Date: 2014-07-07
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Little Rock Pond Shelter, VT
Miles today: 19.8

The weatherman called for a high chance of rain starting mid-afternoon. So we were up early, out of the motel by 7 am and having breakfast shortly there after at a nearby diner. It is great having family around during the town resupplies as we continue to visit and catch up during each meal. I was on the trail shortly after 8 am after saying goodbye to my mother and Robin. I was well feed and fully supplied to make the approximately 100 mile trek to my next resupply stop in Hanover, NH. My supplies coming out of town are for about five and a half days and also included a bunch of homemade chocolate chip cookies, my favorite and another benefit of family support teams! As with all departures from town the trail headed up some 2000 feet to Bromley Mt. Near the top, the trail hits ski slopes which are cleared and full of wildflowers (see photos). The clearings, novel in the Green Mountains, provided great views of the adjacent mountains and valleys. At the top there are ski lifts which are idle awaiting the snow to return in the fall. From here it was down to Mad Tom Notch. I was not sure why it was called this but maybe it was because Tom came down off the mountain hot and thirsty only to find the water source consisting of a hand pump was not working like I did and many others who worked at the pump with no avail. A section hiker that was parked at this location and heading off the trail gave me some water which was much appreciated. Next was another climb to Style and Peru peak. On the peaks there were no views only trees and a group of trail maintainers working hard. I strolled in to the shelter on the down hill side of Peru Peak for water and lunch. I met some thru hikers I had not met before there including The Alchemist, Monty Lou, Elusive and Smudge. We visited and discussed where we hoped to camp for the evening. I headed out hoping the rain would hold off until evening but no such luck. This time the weatherman got it right and as I climbed up Bakers Peak consisting of a large monolithic rock face at the top that the trail runs over. It provided me with views of the near by mountains where I could see were already in the rain clouds (see photo). So I put on my poncho prepared for the deluge coming my way. I made it half way up the steep and slippery rock face when the rain hit. It was too heavy to proceed safely so I sat on the rock under my poncho. Lots of lightning and thunder followed as I sat. The rain lighted up about 15 minutes later allowing me to proceed up the rock. As I reached the summit a very soaked southbound hiker came down the trail. He got caught in the deluge. His pack, clothes and everything else were wet and he did not look like a happy camper. I headed down the trail a little further and saw that the peak had a bad weather side trail.... I guess it was too late for that now. I also saw some Moose scat on the trail. I hope I will see a moose in the coming weeks as I trek through VT, NH and ME.   I finished the day at a beautiful pond where there was a shelter and tenting. This was another area where there is a caretaker and the shelter and tent sites require a fee. However since I paid for an earlier VT shelter I had a receipt that allowed me access to this location for no fee. I cleaned up in the pond and visited with the only two people at the site, a couple doing a long section hike from NY to Maine. Rain clouds began to roll in and since I was the only one at the shelter (the couple had set up a tent), I spent another night in a shelter with the mind of keeping my gear dry. I spread out my stuff and settled in for the night as the rain started falling in sheets.