Long Trail Archives - Page 2 of 2

Day 12: (June 27) Big Branch Shelter

It was very cold last night and I was glad we used the tent instead of the shelter. The tent adds about ten degrees; it was 57º F inside it this morning. Even Dennis was cold last night!

We are slowing down at bit—not because of my ankle, but because the Post Office in Wallingford, VT, will be closed on Sunday and there is no lodging in town. We want to get the food box mailed there, and back on the trail.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Dennis toasting bagels over campfire

We stopped at Lost Pond Shelter for lunch. Dennis started a fire and toasted bagels. What a treat! “Chicago” came along, and where shared our lunch with her.

We met “What’s the Rush” carrying a huge backpack. His philosophy is to walk until you need to rest, and then rest until you can walk. Sounds about right for these two sexagenarians.

Jane climbing Baker Peak

It was almost a vertical climb up to Baker Peak—a terrifying 0.1 mile climb on slate. I shortened my hiking poles and used them to grab and pull my way up. Afraid of heights, I would not look down until I reached the top. I must admit that the view was worth the effort, but I did not spend a lot of time looking around. I think I should have been “Baker Acted” just for attempting the climb.

We arrived at Big Branch Shelter early enough to set up the tent before it rained. We piled leaves to raise the tent off the ground and let the rain water flow through without soaking into the tent. It also cushioned the sleeping pads and provided warmth. I think we will continue to use this technique in the future.

There was a Boy Scout troop at the shelter. Several of the leaders and scouts were interested in Dennis’ amateur radio setup. Of course, he was more than happy to answer questions.

Lisa (mother) and Moira (daughter) stayed in the shelter. They are attempting to hike the LT. Lisa has severe blisters, so she will take a few days off, but Moira will continue on. Hope to meet up with them soon.

Jane navigating path

With all the rain, walking is difficult. The mud “stiction” pulls on the boots, the rain-soaked clothes is heavy, and negotiating the rocks and tree roots is difficult. Did someone say hiking was fun?

It poured all night and the tent leaked. Everything is damp or wet. The stream which bubbled yesterday is roaring this morning. The rain makes it difficult to get back to hiking; but walking helps keep me warm, so off we go.

Day 11: (June 26) Peru Peak Shelter

We sat at Ms. Murphy’s eating an egg sandwich and listening to the locals chatter. Two old codgers kept everyone entertained. After breakfast we hitched a ride to the trail head with Miles, a painter and building restorer.

My new shoes are comfortable. I appreciated all the time Vincent at EMS in Manchester Center, VT spent to get me a good fit. My other shoes did not provide much support and I sprained my right ankle. I had to wrap my ankle with an Ace bandage to continue. That and the new shoes seem to help, but I am mindful of how I place my foot. Being constantly vigilant slows my pace. But, what’s the rush? I will get there when I do, and without harm, hopefully.

We stopped at Bromley Shelter for lunch and met “Proud Foot” and “McGyver.” The trail is up and down to Mad Tom Notch at 2,446 ft.

After climbing Peru Peak, I no longer have climbing Machu Picchu in Peru on my bucket list. My lungs were gasping for air at 3000 ft. elevation; I can’t imagine climbing to almost 8000 ft.

Without Dennis, I don’t think I could make this hike. He is my personal Sherpa. He carries the tent and stove. What I appreciate the most is his getting and filtering the icy cold mountain water. I have Renaud’s Syndrome, a disorder that affects blood vessels in my fingers, turning them white and painful with the cold.

Additionally, it is cold for almost July. When I stop walking, I start shivering. Even changing into dry camp clothes does not stop my quivering. Tada! Dennis to the rescue. As tired as he might be, he boils the water for our supper and cleans up the dishes, as I sit warming myself in my sleeping bag in the tent

Everyone discouraged me from bringing my sleeping bag liner and gloves, saying that I would be hiking in July. If only I had known that the evening temperatures would fall into the 40’s—way too cold for this Floridian—I would have sacrificed something else to carry the warmer objects.

We set up our tent on a platform at Peru Peak Shelter. Though others tented there that evening, they did not share the platform.

Day 8 and 9: (23 – 24 June) Green Mountain House

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 reservations at the hiker hostel, Green Mountain House.

For some reason, Dennis and I found the hike difficult today. I’m not sure if it’s because yesterday’s hike was so demanding or if because we need a break. There were lots of false hill tops, more ups than I wanted, and I just dragged myself up to the road. I don’t think I could have gone much farther.

It didn’t take long for a pickup truck to pull over and we climbed into the bed of the truck. Sitting there with the wind blowing our hair was such a treat. The driver stopped in the center of town. We climbed down from the back of the truck and waved the driver goodbye, along with our hiking poles. Prior to leaving, Dennis handed the driver his business card and offered to send him a copy of his book if he emailed us his address. We hoped that he would contact us.

Dennis felt terrible, since he was the one holding the poles. No use crying about it, it’s only money.

Since I had been yearning a hamburger all day, we asked the locals where we could get a good burger. Two different people recommended McDonald’s. Finally, two house painters gave us directions to Seasons, a local restaurant. There, I sated my taste buds with a juicy half-pounder, sweet potato fries, and a local Vermont brew.

