CANDOER Retirement Group

7/8 - Sunday - Day 116 - Hiked 11.8 miles - (Mile Marker 1,402.1) We were up early and out of camp by 7. We decided to make it a short day and hiked to the Clarence Fahnestock State Park. Camping is free and we camped near the bathroom which had a shower. Once again, Chipper, Jeff and Slow and Easy were camping near us. After getting set up, Jay went to the Lake Canopus public beach for a swim. I stayed behind and showered and rested. Later, Jay played games with the other campers until the bugs got too bad. We will definitely have to do some longer miles tomorrow. This was an uneventful day but the weather has been great for hiking.

7/9 - Monday - Day 117 - Hiked 16.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,418.1) Staying at the park last night was a good choice except for the noisy highway nearby. Also, we had to walk a mile to get back to the trailhead. Once we got on the trail, the hike wasn't bad. It did get very hot today so instead of going directly to our shelter for the night, we decided to take a short side trip to the Mountain Top Market to get something to drink. We weren't the only ones deciding to do this as Slow and Easy as well as Jeff and Chipper were already there enjoying a drink and some ice cream. So, it was ice cream for us also. Not only that, right next door was a place that sold pizza so of course we couldn't resist this either. Since we only had about four more miles to go before getting to the Morgan Stewart shelter (1,285), we hung out here until about 5:30 to let the sun start going down. It is nice when you can hike later in the day on these hot days. Consequently, by leaving so late, we got in at 7 but since we had eaten the pizza so late in the day, this was sufficient for me and I didn't care to prepare dinner. This didn't work for Jay though and he proceeded to prepare another meal. He has now hiked long enough that it is impossible to fill his stomach. I'm sure it wasn't possible before he started hiking either but then he is a 16 year old boy. It is a nice night, but warmer than the last few nights. We have been on the same schedule as Chipper and Jeff, Slow and Easy and Sunshine for the past several days. It has been nice talking to them off and on throughout the day as we are passing each other along the trail.

7/9 - Tuesday - Day 118 - Hiked 8.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,426.4) We woke to another beautiful day. We had planned on a short hike today so that we would get into Pauling, NY where we could do our laundry, buy a few groceries and take a shower. As we came to County Route 20 which leads you into town, there is a huge oak tree which is known locally as the Dover Oak. Club members in this area believe it is the largest tree on the trail. Since it does measure slightly larger in circumference than the Keffer Oak back in Virginia, they may be correct and can have the bragging rights. If you didn't care to go in to town, you could go about .1 of a mile to a house that lets you get water from an outside spigot. It doesn't sound like much, but when you need water, you are most thankful to these kind people. Since it is about three miles to town, we began hitching a ride. We weren't very successful and waited for quite some time before someone stopped. Our destination was the Edward R. Murrow pavilion on the outskirts of town. The gentleman who picked us up pointed us in the right direction and soon we were at the pavilion. We didn't know at the time, but no one else would be sharing the pavilion with us. After we got set up, Jay decided to go for a swim at Murrow Park, and I decided to take a cold shower before heading back into town. Since we had hiked such a short day, we had plenty of time to relax before heading off to do the necessary jobs, i.e. shopping and laundry. Once we got our laundry started, we walked around the town a bit. Of course we came upon Vinny's Deli & Pizza place and once again, our stomachs got the best of us and we had one of those famous New York deli sandwiches. It was great to a point that Jay wanted another one. Once our laundry and shopping were completed we headed back to the pavilion. We got caught in a shower on the way back so were happy that we were staying under a roof at the pavilion. While we were sitting and relaxing, someone came by to see if we would like to have a drink with him. He sat and talked with us for quite a while, long enough for me to have three beers with him and Jay had a couple sodas as well. Now this certainly was a trail angel. The rain has stopped, but it looks as though more will be coming. Who cares, we are under cover.

7/10 - Wednesday - Day 119 - Hiked 12.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,438.9) Once again we woke to a beautiful day after all the rain we had last night. The beer must have helped me sleep as I was well rested this morning. We tried very hard to get a ride back to the trailhead, but were unsuccessful so ended up walking the 3.5 miles back. Unfortunately, this does not count toward our total mileage as it isn't part of the AT. Jay is closing in on his 400 mile marker. About two miles along the trail today we came to the Appalachian Trail Station which is a metro stop which takes you into New York's Grand Central Station for about $17.00. It only operates on week-ends, but we hadn't intended going in anyway. Just after crossing the railroad tracks, our guide book advised that Tony's Deli was about a half mile down the road. Our memory of the deli sandwich we had yesterday encouraged us to walk the extra half mile to get another sandwich. As usual, it was excellent and our last one before leaving New York state. After getting back on the trail, we came to a wrought-iron portal bordering the trail. It is called the Gate of Heaven. According to our guide book, you should only venture through this gate at your own risk. Of course we had to try it out, but nothing happened. We passed into Connecticut today, meaning I have now completed nine states with five more to go. I believe I am now getting over the doldrums and am once again feeling like hiking. The walk today wasn't difficult and we made good time, arriving at our campsite along the Ten Mile River at about 4 p.m. I even took the time to soak my feet in the river after dinner. There is one other camper here tonight, but not a thru hiker. He is camping out with his dog. It is going to be cool tonight which makes for a great night for sleeping.

7/11 - Thursday - Day 120 - Hiked 18.7 miles - (Mile Marker 1,457.6) It did get quite cold last night, but good for sleeping. Today's hike was quite tough except for the last few miles. At an altitude of 290 feet where we camped last night, we headed up to Indian Rocks at 1,225 feet. The views of the Housatonic Valley were great from this location. The trail in this section passes through the Schaghticoke Indian Reservation, the only modern-day Native American lands crossed by the AT. The climb today was tough on the knees. I think after all of the straight, low altitude hiking we have done recently has gotten us a bit out of shape as far as climbing goes. The terrain will begin getting a little more rugged soon so hopefully I will get back in shape quickly. We had intended hiking only 16 miles today. However, Jay and I both missed the shelter and a campsite. As it was, we really lucked out by going the extra couple miles to the next campsite. The campsite was perfect. It is high up with a nice view, good water and a swing. After setting up our tent and getting organized, we prepared our last nights meal before Jay would be leaving the hike. As I was relaxing and getting ready for bed, some late hikers arrived and since they had just come from a town, they brought food in to prepare for the group. I was full, but of course Jay enjoyed another evening meal. Since we hiked so far today, we will only have a very short distance to go tomorrow to reach Cornwall Bridge. That means we could sleep in tomorrow morning if we can. At least there will be no hurry to get out of the campsite.

