me. I take off to visit a few of the other stores in town hoping to get my jetboil stove igniter fixed and find a warmer hat. No luck with either one of those tasks, but I did have a good time tooling around through all of the outlet stores that this town is famous for. I stop by the Northshore Bookstore, considered by some to be the best book store on the trail. I don't know about that, I didn't even look at the books. I just stopped in to use the internet. I'd thought that I might update some of my journals, but it seems that the computer gurus at this store are as ingenious as Michael Harrell. I couldn't right click, or cut, copy, or paste a single thing. And forget about opening any attachments! So, friends, you will just have to wait for journal updates until I get to another town. I stop in McDonald's for lunch and then call home before hitting the trail. A nice woman and her daughter pick me up and give me a lift to the trail. I climb the few miles to the shelter stopping at Spruce Peak Summit to admire the view. This would be a great place to watch the sun set. There are two couples at the shelter, an older couple from NH out for a few days and a younger couple from PA hiking the Long Trail. The younger couple have trail names: Peace Pipe,the guy, who hiked the AT last year and his girlfriend, Llama. It's going to be a cold night and I am glad that I am at this shelter. It has four walls with a sliding door, windows and a wood stove inside! The older gentleman and his wife build a fire outside and we enjoy it as we all make dinner. During our dinner time conversations, I find out that the older guy has been reading my trail journal. As I am telling stories, he is remembering them from having read them online. How funny!!I'd like to bring the campfire inside as I am chilly as I climb into my sleeping bag. It's gonna be a cold one tonight!