Date: 2013-08-19
From: Joanne & Ed's House, VT 100 Giffords Woods St. Par

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I did not want to get up this morning. The bed and its many pillows felt so good. I tried to rationalize some reason to stay, but I couldn't come up with any viable justification. I heard the floorboards creaking about my head, and I knew Joanne was up getting breakfast ready for me. Finally at 7, I budged. My eyes were puffy and looked far less rested than they felt.We had breakfast, and she turned on the computer so I could finish updating the trail journal. I still had several days to catch up on, and I didn't want them hanging over my head. So I settled in front on the computer only to discover that the internet was down. Of course it was! I have an uncanny ability to crash computers. Joanne fiddled with it while I caught up on my written journal, but it refused to work. So we headed over to Patty's house, and she let me use her laptop. I spent several hours typing away, and finally at 1:30 I posted the latest entry. I also ordered ANOTHER pair of boots. The Merrells I've been wearing are good boots, but they aren't right for my feet. So I'll hike the next 60+ miles until I can pick up the next pair. Sigh. The boot chase continues...Joanne drove me back towards Killington. She walked with me to the trailhead. We hugged and took pictures, and I worked hard to keep my eyes dry. It has been such a delightful treat to get to know her and Patty. They have been so kind and welcoming and generous. They've treated me like one of their own, and I couldn't ask for me. I just wish I could have also met Ed. Next time... I hiked alongside Kent Pond. The extra weight of my winter gear was very noticible. Omigoodness. I felt myself groaning like an over-burdoned donkey. How did I carry this much weight plus some over the Smokies? I did a mental inventory of my gear to see what, if anything, I could do without. As it stands, I'll be moving slower until I'm able to adjust my gear or my attitude towards it.My shoes penched my feet as I walked alongside Kent Pond. The water looked so inviting, but I felt too freshly showered to indulge myself. I wished that I was at the end of my daily hike rather than at the beginning. Hopefully I'll encounter someother ponds soon. I was coming the trail towards Thunder Brook Falls- I hadn't read the day's guidebook pages, so I hadn't realized there was a waterfall until I walked right up to it. It was tall and flat, and the water slid smoothly down its face. It reminded me a large-scale (3-4 storey type of large-scale) feng-shui fountain that you might find on a side table in someone's home. I crossed a beautiful boardwalk that spanned across a marshy area packed with tall wildflowers. The sides of the valley rose steeply that made me think that maybe they have been formed by a glacier. The trees on the hillside were showing their first hints of turning to autumn colors. The tips of leaves had the slightest hint of yellowish red tint. Summer was on its way out.There was a buger of climb to get up Quimby Mountain. The trail was in great shape, and there were switchbacks, but damn. I sweated through my clean shirt. My shorts were soaked through as well. The arch of my left foot burned. The boots penched the tops of my toes. I had thought I would get at least 10 miles today, but I started to rethink my plan. Perhaps I'd stop a the shelter instead. The days are getting noticibly shorter, and so my hiking days will as well. I stopped a few times on my way up the mountain to wipe the sweat from my face. My hair is getting longer, and the sweat has started to collect in the ringlets on my forehead, and it drips down into my eyes. I swatted at mosquitoes. And to add insult to injury, there was no view once I reached to top. Darn PUDS! In fact the only view came from a break in the trees along a powerline. I can also tell that the trail has recently taken a noticible directional turn because the sun shined either over my right shoulder or directly at my back all afternoon. I find myself staring at my shadow a lot. I've decided that I look like a short version of Will Ferrell with my curls popping out over my ears and out the back.I came down to Stony Brook Shelter. There were two section hikers, Wes & Andie, and their dog, Dusty. I hoisted my pack off my back onto the edge of the shelter. I sat down, leaving a sweaty butt mark on the wooden planks. My clothes were soaked through. I took my boots off and then ate the rest of a wrap Joanne had made for me. I chatted with my sheltermates and decided I would call it a day. I realized that I really miss having an hour or so in the evening to rest and relax and unwind. So this was a treat! I know I still have a lot of miles to go, but if I can make the "non-walking" moments a little more important, I think I'll really appreciate it in the long run. It's so easy to try to squeeze every inch out of every day, but then you are left to settle up the day in the dark. Instead, I walked down to the creek and took a bath. I made dinner and watched the full moon rise up through the trees. The bugs are chirping and I can hear leaves falling softly. I hope to get an earlier start on the day tomorrow so I can get in a more respectible amount of miles. Hopefully the boots won't shred my feet before I get to the next pair. And hopefully my sweat-soaked clothes will be a little bit drier when I wake up!