7/12 - Friday - Day 121 - Hiked .9 miles - (Mile Marker 1,458.5) What a great morning we had this morning. We slept until the sun came up and then just hung around the campsite until about 10 a.m. We read, swung in the swing, took some photos and just relaxed in general. We had less than one mile to the road and then another .9 miles to the motel. We checked in at the Hitching Post Motel and then went back to the grocery store for some lunch. The package store is very hiker friendly. In fact, when you register at their store, they give you one bottle/can of beer of any kind that they have. They advertise 99 different types of beer and I believe they had them all on display. I elected to get some tonic which would go with the small bottles of gin that Grace had sent me. This package store is run by Richard and Patty Bramley. We went to the deli for our dinner. With our sandwiches and our drinks, Jay and I celebrated our last night together on the trail. Jay officially hiked 399 miles. Of course he actually hiked many more miles than that with all the different side trips that he made. It was such a joy hiking with him and never did he complain about the trail or anything. He was very responsible and helped a great deal with setting up and taking down the tent. I shall miss my hiking partner very much in the upcoming miles.

7/13 - Saturday - Day 122 - Hiked 8.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,466.8) I had a great night sleeping in a real bed. We were back at the deli for breakfast and then watched TV until about 10 when we had to check out of the motel. Mark and family and Donald arrived about 12:30. We sorted out the food that they brought and then Donald treated us all to lunch. They dropped me off at the trailhead, took a few pictures, and then I was on my way again about 3:30. Because of the late start, and even though I was feeling good, I decided since it was going to get dark soon I would stop at the Sharon Mountain Campsite. There wasn't much to note about today's hike except I am now doing it alone. It really is different as I can no longer look forward to seeing Jay at lunch time or at the end of the day. I wonder if I am between hiking groups again since no one else is at the campsite tonight.

7/14 - Sunday - Day 123 - Hiked 14.2 miles - (Mile Marker 1,481.0) I got an early start at 6:30 as I had intended doing a 16 mile day today. However, I stopped at the Mountain View Coffee shop and had the most wonderful breakfast. I ordered a cheese omelet with portabella mushrooms and goat cheese with home fries, a huge muffin and lots of coffee. Although I may have stayed there too long, I felt it was time well spent. At this point, I decided I probably would not be doing the full 16 miles as I had planned. It wasn't real difficult today except there were lots of short ups and downs. I do feel as though I am getting my hiking legs back again and am glad that the hills are picking up gradually. I am camping at the Plateau Campsite tonight and it is now almost 5 p.m. and it appears that I will be camping alone again tonight. As I said before, it is nice to have a night or two by yourself, but you do sort of miss having other hikers around.

7/15 - Monday - Day 124 - Hiked 13.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,494.3) It seems that when I camp by myself, I always get a real early start and today was no exception. I got up and out of camp by 6:15. I fully expected today to be a tough one and I got what I expected. I had three mountains I would be climbing over. I hiked over Bear Mountain (2,316), Race Mountain (2,365) and Mt. Everett (2,430). The last mountain was the most difficult as there were lots of rocks to climb over. I still got in at 3:30 and glad of it because I got a short downpour. Fortunately I made it to the shelter before the rain started. I have decided to try sleeping in the shelter tonight and have drenched myself in Deet to fight off the mosquitoes. So far it seems to be working. There is one other thru hiker in the shelter and so far a couple tents are up. I passed a group of city kids and their counselor and they looked pretty worn out. When I saw them, they still had one more difficult mountain to climb and I wondered if they would actually be able to make it. They were planning on this shelter (Glenbrook Lean-to) (1,900) as their destination. I really didn't think they would make it in to the campsite, but they sure did. I left Connecticut today and passed into Massachusetts. It has turned out to be a beautiful night with a slight cool breeze which helps to keep the bugs away.

7/16 - Tuesday - Day 125 - Hiked 16.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,510.6) I hit the 1500 mile mark today. The hike wasn't to difficult today but it was long. I had some great views of the Housatonic Valley while walking the crest of Jug End and then finally reaching the summit (1,750). I stopped on Route 7 at the Corncrib. This is a place that sells fruit and vegetables as well as a nursery. They had ice cream which I got and enjoyed greatly. They had a gazebo outside where you could relax and eat your ice cream. After the refreshments, I continued on, looking for the East Mountain retreat Center. This is a center for all religions and sits on the mountain side and is quite peaceful. People go here for retreats so there are no loud conversations or noises of any kind. Consequently, I found it very peaceful at this stop. I took my shower, got my clothes washed and settled in for the night. As usual, it was good having clean clothes and feeling clean all over again. I am not sure what the terrain is tomorrow, but would like to do a 19 miler. After the rain we had last night, it made the hike today very enjoyable.

7/17 - Wednesday - Day 126 - Hiked 19.1 miles - (Mile Marker 1,529.7) I got another early start today as I had to walk over a mile to get back to the trailhead. That along with the 19 plus miles and the half mile into the Upper Goose Pond where I am staying tonight put me unofficially well over the 20 mile mark. The hike was nice and mostly easy, but once again it was much too long for me. I am not sure at this point if I will do a short or long walk tomorrow. Upper Goose Pond is a beautiful glacial pond that the trail follows for a ways with the cabin .5 miles off the trail at the northern end. I arrived at the Cabin about 5 p.m. and found it to be almost completely full. I was so tired and very happy to have arrived. The cabin is maintained by the Berkshire Chapter of the AT. They have bunks, a fireplace, covered port, privy, a lake for swimming, and a canoe all for a small donation. In the summer the cabin is open full time with volunteers managing the place. Otherwise, it is only open on week-ends. The water is brought by canoe from across the lake. It was good seeing several of the hikers who I had not seen for quite some time, including Santiago, Slow and Easy and Sunshine among others.

