Date: 2007-07-16
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Diesel takes a zero.The last time I took a zero day was in Duncannon, PA at the Doyle Hotel. I have hiked everyday for the past 33 days, but today I'm taking a break.I got up around 7:30 and started planning the next section of my hike up to Hanover, NH. I worked out a plan and then took a shower. My plan was to stay at the Mountain Meadows Lodge at Kent Pond on my 4th night after leaving Manchester, VT. I planned to ship a few days worth of food there and eat a couple meals at the lodge. This would let me carry less food. I decided to call them to make sure I could get a room on Friday. They informed me that not only would I not be able to get a room, but there would also be no meals available. This was because someone is having a wedding there. They said I could ship and pick up a box there. I reviewed my options and changed my plans. Now I will take a 0.6 mile side trip into Killington, VT and stay at Gifford Woods State Park. It will be cheaper and I will still get a hot shower. I need to cut back a little on my spending anyway. This stop in Manchester Center, VT has been a little expensive. It's okay. It is all part of the experience.I left the hotel and walked a mile to Up for Breakfast. It is a small restaurant on the second floor of a building which is accessed by a wooden staircase on the side of the building. It was 11 AM on a Monday and the place was packed. I sat at the counter and got to watch all the beautifully prepared food go out of the kitchen. I ate a western omelet with bacon, home fries, and toast.After my meal, I went to the Mountain Goat Outfitter. I looked at their sleeping bags, but they didn't have very many and none that I wanted. I got a new silk bag liner and some alcohol fuel. The next stop was the grocery store. I only needed a few things to supplement the food I would pick up at the post office later today. It is a good thing this town is spread out. I would have bought a lot more stuff if I didn't have to carry it a couple miles. I stopped at Eastern Mountain Sports to review their sleeping bags. Then I decided I just need to get my North Face Cat's Meow bag sent back to me. I wanted a lighter bag, but I can't really justify spending a few hundred dollars more just to have a sleeping bag that is a pound lighter.The next stop was the post office which was about another half mile further. I got my food box and my bounce box. I sat in the lobby and sorted through everything. I pulled out the food I need for the next four days and put three days of food back into the food box. I shipped this box up to Killington, VT. Then I put extra stuff into the bounce box and sent it to Hanover, NH.I headed back across town. I stopped at Friendly's for a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a strawberry milkshake. After finishing this I stopped at a shipping store that has internet access. I was on the computer for about an hour until the place closed at 5:00. It cost $20/hour, but at least it was high speed access. I did some updates to my journal and entered some more points on my www.yourgmap.com site. The link is posted at the bottom of a journal entry around the first of July. I can't access it right now. I was previewing the map and noticed I made a big error on one of the locations. I'll have to correct that later.I stopped by the Rite Aid Pharmacy next. I went to the back and found a machine that gives your weight and blood pressure. It said I weigh 153 pounds. My blood pressure was 102/53 with a pulse rate of 77. My blood pressure usually runs around 120/70, so I am not sure the machine is working properly.I grabbed a couple ice cream sandwiches and a coke for the walk back to the motel. I organized my gear and then saw Crystal outside next door. We sat outside and talked. Wanda also came over to talk and a little while later Laurie arrived. They all work at the horse events and all have dogs with them. Laurie has two dogs. Wanda and Krystal had taken their dogs out on local hiking trails today. Wanda has read the book "A Walk in the Woods" and kept telling me I was going to have to wade through deep water when I get to the 100 mile wilderness in Maine. I am sure she is right about that. Later I went back to my room. I packed up all my gear and cleaned my water bottles and filter with bleach. I also remembered to charge my camera battery this time.Crystal and Wanda volunteered to drive me to town for breakfast in the morning and then take me back to the trail head which is about 5 miles from town. Back to the woods I go.