One of the advantages to sleeping in a shelter is a quick morning start. No need to take down and stow the tent. We were on the trail by 7:20 AM. We had about 11 miles to the intersection of the LT and Vermont 11, which would take us into Manchester Center where we had… Continue reading Day 8 and 9: (23 – 24 June) Green Mountain House
Category: 2015
Day 7: (22 June) Stratton Pond Shelter
This morning Stratton Mountain loomed 3,940′ (1,201 m), the tallest peak so far. The air was cool but the steady uphill climb soon had is sweating. Dennis and I long for indicators on the trail telling our location. Though the map indicates a stream or pond, there are enough of them to cause uncertainty. I no longer believe… Continue reading Day 7: (22 June) Stratton Pond Shelter
Day 6: (21 June) Story Spring Shelter
Today’s elevation profile looks like bleeps on a cardiac monitor with many ups and downs. I feared that last night’s heavy rains would leave the trails gushing with water, but they were just ordinarily muddy. When Dennis came through here in 2008, the mud was knee-deep. At one point, the mud sucked off his boot, and he had to… Continue reading Day 6: (21 June) Story Spring Shelter
Day 5: (20 June) Goddard Shelter
I’m still hacking away. Perhaps I should have chosen “Hacker” as my trail name instead of “K-Fun.” We are getting a little stronger each day and improving our time. Instead of a mile per hour, we are doing it in about 50 minutes. With thunderstorms threatening, we decided to stay in the shelter. Since our… Continue reading Day 5: (20 June) Goddard Shelter
Day 4: (19 June) Melville Nauheim Shelter
We left Bennington, VT, around noon. It only took us a few minutes of hitchhiking before Steve, a salesman on a cold call at the hospital, stopped to give us the 7-mile ride to the trailhead. I enjoyed the walk, the sun peeking through the canopy, and the sense of accomplishment after plodding uphill. I… Continue reading Day 4: (19 June) Melville Nauheim Shelter
Why are we hiking the LT?
You may wonder why Dennis and I are attempting to hike the Long Trail, the oldest trail in the US. Dennis, a seasoned hiker (having completed the Appalachian Trail), is doing it for the challenge, the pleasure of being in the woods, the camaraderie among hikers, and getting back to appreciating the luxuries of modern-day… Continue reading Why are we hiking the LT?
On the Vermont Long Trail (Day 1 – 3)
Doug McKain from Green Mountain Hiking Club chauffeured us from the North Troy Inn at the end of the Long Trail (LT) to the start in Williamstown, MA. Though only 273 miles, it took us 7 hours to drive, with a short stop at the Green Mountain headquarters in Waterbury Center and then to eat. When we… Continue reading On the Vermont Long Trail (Day 1 – 3)
On our way to Vermont
Yesterday an Thursday we hiked about 5 miles in Winnekenni Park in Haverhill, Ma. I think my legs are ready for the easy first days on the Long Trail. After the walk on Friday, we picked up a pizza and I couldn’t resist this beer, just because of the name. Today, it is rainy and… Continue reading On our way to Vermont
Training in NH
Dennis and I went hiking on the back roads around Newton, NH. Everything is verdant and vibrant following the rains. The rhododendrons, azaleas, and spring flowers add colors not seen in Florida. We also saw golden finches, robins, cottontails, and other small woods animals. I had not realized how much I missed the smell of newly… Continue reading Training in NH
Changing to hiker mode
On our drive north, I read the Green Mountain Club Long Trail Guide, Hiking Vermont’s High Ridge. It divided the trail into twelve divisions. Each corresponding chapter included a profile map, descriptions of the route, and its side trails. Though the book offers a lot of information, we will not take it with us. It is too… Continue reading Changing to hiker mode