7/18 - Thursday - Day 127 - Hiked 17.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,547.3) I had a great pancake breakfast with plenty of coffee before departing the cabin at 7 a.m. Several of the hikers will remain and take a zero day here but I decided to continue on along with some of the other hikers. There were lots of little ups and downs today and the trail is covered with tree roots which make for tough walking. Every time we get down close to water, the tree roots get rough. My little toe continues to hurt and I intend having it looked at when I get home for my short vacation away from the trail. About .1 mile off the trail at the Washington Mountain Road, we stopped at the home of the "cookie lady". She traditionally sets cookies out on a picnic table during hiking season for the hikers as they go by. You can also get water there. Unfortunately, when Sunshine and I arrived there were no cookies left and Mrs. Wiley was not at home. Her husband was working in the Blueberry patch getting it ready to open on the next Saturday. Oh well, that's what we get for being slower hikers. It was another long day but did make it in to the Kay Wood Lean-to before the rains started.

7/19 - Friday - Day 128 - Hiked 12.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,559.6) What a great day for hiking. It rained hard last night and the mosquitoes were pretty bad until I put an extra layer of Deet on. It was only three miles into Dalton so I decided to wait on breakfast and find a place there to eat. I did have a great breakfast at Duff & Dell's along with some of the other hikers. This gave me the energy to hike another nine miles to get to Cheshire where we thought we were going to find a place to camp out. It started to rain hard just as we got into Cheshire about 2 p.m. We found a store where we hung out for a while hoping the rain would subside. We decided if there were another option instead of camping in the rain, we would do it. The people at the store said there was a motel in Adams, several miles away and they offered to drop us off there after they closed for the day. There were three of us (Santiago, "T" and myself) and we are sharing a room at the Dugout Motel. Once we showered and changed clothes we felt much better and then started looking for a place to eat. We ended up calling a taxi to take us to Gringo's Mexican Restaurant. I have a feeling this place gets going pretty good later on but we left soon after eating to go back to the motel. We didn't get to bed until pretty late and we are anticipating a tough day tomorrow hiking up Mount Greylock.

7/20 - Saturday - Day 129 - Hiked 11.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,570.6) After a good nights rest, we called for a taxi to take us to the trailhead. It was a steady, but not real difficult hike up Mount Greylock (3,491). This is the highest point in Massachusetts. At the summit is a War Memorial operated by the Bascom Lodge. They offer bunkrooms, showers and meals. This is quite a famous tourist area where they can drive to the summit in their cars. It was pretty difficult leaving this place. First I had ice cream, then a hamburger and French fries. I went up in the tower and just relaxed generally. There were a couple guys getting their flight wings ready to take off from the summit into the valley below. Although I was there for some four hours, they didn't take off before I had to depart. I am staying at the Wilbur Clearing Lean to (2,325) with one other hiker in the shelter. There are two folks camping as well. It feels like it will be pretty cold tonight. Someone said it would be in the low 50's which may be too cold for the bugs. Can't have everything.

7/21 - Sunday - Day 130 - Hiked 9.9 miles - (Mile Marker 1,580.5) It was cool last night but great for sleeping with few bugs and a full moon. As usual, I got an early start at 7 even though I had planned a short day. I had a bit of climb and then a steep descent to MA 2 state road (650). At this point I took a side trip to a Stop & Shop store where I got a big coffee, two donuts, some cheese and bananas and a bagel for lunch. I crossed over into Vermont at 12 noon and decided this would be a good place to take my lunch break. This is also the point where the Long Trail begins and ends at the Canadian border. The Long Trail shares the AT for approximately 105 miles before the AT turns east near Sherburne Pass. Our guide book advises that several of the shelters have caretakers in Vermont and charge a $5.00 fee for overnight use. On occasion if you arrive early enough, you can sometimes work doing some menial job and not have to pay the fee. I am pretty sure that I will take advantage of the $5.00 fee and not plan on working. Usually after arriving at the shelter, I am ready for a rest and definitely don't want to work. I arrived at the Seth Warner Shelter & Campsite (2,180) about 2:30 and was able to pick up the Red Sox/Yankees baseball game. I shouldn't have listened because the Red Sox lost. It didn't make a good ending to my hike today. The shelter is full tonight as well as many people camping, including some kids from Adams. I am looking forward to tomorrow when I arrive at the motel awaiting to be picked up to go home on Tuesday. It is a nice night and not as cold as previous nights.

7/22 - Monday - Day 131 - Hiked 11.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,592.0) Up and out at 6:45. I guess the anticipation of my last day until having a few days off was just too much. We had a slight climb out of the shelter to Roaring Branch at 2,480 feet. After that it was up and down until the last half mile which was a very steep decline to VT 9 which takes you to Bennington. Santiago and I had decided we would try and find and share a motel room. Once we got down to the road, we were fortunate that a father and son who had just finished a hike were on their way back toward Bennington. Since Bennington was 2.4 miles from the trail head, we were grateful for the ride. They took us directly to the Autumn Inn Motel who welcomed us to their motel. They were very hiker friendly. After showering, doing our laundry, etc. it was nearly time for dinner which we had at the on site restaurant. There was a swimming pool, but I didn't have the energy to take advantage of it.

7/23 - 7/29 - Days 132 - 138 - Zero Days After nearly 1,600 miles of hiking, I was soon picked up by Donald and we headed off to New York to enjoy some time at our cottage. What a great feeling, knowing that I would not be hiking for the next several days. My only concern was how I would feel at the end of my time off. Would I be wanting to terminate my hike, or would I be willing to go on, knowing that some of the hardest parts of the AT were still ahead of me. I can't tell you how fortunate I felt to have the support that I have had during this hike. Having someone pick you up and drop you off was more support than one could ever hope for.

