Date: 2017-06-18
From: Governor Clement Shelter

To: Gifford Woods State Park
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

As I was eating breakfast, the grumpy hiker in the tent in front of the shelter asked who was the one snoring to loudly. A few people chimed in, not me. I admitted it was probably me. The guy next to me thought it could not be me, but then I convinced him. My nose was clogged and in the full shelter, it was difficult to roll over.I had been warned the night before that Cooper Lodge Shelter was the worst shelter on the trail. This was one more reason why I did not push myself yesterday to hike to this shelter. The shelter was composed of rock walls. In the warm weather, the rocks were sweating, making the shelter damp. There was a lot of scraps of trash on the dirt floor of the shelter. Almost all of the shelters I had seen, had a plywood floor. On the good side, the view from the shelter was breath taking. The AT Guide notes a trail behind the shelter 0.2 to summit, view and restaurant. I was warned by Warren Doyle and my 2016 thru hiker friends Steve and Eric that the trail was not worth it. I am told it is very steep, rocky and not well maintained. It sounds like it would be bad going up and worse coming down. I used the privy here. The privy was on a narrow rocky trail, a bit further than I would like from the shelter.  I hiked most of the day with Daisy and her husband. I met Daisy yesterday at the stream before the shelter. Daisy and I chatted away as her husband trailed behind. We had a great time together.  We came to where the Long Trail separates from the Appalachian Trail (AT). It is a little confusing because both trails use white blazes. The AT Guide notes The Long Trail is also white-blazed, it turns to the west. We took the AT.  We came to Gifford Woods State Park sooner than I expected. It was sad to leave the trail when I had found a new friend. She asked me for the third time why I was leaving the trail. I was coming back in 2 weeks. My husband missed me and was expecting me. On the next section, in two weeks, I would be hiking with Tag Along and 2016 AT thru hiker friend Steve, to support us. He would be driving us to the trailhead in the morning and picking us up in the evening. We will be staying in hostels almost every night. What luxury!  I found my way to the office of Gifford Woods State Park. A young woman was manning the office. The grumpy hiker was here waiting to be served. I let him be served first. He chose to camp at the AT hiker site, at the reduced rate. I waited for the grumpy hiker to leave. I explained to the ranger that I had met the grumpy hiker before. He did not like my snoring. I did not want him to know where I was staying. She let me know if I had any trouble, I could knock on the door across from the office, where a ranger was sleeping. I stayed in a lean to, off the main camp loop.    The lean to was lovely. It was a quiet beautifully wooded campground. It was great having the entire site, picnic table and lean-to to myself. It was a little bit of a walk to the bathrooms. I took a shower and felt like a new person.  I went to The Inn on the Long Trail for dinner. A man greeted me as I came into the tavern. It reminded me of the set of the TV show Cheers. I sat at the bar. When I am by myself, it seems selfish to take a whole table, just for me. I waited to be given a menu, water and/or silverware. Nothing for over 5 minutes. Hmm. I got up to leave. The woman a few seats down the bar, told me to wait. The bartender would be there in a minute. She lived across the street and came here all the time. I waited and the bartender was congenial, similar to Cheers. I had the stew, which really hit the spot.  A few AT hikers came in and sat at the bar. They talked with the woman. She said something like only young people hike the trail. I told her I was hiking the trail. She did not believe me. She said I did not look like the hikers. I told her I did 2 hours ago, before I took a shower. AT hikers have become my tribe.  The next day it was hard to leave. The Green Mountains of Vermont, even with the mud, were beautiful. I stopped at a marsh and watched the birds. Many cars went zooming past. I would be back soon.   One of my friends in my home town, said there was something different about me. It was my confidence. I knew I was close and able to finish my hike of the Appalachian Trail. Now I walked a little taller with my shoulders back. I had an "I got this" attitude.