Date: 2002-09-16
From: Maine

To: Still Manchester, Vermont
Miles today: 14.0

Monday September 16, 2002 day 417:30 am It rained all night and it rained hard. Ended up five of us in that shelter and I thought for sure I would be alone in there. eltorro was there, I was surprised to see these guys come rolling in so late and dark in the rain. With five in the shelter there was all kinds of commotion and of course there is always one that has to snore. I woke up many times and it was just pouring down rain. I woke up this morning and of course it was dark in the shelter. So I don¢t like to disturb people, so I had breakfast and I kind of waited till daylight. It has quit raining now but the trees are full of moisture and they are dripping on me. Last night that first guy that came in out of rain was digging through his pack. I have to tell you, I have never seen so much stuff come out of one pack. Food, never seen so much, I mean they had the grocery store in there. The second guy too, same thing. But this guy pulls out and says I have got a treat for you guys, and we say, yeah, What? He said Beer, can of beer and so El Torro takes one and I said, well I don¢t drink, I was hoping you would have a soda to drink. But you know what? It was damn tempting, because I was out of water and Vermont has been dry for awhile even though it did rain that night. Plus it¢s my second day with no sponge bath and boy do I stink. I am telling you, it¢s unusual for me and not a shower since Hanover, last Wednesday. Met up with Flat Pick from Winston Salem, North Carolina and Cougar is from Nashville, TN, they are going to Harper¢s Ferry, they started at Katahdin. This couple camped down in the gorge and there was just a tiny pool of water and now there is a huge cascade of water. Amazing. Coming across the top of this mountain I came along some interesting rock formations. That people have put together here. Used their artistic abilities to make structures out of stones. It¢s really neat. I am going to take a picture of it. I just met Glen, he is with Nate and Kalen. They are headed north to Canada on the Long Trail.   He is from Massachusetts. Flat Pick and Cougar caught up with me already. Plus another caught up with me.   I am slow today, I am always slow when it is wet because I slip on the roots and rocks. I watch every step very carefully. Because I know one slip will be the end of the trail for me. Not much to see or say about today. It is really foggy and kind of drizzly and dark. Can not see anything more than 300 feet so I am walking through the enchanted, NO not enchanted, the DEEP DARK FOREST where the big bad wolf lives that chases little red riding hood around. 12:30 now and it has been really rocky since I started. Hard on my feet, constant battle. Another guy just passed me by that was at the shelter. I was thinking about the guy that passed my by the other day, Mushrooms. Taking pictures of all the mushrooms and he had that long darn web site, good gaudy.   I have a feeling it is starting to cool off now. Came across a rock wall here on the trail and there was a village here called Aldrichville. It was established from 1890 to 1905, they had a mill, a damn, a store, a blacksmith shop, log cabins, and school and they said it was bustling village back then. Woo I just about slipped and fell here on a rock. And when you start going over with that wait on your back, you are going wherever that weight of the pack takes you. But I didn¢t fall, I myself with my ski poles. Just passed over a mountain stream that had a swinging bridge over it, that was fun. I am in for the day at 4:40. I said that is enough for today. Lost Pond Shelter and I expected to have a shelter but it¢s burned down and even the picnic tables are burnt. But there are tent sites. I put my tent up. I did 14 miles today, so I am at 521.7 at lost pond shelter where there is no shelter, but there is water, I did get sponge bath today. I am headed to the Manchester Center, and I am going to go in and get a room and watch TV and vegetate and rest. I have to get supplies too. There is an outfitter there too, and do laundry. I am gonna get refreshed. My legs have about had it, and my mind is going also. I said tomorrow, but I don¢t mean tomorrow, I mean Wednesday. I will try to hitch into Manchester on Wednesday.