7/30 - Tuesday - Day 139 - Hiked 10.1 miles - (Mile Marker 1,602.1) After seven great days off, it was time to get back on the trail again. We left the cottage at 7:30 and Donald drove me back to Bennington where he dropped me off at the trail head which I had left several days ago. I was back on the trail at 12:15 and arrived at the Goddard Shelter (3,540) at 6 p.m. I really did get out of shape during my days off. I started off at an altitude of 1,260 feet and went up almost immediately to reach the shelter at 3,540 feet. The climb wouldn't have been so bad had I been in my usual good shape. My toe felt real good, but now both my heels are hurting. I suppose my feet must get back in shape as well. There is a great view from the shelter which includes Mount Greylock. It is a nice clear beautiful night and should make for good sleeping. There are some thru hikers camping and three other section hikers sharing the shelter with me. After my days off, I feel certain that I can complete the remainder of the AT now.

7/31 - Wednesday - Day 140 - Hiked 19.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,621.5) What a beautiful day it has been today. We had an immediate climb out of the shelter and then it was up and down until reaching Stratton Mountain (3,936). The three miles before reaching the summit of Stratton Mt., we had a tough 1,706 climb. It was here that Benton MacKaye reportedly said he first thought about the trail while sitting in a tree on this summit. There is a side trail that leads to the Starship XII gondola and a warming hut for ski patrol use. They allow hikers to stay overnight in the hut free of charge, However, I elected to continue on to the Stratton Pond Shelter (2,565) where I would set up camp for the night. We are beginning to meet more south bounders now. I arrived at the shelter at 5:30 tired and ready for a rest. I hadn't intended hiking so many miles and am exhausted. There are four others in the shelter who are hiking the Long Trail. It is another beautiful night. Some of the hikers were just returning from a swim in the lake that isn't far from here. I was too tired to take advantage of the swim. This is the first shelter I have stayed in where there is a $6.00 charge. It seems that Vermont and New Hampshire are the only states that have a charge to stay in some of their shelters.

8/1 - Thursday - Day 141 - Hiked 13.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,634.9) The day started off bad with my taking the wrong trail out of the shelter this morning. After about a mile, I realized my mistake and back tracked to the shelter and started out the correct way. Once starting out on the correct trail, it was an easy hike for the first several miles until I reached the highway at 1,700 feet. I would have stopped at Spruce Peak Shelter where there was an enclosed cabin with bunks, wood stove, and porch. However, I hadn't hiked far enough for the day so continued on. From the highway, it was up, up, up for the next 2.8 miles until I reached the summit at Bromley Mountain (3,260). Some of this was actually hiking up ski trails until we reached the warming lodge at the summit. This cabin is used for the ski patrol during season and they allow hikers to use this enclosed building to stay in. The warming house is full with four folks who are doing the Long Trail and eight other thru hikers. We had a bit of rain, but it cleared up real fast and after the hot day that we had, it was nice and cool up on the mountain-top. Beside the building, there is a tower where several of us went up to see the sun set. The sunset was beautiful and it encouraged everyone into thinking that tomorrow would be a nice day.

8/2 - Friday - Day 142 - Hiked 13.2 miles - (Mile Marker 1,648.1) What a gorgeous night it was last night. When I got up (as I always have to do) during the night, the stars were out and the moon was real bright. I also woke up to a great morning and was out of the cabin by 7:15. Since I started at such a high altitude, the first part of the hike was down, all the way to an altitude of 1,960 feet at Mad Tom Notch. And then, it was back up past Peru Peak Shelter (2,605) and finally to Baker Peak (2,850). While climbing over Baker Peak with all its steep rock, there was an electrical storm which was approaching fast. I had to make a decision at this point whether to take the bad weather trail or continue to follow the white blazes. I elected to take the white blazes and soon was wondering if I hadn't made a big mistake. I barely made it to the top before the storm hit. The electrical storm hit about 12:30 and continued until I reached the shelter. I was a bit scared as I never like being in an electrical storm, especially when on top of the mountain. I arrived at the Big Branch Shelter (1,460) at 2 p.m. and decided since I was pretty wet that I would stay here for the night. The weather has cleared so am able to try to dry a few things out. There are five of us in the shelter with another four people camping out. The shelter is located above a great rushing river and most everyone took advantage of it to wash and cool off. Someone or maybe several people had carefully balanced rocks on top of rocks all up and down the river. It was quite a sight to see and you wondered who would take the time to do all of the balancing as some of them had to have been very carefully balanced. This was done all up and down that portion of the river. I have been hiking off and on with Jelly Bean and Carbo and have asked if they would like to take a zero day with me when we reach Killington and where Donald is going to meet me. At this point they weren't sure if they would take a zero day, but did accept the offer to stay overnight. This stop has been a very restful and relaxing one.

8/3 - Saturday - Day 143 - Hiked 16.8 miles - (Mile Marker 1,664.9) Once again it was up and down most of the day. At the White Rock Cliffs 2,400) there were several rock formations that hikers had made. It was quite unique with different designs. I took a side trip to the cliffs, which was .02 miles straight down but well worth the effort. The views from this location were awesome. I enjoyed the hike today very much, hiking through some pine forests with smells and sights that were great. I hiked through one area that had raspberries, blue berries and black berries all in the same area. There weren't a lot of bushes, but there were enough for me to have to stop, take off my pack and pick. I then continued on down to Clarendon Gorge where there is a suspension bridge over the Mill River. This is a noted swimming area for nearby residents and an especially welcome sight to the weary and hot hiker. When I arrived, Jelly Bean and Carbo were already there cleaning up and were fully refreshed. There were many locals at the park as this was an especially warm (hot) day. I went to the parking lot and hitched a ride the short distance to the Whistle Stop and almost immediately, Jelly Bean and Carbo arrived. Even though it was hot, I enjoyed a great turkey dinner topped off by an ice cream sunday. After relaxing a while, it was off for the last mile before reaching the Clarendon Shelter (1,190) where we would spend the night. Although it was only a mile, it was a tough climb over some pretty rough terrain, including rocks that had to be climbed hand over foot. And of course, this portion was done on a very full stomach. This shelter is fairly near a highway so our guidebook warns that we should keep close watch of our hiking gear. Tomorrow is expected to be a pretty tough hike over Pico and Killington but we will meet Donald at the end of the hike which will give me the incentive I need to continue. No one is sharing the shelter with me tonight, but there are three hikers camping nearby.

