Date: 2014-07-13
From: Greenwall Shelter

To: Governor Clement Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Still moving north through Vermont. I get going at 0600, as the rosy sunlight of dawn peeks through the trees. It is awesome out! Maybe too humid, but I love the AT at this time of day. Early in the day, as I head up another Bear Mountain (every state seems to have one), I run into a SOBO bubble. Five southbounders, coming from Katahdin. I'm 1600 miles plus into my hike. They're only in the 500s. But they've been up Katahdin and through Maine and the White Mountains. It's kind of badass. They've endured the black fly season and Maine's swollen rivers in the Hundred Mile Wilderness. They've made it through the Whites. They're tramily, but distant relatives out of the wild. It's so very cool to be seeing them. Around noon I come to VT 103. The Whistle Stop Restaurant is .5 mile west. Of course I detour left. I run into Kristo, Shivers, and Critter. They've finished eating and are going to thumb into Rutland to watch the World Cup final. I sit outside, near Five Star, and gorge myself on the Hiker Special breakfast. Lots of carbs. Plus a milk shake. It's glorious. Little did I know how steep the trail would be, climbing NOBO from the road. Fueled by the Hiker Special I sweated a lot in the humidity as my legs pumped up the grade. Pesky deer flies have been near constant companions. Mosquitoes too. Somehow all the irritants fade into background noise. The ups get climbed. The trail levels out. Mt Killington is just ahead. It feels like rain is eminent as I reach Governor Clement Shelter. My plan is to continue 4.3 miles to the shelter at the top of Killington. As I'm having a snack the rain starts. It's a soft rain. But will it turn into a downpour? It does seem silly to leave a perfectly dry shelter and head out into the wet. As the time passes 5:00 I decide to roll out my gear in the shelter. Five Star stops by, but she's already wet and hasn't done many miles today so she continues on. This shelter is unusual, with thick stone walls and a fireplace. The porch is roomy. The roof looks new. And for whatever reason the mosquitoes are gone. I get a fire going and make myself at home. You can never tell how full a shelter will get. Sometimes hikers show up well after dark and rustle around for a long time, cooking, making their beds, and shining bright head lamps in your eyes. This is one of the reasons I usually tent. I'm just not motivated to pitch my tent in the rain on this night. And I'm thinking no one is coming in this rain, so close to dark. But as so often happens hikers do show up. And it's good. Samwize and his dog will tent. Three friends from Texas just started their section hike today and will hang hammocks. Meanwhile it's good to have company as they gather at the shelter to cook. And the fire in the fireplace seems even rosier with more people enjoying it. The forest sounds a steady dripping outside, over the background of a nearby river. Later, as I bunk down in the now empty shelter, I once again savor the peace of traveling the AT. "Fellowship with the wilderness" as the saying goes. What a national treasure this trail is. I wake up during the night as a downpour moves in and drums on the shelter roof. I'm warm and dry, without even a wet tent to roll up in the morning. Not a single mosquito bothers my rest. I'm feeling darn contented.