Date: 2012-07-10
From: Williamstown, MA

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

After reading this next entry everyone is going to think I'm being spoiled and this is not what they have in mind when hiking the AT. And you would be correct sir. My Aunt has wanted to hike with me since the begining when she drove me down to the trailhead in GA. Life keeps getting in the way and I moved further and further north until Vermont was where I was at. Did I say Vermont? oh yes, that would be because I crossed the border this morning too. So yes. I have a quick 18 miles fueled by the event I've been looking forward to for a long while. Besides the joy that it is to see my Aunt, who by the way is AWESOME, I also benefit greatly from the fact that she is not that interested in the camping aspect of this whole thing and wants me doing big miles so that I can finish sooner. Which means SLACKPACK. go to point A, hike into together, she hikes out, I go on, she finds trail up the way, hikes in , we hike out together. Yippeee!!! okay okay so that's not what is happening today. But you can be sure it's what I was thinking about the whole way as I climbed up the mountains, wound my way around roots, rocks, and swampy mud pits. yay! Water was the only issue of the day, having to take it from a bad tasted, heavily tinted, flowing from a stagnent looking pond source. used the back up chemicals, not trusting the sterri pen to handle this sorce.Highlights of the day were crossing the border and jpining with the long trail. And an amazing moment when a huge (i think barn owl) flew low across the trail in front of me and landed in a tree where I got a great view of him. He sat there searching the ground in hunt mode, the kept looking at me making too much noise with that blasted camera, I was scaring away all the game. I got 10 excellent shots before he'd had enough and moved along. The chipmunks in the area where quite happy with me and this is also hen I learned that they make a weird bird like chirp/screech when disturbed, Got a great shot of one puffing up his cheeks with it. Ah wildlife, trail progress, aunts. what more could I need to make today a great day. why don't we throw in a friend hiker I haven't seen in a while. while I was filling up water at the only water source of the day (all the other having run dry) Stats and his friend pooped out from behind the bushes. Yay and there was much rejoicing and catching up. Turns out that his friend had parked in Williamstown but lived in Benntington. Once they learned I'd have wheels at the end of the day, they tried to figure out if I could drive them down to pick up the car. I hedged only because I didn't know how tired my Ant would be after a long day driving up from VA. But alwasy game se agreed without hesitation which worked out well for all since they invited us to stay at their place. As always happens when hikers have wheels, we ended up shuttling fellow hikers around, taking Dickel and Byline back from town so they wouldn't have to walk the 5 miles. I wish I could ave offered them floor room as it was dark at the trailhead and they weren't sure where set up would be. But at least I could prvde a ride, it always feels good to have the means to help out my fellow hikers when so often we all have not much to give.Happiest moment of the day was when I heard my Aunt's voice calling hello from below as I came down the steep rock stair climb toward the end of the day. I realized just how much I miss home in that moment. Happy to be on the trail, but even hapier to share it with the people I love.