Date: 2007-09-23
From: Bennington, VT

To: Seth Warner Shelter, VT
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

I have just made a vow to write the journal every night instead of jumping straight into my book. Problem was that when I got to the library in Bennington I had to recall the last three days' events. I think I basically got it right but don't hold me to the last detail if you are planning a trip. Today we planned a short trip of 5 miles to Congdon Shelter. Roy, Pooh Bear (Jan) and Happy Tails (dog) took us to the trail head in Roy's outsized and magnificent blue truck (Ford F350 with dual wheels in the back). You cannot buy this in NZ I don't think. A couple of years ago Dave and I were in Salt Lake City skiing and we rented a small car to get around. Well, the first time on the highway there were eight lanes and all I could see in the rear view mirror was a row of huge bull bars bearing down on us at high speed. Seems a man needs a truck! Or if not a truck, then a Harley. Americans love their motor bikes, specifically something with a deep throaty roar. You won't see screaming Jap bikes here. Every weekend you see flotillas of these huge motorbikes, the riders with grey beards and wispy long hair trailing from under their helmets, generally a bit overweight, getting out on the highway, looking for adventure. Then it is Monday and back to work! Easy Rider is alive and well in America. We got going at about 11:30am and got to Congdon at about 1:00pm. Plans went out the window as they so often do and we left for Seth Warner another 7 miles on. We climbed 920m and descended 663m in temps ranging from 11-26C. We are at Seth Warner now as I write this. Dave is washing. Lee has eaten his dinner and ours is nearly ready. It is about 5.30 and the days are getting shorter. We've been away from NZ for just over 2 months now. It is moderately chilly and I have my wind jacket on. Tomorrow we head for North Adams and a small re-supply.Apparently, 1st of Oct is the start of hunting season, one of them. We are wondering whether it will impinge on us at all. There are rare signs up on the trail to say no hunting but given the trail is only a few feet wide in places how practical is that? The idea of a bunch of trigger happy war veterans out hunting in the forest does not fill me with confidence. Better buy some "Don't shoot me" electric orange jackets.Our fitness has improved, I think. I wonder how long it will last after we get home. I have lost inches here and there but don't think I've lost weight. Dave has probably lost weight. As you get older the weight moves down with gravity and if you get hiking-fit it moves down further as your legs get stronger and you lose upper body strength! You can't win. We met Odysseus and Allgood. This was significant because we started in Katahdin with Odysseus and have obviously been going at about the same speed. He is about half our age. I suspect we are a lot more tired than he is. Also he may have taken time off the trail. We have not seen any more signs of Bonnie, who we also started with.I have to get gaiters for these running shoes as the dirt sidles down the back of them and I do not want dirt in my socks. Stream before Congdon Shelter Seth Warner Shelter