8/4 - Sunday - Day 144 - Hiked 16.8 miles - (Mile Marker 1,681.4) After the initial hike up the mountain first thing this morning, the hike was quite nice (flat) for the next five to six miles. Then, I began the long climb up Killington. Although it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, it was a long four miles up the hill. Upon reaching the top at Cooper Lodge I dropped my pack and hiked a very steep .02 miles to the summit of Killington (4,235). On my way up, I met a group leader with a group of kids. This was the same leader that I had met back on the 15th of July with a different group. It was strange as I recognized him and he recognized me. I was surprised to see him again. Since there is a gondola at the top, there were lots of tourists at the summit. Since hikers got a free round trip gondola ride, I took the ride. The weather was excellent so I had some great views. At the restaurant, I hung around a while and had something to eat before heading back down to pick up my pack and continue my hike. I continued along the Sherburne Pass trail (3,510) over Pico and then down to Sherburne Pass (1,900) where I would meet Donald at the Inn at Long Trail. I had a couple beers while waiting for Donald. Soon Donald got there and we continued to wait a short while for Jelly Bean and Carbo. Once they arrived, we were on our way to the Lodge where we would spend the night and following day. Once we settled in, taking our showers and relaxing a while, we all went off to Appleby's for dinner. I really would like to sleep in tomorrow, but doubt that I will be able to do so.

8/5 - Monday - Day 145 - Zero Day I had hoped to sleep in, but as usual I was awake bright and early. Even so, I had a great day off. I went to the library, did my laundry, did a little shopping and just relaxed in general. I got some gel supporters for my heels that have been bothering me over the past several days. Hopefully they will help.

8/6 - Tuesday - Day 146 - Hiked 16.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,697.4) We were all up early and left the lodge by 7 a.m. We stopped for breakfast at McDonalds and then got dropped off at the trail head. Carbo and Jelly Bean were dropped off a bit further where they had left the trail. Thanks again to brother Donald for ferrying us anywhere we wanted to go during our zero day. I felt real good today. Could it have been the day off yesterday? Lots of steep climbs today, but my feet are good for a change. I am trying my socks without the liners and the little toe feels much better this way. I arrived at "The Lookout" about 5:45. It is a privately owned cabin that they allow hikers to stay in during hiking season. There is no furniture, but just an open room without furniture but it serves the purpose. It is especially good tonight as the rains came and it became quite cold. The building leaks but we are still able to stay dry and warm. Strangely today I met three girls who had attended the college in Star Lake. As we were talking and finding out where everyone was from, they indicated that they attended a small school in upstate New York. I asked where and they said I wouldn't know where this little town would be. What a surprise when they said it was Star Lake, the very same little town where our cottage is located. What a small world this is.

8/7 - Wednesday - Day 147 - Hiked 14.2 - (Mile Marker 1,711.6) It got quite chilly last night, but my sleeping bag kept me warm. I will be glad when I get my winter gear once again as the nights are beginning to get cooler. I didn't really care for all the ups and downs today. I stopped several times to pick raspberries and blackberries. There were lots of them and lots more to come. I tried to hitch a ride into South Pomfret but couldn't get one so I continued on to Thistle Hill Shelter (1,640) where I will spend the night. I saw a baby deer and a small snake. Can you believe this was the first wildlife I have seen in Vermont? I passed the 1,700 mile marker today. I hope to reach Hanover tomorrow and that will finish up my Vermont section of the trail. There is only one other hiker in the shelter so far tonight.

8/8 - Thursday - Day 148 - Hiked 16.1 - (Mile Marker 1,727.7) I departed the shelter at 7 a.m. on another beautiful day. I felt good and the walk went fast. I stopped in West Hartford at Rick & Tina's country store for breakfast. There is a good swimming hole close by, but it was to early for a swim. After a great breakfast, it was on to Norwich where the trail passes right through town. Another mile out of town and I was passing over the Connecticut River Bridge (390). It was really hot today and even though the walk was relatively easy, the heat took its toll. Once over the bridge I would be out of Vermont and into New Hampshire and entering Hanover (520), the home of Dartmouth College. In the past, the college has allowed hikers to stay in the dorms when they aren't in use. However, their policy has changed and unless you know someone you have to fend for yourself. I dropped my pack at the Dartmouth Outdoor Club and then walked to the post office to pick up my drop box. I repacked my pack and then took the excess to the post office to be mailed to North Woodstock which would be my next stopover. I checked the internet the best I could but didn't finish. After a good rest, I was off to look for a place to eat and ended up at C&A Pizza. I had a grinder which was very good. The Velvet Rocks Shelter (1,040) was only one and a half miles up the trail so I was able to take my time in leaving Hanover, especially since I didn't have to prepare dinner when I arrived. I finally arrived at the shelter at 7:30 to find a group of scouts and three other thru hikers. My cousin Fern and her husband Ken had invited me to stay with them when I went through their part of New Hampshire. I called her from this shelter, and we agreed that Franconia Notch was the best place to meet. This way they could bring me to North Woodstock to pick up my drop box before heading to their home. It is hard to believe that I only have two more states and a little more than 400 miles left before completing the trail.

8/9 - Friday - Day 149 - Hiked 15.2 - Mile marker 1,742.9) I stayed in the shelter last night and suffered with all the bugs until it cooled off later on. It was another nice day. From the shelter, it was down to 880 feet before heading back up to Moose Mountain (South Peak) (2,250). I had a great view from the mountain summit so I decided to stop here for lunch. I then headed for Holts Ledge. However, before getting to the Ledge I would go down to Goose Pond Road at 920 feet and then in the next two miles back up to the Ledge at 2,100 feet. It was quite a steep ascent in that two mile distance. I arrived at the Trapper John Shelter at 5 p.m. There are several folks camping and the same three people in the shelter as last night. There is also a New Hampshire ridge-runner sharing the shelter. A ridge runner is a person who is paid to tend a certain area of the trail along with some of the shelters. I guess this is why we have to pay a $6.00 fee at some of the shelters. As you can see, the altitudes are beginning to increase. I feel that some of my hardest climbs are yet to come. Thankfully, I am in pretty good shape and should have little difficulty making it through the next month or so of hiking.

