Date: 2016-06-19
From: Telephone Pioneers Shelter

To: Algo Shelter
Miles today: 21.2

6/19/19I was up and out of camp at 7:15. Cheddar was finishing his thru hike today and promised there would be trail magic were he finished in 14 miles. Bevo is a hiker I met the first day I returned from my leg injury in May. I was doing short miles then and he got ahead of me. I ran into him again two days ago and he had some friends come and hike with him for a few days. His friends were heading home today and the other people he had been hiking with are a few days behind. He was hiking with his friends to the next road and then he was going to hike with me. Well I was behind them and missed seeing/pics of the biggest tree on the AT. I had a pic about a month or so ago but it was the largest one in the southern half, this one was slightly larger. So before the other hikers got to the road I caught up with them. We get to the train tracks and there is a bench on a platform. Nothing else...my guide said Rail Road Station but I was expecting something a little more elaborate. I guess you sit there and the train will stop. Bevos friends were on a tight schedule and didn't get picked up here but found a ride to a different station so they could get to the airport on time for their flights. Just down from.there at the road crossing there was a landscape garden center that we could get water and they had an outdoor shower. So I filled up water bottles and rinsed some of the dirt off of me before hiking on. The trail was pretty smooth and Bevo and I made good time. We came across some trail magic of sodas and snacks. We stopped and had one of each. We had just entered Connecticut and this was a nice welcome. The next stop was where Cheddar was finishing his hike. We got to the place we thought Cheddar would be but no one was there...so we walked down then road to an old bridge and once again no Cheddar. Well I guess we missed it. We were going to get back on the trail and eat what we had packed...how disappointing. The trail went down another road and as we were heading down it we see a group of people and one yells out..."How about a cheeseburger?". We had found the party. We congratulated Cheddar and envied him a bit. They had a good spread, hamburgers, fruit, taco casserole with chips, soda, beer, snacks we could take along and brownies. We ate well. A ridge runner walked by and they fed him also. They had a cool sign made and on the side of the van congratulating Cheddar. It had picture of him starting the hike last year and it was amazing how much older he looked today. After about an hour and a half Bevo and I headed on. We had a couple nice up hills and stopped at one overlook for a break. We decided we would stay at a hostel tomorrow night but you needed reservations because it included dinner and breakfast. We called and they were booked up. That's the first time I have been turned down by a hostel. So we figured alternative shelters that would give us a chance to resupply on food. The first half of the day we had good mileage in short time...this afternoon the miles were coming a.little tougher but we only had six to do. We made it to the shelter by 5:30 and found a couple of hikers already there. One was Buba...he was from Quebec. He was section hiking and asking about my tent and Bevos hammock. A couple of other guys came in including Flash 52. He has a trail journal and wrote about my ole partner Marathon and his horrible shin splints. I told him I heard from Marathon last Sunday and he was already through the White Mountains. Flash was surprised he was that far with the way he had last seen him. Today was a 21 miler but it seem to have went pretty quick. It was sunny and the temperatures are warming up...I'd guess mid to upper 80s. And as you know.... it was a beautiful day for a hike Oh, and one other note. I am getting off the trail in a few days for a little over a week. Grandbaby Abigail is coming up from Texas to meet my Ohio brother and sisters family's. I have to go see that sweet little girl and introduce her.