Date: 2016-07-24
From: AT in Massesechusets

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Stepped onto the Appalachian Trail (AT) just outside Willamstown, MA. BTW, Williamstown looks like a real nice place to visit. Williams College started there in 1772. Every building in the town has that old colonial look - even the banks. OK - back to the trail. Remember, the Vermont Long Trail (LT) and the AT are one and the same for the first 105 miles going north along the Green Mtns in Vermont. Must take AT to get to the Long Trail at the VT/MA border. That's why the photo!First Trekker I met in the AT that day was Rainbow - so named for the multi-color bandana on his head. Rainbow was a thru-hiker. Started from Springer Mtn in GA last year. Blew his knee out in PA. Pointed to a long scar on his right knee as proof. Now he was determined to complete the trek this year. We talked of our hiking experiences together. A kindred spirit developed.We moved thru the lower part of the trail together, talking. The trail grew sharply steeper, the physical demands of the hike took over making our conversation more infrequent. Soon that practiced athlete began to separate from me. Then he was gone. Like so many other souls I've met on this trail, I never ran into him again. Weather this first day was outstanding! Sunny and in 70s with cool breeze. After 6.8 miles I reached the first shelter at 12:30.   It was ugly. The nearby stream had dried up and wasn't flowing. Their was a pool of standing water between the rocks. Ugh! Dry season in VT. I held my nose and purified the water. After lunch and a rest I decided to press on for the next shelter. Heck, it was only 7 more miles and the day was young!About 5 miles into that trek I began to sense my legs were starting to object. There is a big difference between being in shape on flat land and mountain hiking shape. Oh well, I only had two more miles to go.Had been hiking with a nice family I met along the trail - two pre-teen boys, mom and dad. The boys were out front while I trudged along 20 feet behind. The boys climbed over a downed tree to follow a path that widened to a rough road. I followed. (Big mistake!) So did mom and dad. About a half mile later I realized I'd not seen any white blazes (AT trail marker) on the trees. I stopped to check my special app on my phone - the one that places me on the trail using GPS and an arrow. You guessed it, we were heading directly away from the AT and nowhere near it. That downfall we had all climbed over was to prevent hikers from taking the wrong route.So we turned around and headed back to find the correct trail. And find it we did, just the other side of that deadfall. Little side trip added another mile to our journey. Got to Congdon Shelter about 6:30 pm, dog tired and hungry. Lots of people camping in the area, including a Brit and a woman wearing an NRA cap. She went by the trail name of Fox Fire. I did not mess with that woman! Not that I was intending to. The evening ended with a young woman and her dog coming into camp at 7:30 pm. She and her dog, Princess, had just covered the same route I'd taken (less side trip) in 2 hrs less time. Like I said, there's flat lander's shape and mountain shape. She hailed from the mountains.