8/10 - Saturday - Day 150 - Hiked 12.0 - (Mile Marker 1,754.9) I certainly had my welcome to New Hampshire today with the climb up Smart Mountain at 3,220 feet. At the summit there is a fire tower along with a fire warden's camp which is open to hikers if they wish to stay. Since this was only seven miles into my hike for the day, I continued on. After a long descent, I was finally at south Jacob Brook (1,445). Here I stopped for a while and took somewhat of a bath and filtered some water to bring to the Hexacuba Shelter (1,980) where I would be staying for the night. I got two extra liters for the nights meal and drinking water. I always hated to have to carry extra water as each liter weighs two pounds. Thankfully the shelter was only about one and one half miles from the river but carrying the extra weight made it seem much longer. The shelter is hexagon shape, designed by the Dartmouth architecture students. Even the privy is hexagon shape as well. There are four other thru hikers and two section hikers sharing the site. It is a nice night with few bugs.

8/11 - Sunday - Day 151 - Hiked 14.7 miles - (Mile Marker 1,769.6) After today's hike I have less than 400 miles away from my destination. As usual, I was up at 6 and out of the shelter by 7. It was a hot day but it wasn't bad for hiking. In a little over a mile, I was at the north summit of Mt. Cube (2,911). It was a tough short climb but the views were fantastic, similar to what I expect to experience through New Hampshire and Maine. From Mount Cube it was down to the highway which goes into Warren, NH at 1,500 feet. Before reaching the Hikers Welcome Hostel where I would be staying the night, I would be going up and over Mt. Mist (2,200). At this hostel, you have a choice of staying in tents that are set up, or sleeping in the bunkhouse. I elected to tent. This hostel is in the small town of Glencliff 1,300). I was able to get some clothes washed and take a solar shower before dinner. Up the road a short distance was the post office where you could make telephone calls if you wanted. There are lots of thru hikers sharing this location, all looking forward to, but somewhat apprehensive about tomorrow when we will be going up over Mount Moosilauke.

8/12 - Monday - Day 152 - Hiked 7.9 miles - (Mile Marker 1,777.5) From the hostel at 1,300 feet I first came to the Jeffers Brook Shelter and then for almost five miles it was the beginning of the long climb up Mount Moosilauke at 4,802 feet. I can now say I have done my first REAL New Hampshire mountain. This is the first mountain on the AT that soars above the tree line even though it is much lower at this latitude than in the South. Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I made it up to the summit by 11:15. With only another two miles left, I took extra time on the summit before starting the steep decent which was relatively easy even though it was about 1,200 feet down in about two miles. You are supposed to be able to see five states from the summit, but since it was pretty cloudy at the top, the views weren't all that great. There were a lot of day hikers on the summit. I am hearing horror stories about the remainder of the down hill which we will be taking tomorrow. We are staying at the Beaver Brook Shelter (3,650) tonight which has a beautiful view and a good water source. There are lots of hikers sharing the shelter tonight.

8/13 - Tuesday - Day 153 - Hiked 9.1 miles - (Mile Marker 1,786.6) I was up and out of camp by 6:30, thinking I would do long miles today. However, the tough hike made me decide to stop at the Eliza Brook Shelter (2,495) which was the first shelter I came to. I look forward to tomorrow when I will get picked up at Franconia Notch by Fern and Ken. The hike down the remainder of Mount Moosilauke was tough with lots of rocks to climb down and over. Once I finally reached Kinsman Notch at 1,812 feet, it was right back up again over Mount Wolf (3,478). According to our book, we haven't even started the hard part of the trail. Of the remaining miles, about 20 are supposedly tough, not including Katahdin. I am looking forward to getting off the trail tomorrow for a day of rest and getting caught up on my laundry and shopping.

8/14 - Wednesday - Day 154 - Hiked 8.8 miles - (Mile Marker 1,795.4) I was up and out at 7 a.m., knowing that I would be having a tough hike up South Kinsman Mountain at 4,358 feet at its summit. I found that I was in pretty good shape again as the hike up wasn't nearly as bad as I had thought it would be. It was quite hazy at the top so the views weren't as spectacular as they could have been. It was very hot today and as we begin going above the tree line, we are noticing the heat more. However, as much as they need the rain, I selfishly hope it holds off for a little while longer as it gets real tough over the rocks when they are slippery. I reached the Lonesome Lake Hut where I would stop for something to eat before continuing on. This is the first of eight (8) Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) huts for north bounders. The view across the lake is one of the most scenic in the mountains. These huts are spaced one-day's hike apart along the AT and accessible only by foot. They provide meals, shower facilities, bunks and are great for those hikers who are just out for the weekend. Usually reservations for these huts are made far in advance and are quite expensive. They kindly offer a small number of thru hikers an opportunity to work with the existing staff for meals and an opportunity to sleep inside. If you're not there early, you will not get the chance to work. If there is food left over in the morning, they will set it out for the thru hiker passing by at a cost of $1.00 for all you can eat. I was fortunate enough to arrive at the Lonesome Lake Hut early enough to enjoy some food. Eventually, I had to move on to ensure an arrival at Franconia Notch where I was to be picked up. It was a nice gradual walk to the Notch and I was hiking with Spiz most of the way. Upon arrival, we got something to eat and then some ice cream while we awaited the arrival of Ken and Fern. They arrived soon after we got there and took us to the post office and dropped Spiz off at his motel and then on to their home. I just relaxed the remainder of today as I can wash, shop, etc., tomorrow on my zero day.

8/15 - Thursday - Day 155 - Zero Day I spent a good portion of today taking care of house business in order to sell our home in Virginia. Thanks to Fern and all her contacts as well as her driving me all over the place to get power of attorney papers signed, etc., etc., with regard to the sale of our home, I was able to get everything done that needed to be done. The day turned out to be not as hectic as it could have been had she not taken the time to help me out. I did get to swim a while and do some shopping as well as organizing my drop box food and doing my laundry. It was a good day off, but not as restful as I would have liked because of all the running around that was necessary. It was a warm day again today. Fern and Ken were great hosts. Cousins Phyllis and Vincent came over from Glover, Vermont to visit with me during my stay.

