Date: 2014-07-11
From: VT 11 & 30

To: Little Rock Pond Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

Second day on my own and making my own changes to the plan - decided to lengthen today and tomorrow to shorten the day into Rutland! Jeff dropped Iron Chef, Easy Rider, and myself off at the trail around 7:45 and I left a little bit after the group since I had to turn on the Spot and such - starting out the day walking alone. A nice climb up to the peak of Bromley with a grassy walk up a ski slope to the summit. Great views from the top of the mountain and odd to see the ski lifts not operating - a silent summit for a lone soul. Still a bit odd to be hiking without Big Dawg but eventually I will find a group to hike with!From Bromley on to Styles Peak I bounced around on the trail - up and down and through mud - and I even slipped and fell down right after leaving the summit! The only good thing about walking alone is that no one saw me do it...At Styles Peak I rested with Easy Rider and Iron Chef and another hiker going south and enjoyed the view. The SOBO hiker said the trail was really easy and flat from there to Killington - a false statement if I have ever heard one! Within a quarter-mile of the viewpoint we climbed down a short steep rock section and up some too - flat indeed!I walked with Easy Rider and Iron Chef for a little bit but lost them - they have very light packs and were moving faster than I could with my heavier pack. So back to walking alone again! Not all bad though I enjoy the solitude at times while hiking. Passed the Peru Peak shelter and decided to eat lunch near Griffith Lake - found a nice little spot looking out over the water! A good place to rest and enjoy the surroundings and nature.The reward after lunch was a steep exposed rocky climb up Baker Peak - wow I did not expect it to be so rocky or steep I figured it was just a covered summit! Slowed the pace down some but conquered it with ease after the lunch burst of energy.Instead of stopping at the Big Branch Shelter I decided to add miles to get to Little Rock Pond Shelter - a campsite with an overnight fee but it turned out to be well worth the extra distance! I found some trail magic by Thunder at the trail leading to the pond and the pond itself was very nice! The caretaker was not around but I talked with another hiker - turned out to be the guy who left the trail magic! Chatted with him about the trail until the caretaker Turtle returned to check me in. A very cool guy a little older than me who hiked the trail NOBO in 2011. Very knowledgeable and laid-back. Perfect for the setting!I took the canoe out for a spin - nice to be out on the water and I took it across the lake and read a book for a while over there. The canoe has a very slow leak in it so be careful.Set up a nice fire enjoyed by all at the sight including a group from something called Farm and Wilderness - a Quaker-based program promoting outdoors skills and teamwork and some other stuff. Still not quite sure what it was all about! The young boys enjoyed the fire and after they were put to bed the older kids enjoyed the fire - the two counselors and Turtle and myself. A nice night of relaxing and chatting. Glad I decided to add the distance!