Date: 2013-08-04
From: manchester center 

To: inn at long trail
Miles today: 52.0

WOW! What can I say about the perfect day. Woke up at 6:10am and had beakfast before leaving Manchester center, Vt. I packed for four days out and put about 7.5 lbs of food on my back. The first climb was Bromley mountain at 3260ft which wasn't so bad considering the half a cow I was carrying. I didn't stop once except when I crashed and was completely at the mercy of my pack to absorb the potential trauma to my body as I slipped and went horizontal about waist high and slammed into the wooden foot planks beneath me. I'm glad my left knee escaped the space between the planks as I went down or I'd be in some real trouble man! I laid there thinking, I'm not in pain, things actually feel pretty good. The pack broke my fall as I bounced off the foot path and into the moss covered bog underneath. The weird thing I realized is I looked around to see if anybody noticed as if others were watching. Anyway, being even more careful, I continued up styles peak and over Peru peak, both about 3400dt, and finally one more up over Baker Peak. The trail going up Baker was about .2mile of rigid granite backbone and was quite impressive. I was feeling great today as I think I've solved my chafing issue and feet are feeling good. I ended hiking 19.8 miles to Little Rock Pond shelter. It felt good to make up for the short day in town and I am closing in on my goal to get to north Woodstock. In case anyone is wondering, I have 518 miles to Katahdin! It's 2:47am and I hear heavy footsteps outside my tent. It has to be at least 500 lbs! My tent is on a wooden platform and when it stepped on the edge, i was lifted slightly. I think i just soiled myself! nope, just gas! Their was talk about squatch sightings lately in this area. I hope I don't ge.... :03:10am; seriously, just felt something from under the platform poking me in the arm. I've no clue as to what it is but, I banged on the wood a few times and that seamed to stop the creature. Freaky stuff!!!It's been raining pretty steady for two hours now and I'm in no rush to leave my sanctuary and get wet and cold. The last thing I need is to get sick and so I'll wait awhile and see if it slows any. The game is changing as I must pack my backpack from inside the tent. Stuff sacks for sleeping bag and air mattress first, then clothes and misc. stuff and after putting my pack rain cover on, I'll breakdown the tent and stow it external to the pack to keep the wetness out. It's gonna be a slow day do to the rain so I'm taking my time and leave about nine.As it turned out, the rain was lite and didn't last long. I was able to get in 13.9 miles and stayed in one of the nicest shelters in all of New England, Clarendon Shelter. The temperature was cool enough to keep the Mosquitos at bay and I got a good rest in. This morning while breaking camp, mongoose, a fellow thru hiker mentioned that if you made it to the inn at Long trail, they serve Guiness on tap. Well, don't ya know, I hiked 18.3 miles over the top of Killington mt. into a thunder storm to the inn at long trail and to my own eyes, it's true, there's a fountain of Guinness and the greatest Irish fare. I had Irish Guinness stew and an Irish reubin sandwich, it was heaven!! After doing laundry and soaking in the tub, I indulged in just a wee bit more Guinness, just what the doctor ordered! If Hanover, NH. has an Irish pub, I'll be there in two days for yet another fine meal and of course, a Guinness!I haven't even looked at my book to plan the next resupply. One of my best friends growing up, mike Oloff older brother Lenny is going to meet me in he morning and run me to Walmart to get a few things. When we were young, about thirteen or fourteen, Lenny brought Mike, my good friend Gary, my brother Marty and myself and dropped us of in the wilderness On the Long Trail. We hiked from Brandon cliffs to Clarendon Gorge, a distance I believe was about forty miles or so. At that point I think, Lenny planted the seed about being in the wilderness and hiking in general. It will be great to see him as its been a long time and lots to talk about in a short time because Lenny is taking his wife to the adirondacks backpacking. I do know there's about thirty mor miles to New Hampshire and I am determined to be on schedule to meet my bride in north Woodstock.