8/16 - Friday - Day 156 - Hiked 10.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,805.7) I was up real early, had coffee and then went off to breakfast before I was taken to the trailhead. Cousin Mona drove in to have breakfast with us. It was definitely a very hard day today as I had some very high mountains to climb over. From Franconia at 1,450 feet, I immediately began to climb up to Liberty Spring at 3,900 feet in about 2½ miles. From there I went on to Little Haystack Mountain, Mount Lincoln, and then Mount Lafayette and Greenleaf Hut (5,249). What a great sight from the summit of this mountain. There are several trails leading to the top of this mountain, and many people were day hiking to the top. I am seeing lots more day hikers on the trail here in the great Whites. From the summit of Mount Lafayette, I headed down to 4,488 feet on Mount Garfield. Because of the altitude changes, I averaged only about one mile per hour until I finally reached Garfield Ridge Shelter at 5 p.m. This is another shelter that has a caretaker and you have to pay a $6.00 overnight fee to stay there. I passed the 1,800 mile marker today

8/17 - Saturday - Day 157 - Hiked 9.7 miles - (Mile Marker 1,815.4) I was up early this morning and out of the shelter by 6:45. I have been so lucky with the great weather I have had. I started out with a short, steep climb down and then on to Galehead Hut (3,820), where I ran into Chipper and Jeff and Carbo and Jelly Bean. There was a little left over food, so I indulged a little and chatted a while before heading out again. I was soon heading back up again to go over South Twin Mountain (4,902). At the summit, I got my first glimpse of Mount Washington and what a sight it was. Everyone is looking forward to reaching the summit of this great mountain. The remainder of today's hike was relatively easy as I hiked down to Zealand Falls Hut (2,635) and since I arrived at 3 p.m., I was fortunate enough to do a work for stay. They have advised that my job would be setting the table before dinner and cleaning the floor afterwards and then doing the same in the morning for breakfast. This will allow me to sleep inside (on a table, but inside) and a free dinner and breakfast. Our meals come after the regular guests have eaten and the staff get the leftovers. We had salad, chicken and vegetables and cous cous and there was plenty of it. Since I arrived at the hut at 3 p.m. and my services weren't needed until 5:30, I had an opportunity to sit by the falls and rinse my body off and washing my shirt. One of the guests, Dr. Randy Elmore from Athens, Georgia asked if I would like to have my picture taken. He took my address and said he would send it to me when he arrived home and had them developed. For the past few days I have been on the same schedule as Movin, Crankin and Birch. They will leave early in the morning but I can't leave until my work is done. I don't like getting late starts, but it will be worth it to sleep inside and have a couple good meals.

8/18 - Sunday - Day 158 - Hiked 14.1 miles - (Mile Marker 1,829.5) As expected, I didn't get to leave the Hut until about 8:30 after my morning chores. The hike today was brutal as it was long and extremely hard. From the Hut is was a fairly easy seven miles down and then flat walking until I reached Crawford Notch at 1,280 feet. But, this would soon change as I headed back up to an altitude of 3,380 feet at Webster Cliffs. Note: The 25-mile section between Crawford Notch and Pinkham Notch is mostly above tree line. Some of the peaks traversed are: Mount Webster (3910), Mount Jackson (4,052), Mount Pierce (4,310), Mount Eisenhower (4,761), Mount Franklin (5,004), Mount Washington (6,288) and Mount Madison (5,363). We are advised that although the views are breathtaking on a sunny day, you should use care when going across this section in bad weather.) Sure enough, as I was approaching Webster Cliffs, I could see a strong electrical storm approaching. I was concerned about reaching the summit about the same time as the storm would come as it does become quite dangerous during an electrical storm. Although I was hiking as fast as I could up the mountain, I didn't make it before the storm hit. I was frightened as this type of storm seems much worse when you are above the tree line. Needless to say, I was soaked before arriving at the Mizpah Hut and Nauman Tentsite (3,790) where I would be staying the night. I was extremely tired but still had to set up my tent and make my dinner. There were platforms to set your tent on but since my tent really didn't fit very well on this platform, I had to improvise a bit. It worked and after finally finishing dinner, I was in bed by 8 p.m. Once getting settled into my sleeping bag, it was a great sleeping night being cool, but windy.

8/19 - Monday - Day 159 - Hiked 10.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,839.8) Another day and I am off heading toward the Lake of the Clouds Hut (5,040). From the Mizpah Hut and the next 12 miles, I will be hiking mostly above the tree line. I stopped at the Lakes Hut for a while, but no food was to be had this time. After a brief rest, I felt ready to tackle the hike up Mount Washington (6,288). It would be an ascent of over 1,000 feet in a little over one mile and much of it on rocks since it was above the tree line. We were very fortunate to have beautiful weather with clear skies and it was warm, but not hot. The views from the summit were awesome. Of course, the tourists who had come by car as well as Cog Rail, were out in all their glory and finery. The thru hikers looked pretty ragged amongst these tourists. I hung around for quite a while, eating my lunch and getting a few things to eat at the snack bar located on top. We took photos of the group by the Mount Washington signpost on top. Mount Washington is the highest peak in New England. There is a weather station on top which has clocked the highest official surface wind speed ever recorded on earth (231 mph). The winds were not bad during the time I was there. Thru hikers are not allowed to stay the night on the summit. I had not planned on doing so anyway. Reluctantly, after a couple hours on the summit, it was time to head off to our next stop. As we were departing the summit, the cog rail train was chugging up the mountainside. There is a custom for the thru hiker to moon the train as it passes you by. Of course I did not do this, but a couple from our group of hikers did. They did so from a distance as we were advised that they now have someone on the train who throws coal at the hikers who do this. I wasn't about to take the chance even if I had wanted to. From the summit, it had to be down once again. I made the mistake of going with some of the other thru hikers to the Perch Shelter. This was .9 miles off the trail and a long hike down. Of course I knew it would be back up the following day and I certainly wouldn't be looking forward to that. I had my first real fall this morning and landed on my bottom on one of my cheeks. Since I have absolutely no fat here, I must have hit the bone as I am very sore tonight. The weather has turned rainy but I can't really complain as we have been very lucky with our weather.

