Date: 2009-07-05
From: Manchester, Vermont

To: Peru Peak, Vermont
Miles today: 131.6

Friends and Trail Followers:Happy belated fourth of July! I spent the day in southern Vermont. Only a few sprinkles, yesterday, but the trails are still quite muddy. 'Rock hopping' was still the mode of choice on the trail.My daughter, Shannon, joined me in Bennington, Vermont on July 1. My parents picked her up at Albany Airport, the previous day and brought her to meet up with me. It was great to spend the afternoon with my parents, as well. I was able to show them what an 'AT thru-hiker's' day in town was like. We ate, spent some time scouring the local outfitter, we shopped for provisions and we packed Shannon and my packs. They must have loved it!I spent that morning humping 11.5 miles (starting at 6:00 am) to get to our rendez-vous point in Bennington. On my morning hike I came to an interesting beaver pond and reached for my camera...How depressing; it was gone from its side holster on my backpack belt! I'm sure with all the rock hopping I ejected it into the mud or off the side of the trail. I lost all of my pictures since New Jersey (June 15 - June 30)! Luckily, all the previous pictures were digitally down-loaded.I had some great shots, including and most importantly, some of my Trail Angel friends. I'll miss them, but it isn't the end of the world or my hike. My father, a camera buff, is already on the case for a replacement, I hope to have it in 4 or 5 days. Thanks, Dad!Flying TigressI have been impressed with Shannon. We started our eight day hike together by doing 1.7 miles from the trail head east of Bennington to the first shelter north. She thought I was babying her, but I was simply trying to get settled in before the afternoon thunder showers. My hiker's intuition was good. Our first night together at Melville Nauheim Shelter allowed us to practice the use of our cooking equipment (a stove) and get used to sleeping while it rained all night (I already know that part). We shared the shelter with three other Long Trail hikers.We slept in the next day, as it rained into the early afternoon. We took off around 1:30 pm to go 8.5 miles to the next shelter. We hiked and rock-hopped through the mud and trail streams. Shannon did well. No complaints as her shoes were saturated with water and covered with trail mud.On our day 3 hike, we aggressively aimed for the Stratton Pond Shelter. This was 19.3 miles away and entailed going up and over 3,936' Stratton Mountain. Shannon (dubbed with her new trail name of "Flying Tigress") completed the distance, which is longer than my average daily hike, despite developing two blisters on her heels. We out hiked most of the rain that day. When we arrived at Stratton Pond Shelter and after the 4-5 other male hikers heard what she had done, she was held with a new sense of hiker respect. None of those hikers were doing daily mileage like that! Yesterday, Flying Tigress and Da'Leader hiked 10.7 miles from Stratton Pond to Manchester, Vermont in five hours. Only sprinkles and the trail was actually showing signs of drying out. We had the added motivation of a Fourth of July BBQ with our friends, the Lyness family, who have a cabin a mere mile from the Manchester trail head. After some logistical help getting to a local hotel (for showers and laundry), Shannon and I joined the Lyness family for an excellent night of food and drink (and of course, some late evening rain). They even sent us away with a goody-bag of provisions. Thank you, all you trail angels on Snowflake Lane! You are the greatest!Today Shannon and I hike over Bromley Mountain and to a shelter on Peru Peak, a planned distance of 10.1 miles. Today's hike will entail some climbing, so it will feel longer than the distance. We will continue to hike together until Thursday, July 9, when we reach Amee Farm Hostel (just past Killington Mountain), where we will meet up with some family for a reunion. We only have 53 miles to hike in five days, so we will have the luxury of a slower, more leisurely pace to take in the sights. Let's hope the weather cooperates. I can't tell you the benefit of having ten hours a day of exclusive time with your teenage child. The Long TrailThe Long Trail runs from Vermont's southern border with Massachusetts to the Canadian border, 267 miles away. It is older and Benton McKaye's inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. The Long Trail and the AT are the same from just north of North Adams, MA up through Killington, VT. At this point, the AT heads northeasterly and the LT heads north. Since getting to Vermont, I have yet to meet an AT thru-hiker. Everyone has been a Long Trailer or a section hiker. The Long Trail seems to get significant usage. It may be the warm-up for future Appalachian Trail hikers or just a shorter walk in the woods.Joe TuttleJust one more note from this hiker. A dear friend and neighbor, Joe Tuttle, from Brevard, NC passed away this week, succumbing to prostrate cancer. Joe was such a good neighbor and someone who would take our family out for hikes in Dupont State Forest in Brevard. Joe, I have to say that you were an influencing factor in my recent love of hiking and consequently one of the reasons I'm doing what I'm doing. You will be missed by many and certainly in my thoughts as I continue northward. Lee, you and your family, 'hang in there.' Joe and all of you will be in my prayers.