Date: 2014-07-04
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: haze

Day 114: Friday, 4 July 2014 Zero in Norwich, VT"Happy 4th of July! Decided to Zero in Norwich, at Trail Angels Bill & Betsy's house. We had an amazing dinner tonight - Mexican fahitas! We got lots of veggies and fruit, and I made up some vanilla coconut whipped cream! Amazing!""So, yesterday you mentioned about jumping off a bridge. Was that over the White River near East Hartford or the Connecticut River when you crossed into New Hampshire?""It was the White River. There's actually a $100 fine for jumping off the bridge over the Connecticut River! There's a couple of areas that look like you can get to the river from the Hanover side but they're owned by Dartmouth, so it's not really public access.""I guess you won't be jumping off that bridge then, will you!?"I told him about Bison on the PCT, that he got off at around Lake Tahoe. Sounded like Bison just wasn't into the distance this time, even after waking up on a gorgeous morning in the northern Sierra Mountains, it was time for him to get off! (Bison hiked the AT a few years ago. Buffalo had read his AT journal before we left, signing his Guest Book and seeking information. And Bison read Buffalo's PCT journal. They exchanged thoughts and advice early on. I thought we might get to meet Bison with some Washington Trail Magic.)"I thought about getting off a couple days ago. I wondered that if I am supposed to be doing this, shouldn't it be all Type A fun, like I had on the PCT? Is there more I should be doing? Is this about me? Or is this about something beyond and bigger than me? I decided that this was about more than just me, so here I am. And I'm doing well! I've talked with people about the PCT. A lot of people who grew up here in the East, really like the AT. I like it, but I really liked the PCT, but then I grew up hiking in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.""Have you read anything about Kit & Erin? They're from Alpine, doing the PCT this year.""No. I haven't come across those names as yet. I'll keep watching." (Alpine, for those non-Olympians, was a local outdoor shop - Alpine Experience, which closed in the last year. It is however, reopening as 'Centro', a pared-down, but maybe more focused outdoor shop. Behind the store is Buffalo's "second home" - The Warehouse Rock Gym!)"I'm still with Thirsty & Boot Burner. Shy Bear is in Boston with friends. He'll probably catch up when he gets back on trail."Met 2 section hikers Jenny and Emily at breakfast here at Bill and Betsy's house. Did some hitching with Jen, Emily, and Thirsty. We got a ride down to town with a Dartmouth student and a ride back with an Equadorian rock climber!I am getting really excited about hiking and backpacking in the Rockies and the Canadian Rockies. The idea of hiking in the Canadian Rockies popped into my mind, and I'm getting jazzed about going there.""You WERE there, and YOU were IN the backpack!" (Mum needs to get the photo digitized, but it will make it up on Trail Journals!)"The heat and humidity may have sucked my energy these last several days. But my appetite is back up to RAGING! I went to get a bagel in town and ended up with a dozen! Ate several of them!"We'll be going back to Hanover tomorrow, back on the trail. This was a fun Zero Day!""Love you Mom. Love you Dad.""Love you too, son!"That was one of the BEST 4th of July's!Thanks for reading. The Mum, and.....