8/20 - Tuesday - Day 160 - Hiked 9.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,849.1) It continued raining throughout the night and until about 8 a.m. the following morning. It was tough getting up but finally did, leaving the site at about 7:15 in the rain. As expected, the hike back up to the trail was not easy and it just added some more unofficial miles to my hike. The trail is not all that easy to follow since you are above the tree line. Instead of the markers being on the trees, the trail is marked by mounds of rocks in temple shape, and you must train your mind to watch for these markers instead of the white markers. Also, going through the Whites, there are many trails leading off to different places so you must watch the signs carefully at the cross trails. I stopped at the Madison Springs Hut for a rest before heading on to Mount Madison (5,363). It was a real tough hike up to the summit and a tough hike back down into Pinkham Notch (2,050). At Pinkham Notch there is a visitor's center with a place where you can take your coin operated shower and a place to eat. They also have a room where you can just hang out, make telephone calls or just lounge around. They did have sleeping facilities, but I decided along with several other hikers to set up my tent a short distance from this facility. I caught up with Slow and Easy and Jeff and Chipper once again and camped very near them. Once I got my tent set up and prepared my dinner I finally hit the sack about 9:30. I fell twice today without injury, but did break one of my hiking poles. Although it is still usable, I am not sure how long it will last. I am slipping and falling much more than usual. Am I wearing out or just being careless. Only a few hundred miles remaining and I can't give up now.

8/21 - Wednesday - Day 161 - Hiked 8.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,857.6) I got up early this morning and broke camp so that I could enjoy a nice breakfast at the Visitor Center before heading off to what I expect will be a difficult hike. It was an excellent all you can eat breakfast with lots of everything. After lingering over breakfast as long as I could, I was finally off. From an altitude of 2,050 feet, I would reach the summit of Wildcat Mountain at 4,380 feet in 2.7 miles. When you have a 2,000 plus foot incline in this amount of miles, you know you are climbing. It was a difficult climb and then we had a difficult descent into Carter Notch Hut (3,290) where we ate our lunch. This hut is one of the oldest huts in the Whites and serves no meals. You can stay there at a fee of $18 but the thru hiker rarely does. After a nice rest stop while eating lunch, it was off again and straight up for the next 1½ miles to an altitude of 4,832 over Carter Dome. This part of the hike was extremely difficult which was the reason for the short mileage today. I was hiking with Slow and Easy and Chipper and Jeff and since they decided to try and locate water at Zeta Pass (3,990) and then find a place to pitch their tents, I decided to do the same. It would have been another five miles to a shelter and I just didn't feel up to the extra miles after the difficult hiking I had already done. After tonight's dinner, I will be completely out of food so I must make Gorham tomorrow. This is the first time I have totally run out of food. I always try to have one meal left when I arrive to pick up my next drop box. It is a nice night tonight with a full moon

8/22 - Thursday - Day 162 - Hiked 12.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,870.2) As usual, I was up and out of camp by 6:45. I found it a much easier hike today and I made it into Gorham (780) by 3 p.m. Today's hike took us up and over Middle Carter Mountain (4,600) and Mount Moriah (4,049). Even though it was overcast all day, there were some good views from the summits of these mountains. The forecast was for rain and it did rain in the afternoon after I had arrived in Gorham. Gorham is about 3½ miles from the trail so I had to hitch a ride into the village where I would be staying at "The Barn" for the night and possibly another should I decide to take a zero day tomorrow. There was someone at the parking lot who had just finished a section hike and he volunteered to drive me to the village. Once arriving and checking in, I showered and washed clothes. I got a ride to the post office and picked up my drop box and got everything sorted. I went across the street for a sub and picked up some ice cream and beer. I then relaxed and tried to figure my schedule for the next few days. I am thinking seriously of taking a zero day tomorrow, especially since those I have been hiking with for the past few days are doing so. When you find someone you enjoy hiking with, you try and stay on their schedule as long as possible. I now have less than 300 miles remaining to reach Katahdin.

8/23 - Friday - Day 163 - Zero Day Did a bit of shopping and checked the small town out. It is small so it didn't take long. I ate lunch at the Pizza Hut and then was invited to go to dinner with some of the other hikers at a Chinese restaurant. I am all packed up and ready to continue tomorrow. I joked about seeing my first moose today. It was a wooden statue in the town square. I hope to see a real one very soon.

8/24 - Saturday - Day 164 - 11.8 miles - (Mile Marker 1,882.0) After a very restful stopover in Gorham, it was good to get back on the trail again. I felt good and fortunately, the trail was great today. There were no real severe ascents or descents today although there were some climbs. I hiked up Cascade Mountain (2,631) and on into Gentian Pond Campsite at 3:30. Fortunately, I arrived at the shelter before the rains came. The shelter will be full with six other hikers in the shelter and four others tenting. It feels like it is going to be cold tonight. I have been watching for a moose, but no luck yet. There is lots of moose scat (poop) along the trail, but no luck for me in seeing a moose. There have been sightings of moose by other hikers so maybe I will get lucky soon. I keep hearing that the first 200 miles in Maine are tough. I guess I will soon find out since I will be entering the state of Maine tomorrow.

8/25 - Sunday - Day 165 - 9.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,891.6) Although it was not a long mileage day, I found it rather tough. After getting out of camp at 7, I was soon climbing Mount Success (3,565). I'm not sure where the name came from, but it could have been from those hikers who have hiked from Georgia. If not, it should have been as this is the last climb before entering Maine, the last state before reaching Katahdin. The climb was tough enough that I had to take my pack off at one site before climbing up over the rocks. I was actually on my hands and knees climbing over these rocks. This may be the common thing for the next several miles. I am still hiking with Chipper and Jeff and Slow and Easy and am happy about that. Tomorrow we travel through Mahoosuc Notch which I have been hearing about for a long time now. We are all staying at the Full Goose Shelter (3,030) where we all discussed tomorrows venture and how we would all stick together and do it as a group. Our guide book says that the trail between Gorham and Stratton is considered by some thru hikers as some of the toughest hiking on the trail. Fortunately it hasn't been rainy which would have made this some of the toughest trail but since it has been dry, it hasn't been any tougher than what I have already experienced so far. Maybe it will get worse before getting to Stratton.