After filling our bellies, we called Jeff, the hostel proprietor. It felt so good to take a shower and sleep in a bed. As part of the fee, Jeff gives each guest a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. I now have a new favorite: New York Super Fudge Chunk.

We had a delightful night. “Werewolf,” who walks in a kilt, was there. We had met him at the Stratton Pond Shelter. “K2” from the Goddard Shelter was there. “New Song,” who is recovering from a broken ankle, delighted us with colorful stories of his life. As he says, long-distance hikers are unique.

The next day, we went into town to resupply, buy new shoes, and replace the hiking poles. EMS said that if the gentleman returned our poles they would take back our newly purchased one. I’m not too hopeful. The driver will have to notice them in the bed of his truck. If he is like me, he won’t look in there for a while.

It took us until 4 PM to get all our errands done and have an early supper at the Thai Basil. I wasn’t impressed with my choice, but Dennis enjoyed is Pad Thai. The presentation was lovely, but my vegetables were still frozen in places. Nonetheless, it was nice sitting outdoors with the Green Mountains as backdrop.

Since we did not get a chance to rest, we asked to extend our stay. Jeff is fully booked, so we reserved one night at the Sutton’s Place in town. Tomorrow will be a rest day.

Weighing Jane's bag — Weighing Jane’s bag

Before leaving, we weighed our packs. Mine, with food and water weighs a little over 22 lbs. Dennis’ bag weighs about 35.5 lbs. He is carrying the tent, amateur radio gear, and the computer. I was surprised by the weight. I thought it was heavier. Must be another reason I am so slow.

Preparing for the Long Trail

I am preparing to hike the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the US—272 (435 km) miles long running the length of Vermont from the Massachusetts to the Canadian borders. It is considered more difficult and rugged than the Appalachian Trail, with lots of mud and mountains (53 named ones) including 27 that are over 3,500 ft. high.

To get in shape and to learn how to use hiking poles, I take early morning walks carrying a 30-pound pack. Never having used poles, I found them awkward at first but have developed a rhythm, at least while tap-taping on Sarasota streets. My morning ventures have produced unusual comments and lots of questions.

One woman warily keeping her distance asked me what I was doing in her neighborhood (one that I have been walking through for years). She seemed more accepting of me when I told her that I was in training to walk the Long Trail. By her demeanor, I assumed she thought I was a street person casing out the area.
Another woman asked me how far I was going to walk on the trail. “Two miles?” she guessed. I imagine for some people, walking two miles is a long distance.
One woman said, “Oh, you’ve had your baby!” At almost 65 years old, I couldn’t imagine what she was talking about until I noticed that she was trying to look over my shoulder. She had confused the backpack with a child carrier. That’s understandable, but why did she think I just had a baby.

There are no mountains in Sarasota to train on. Some people use the Ringling Bridge or the Celery Fields to help develop the leg muscles. Instead, I have been working out with weights and a step-bench. I know that this is not adequate training, but until I get to NH where I will have two weeks to practice walking the local hills, its the best I can do. My husband and walking partner, Dennis has been bicycling, but that is not the same as walking. Knowing that we will not have our “hiking legs,” we will start off slowly and walk short distances until our bodies adapt. Luckily, the first 100 miles on the Long Trail are the easiest.

I have yet to decide if I will hike in a skirt (my preference) or wear long pants to ward of the black flies, mosquitoes, and deer ticks. Dennis, purchased Permethrin to spray on our clothing. Since the EPA states “a 140-pound person would have no adverse health effects if exposed to 32 grams of Permethrin/day.” and there is less than 1 gram of Permethrin in an entire bottle of clothing treatment, it seems that using this toxic chemical is a good precaution against the Lyme Disease-bearing ticks.

Gear

Having hiked long distances before, I only needed to buy gear for wilderness hiking. This included

We are using the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Tent that we used on other adventures. Dennis will most likely carry this.

Clothing

Instead of hiking boots, I purchased Topo Athletic wide toe box shoes and added a metatarsal support to the right shoe. I have been wearing the new shoes all day and have no problems with them. I just hope they are rugged enough to withstand the wear and tear of the muddy trail. I also purchased Injinji toe socks which are said to help prevent blisters. They felt funny at first, but I quickly accustomed to the “toes.”

I also ordered a pair of Off-Road Crocs, which are supposedly more rugged than the original ones. The drawback is that they are heavier.

Food

According to research, we each should plan to carry 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. per day depending on body size and exertion. We each bought one dehydrated meal, for that night when we crave a special meal. The rest of the time, we will buy high-calorie foods such as pasta, couscous, rice, oatmeal, bagels, peanut butter, and Dennis’ favorite(?) hiking food: Pop Tarts.

To cook the food, we need to carry fuel. The canisters add 1.5 lbs to my pack.

Water is plentiful on the Long Trail. We only need to purify it. For this we purchased the Sawyer mini water filter. It’s much lighter than the filter Dennis used on his Appalachian Trail adventure.

As it stands today, I think my pack will weight 35.54 lbs (13.57 k), unless I decide not to take the fleece jacket and pants. According to Wunderground.com, the average temperature in June and July 2014 at Troy VT was 61 °F. That’s on the chilly side for this Floridian. Of course, it will be warmer in North Adams, MA, where we start. I am hoping that by the time we reach Troy, I will have acclimated.

This Wednesday, we are taking our packs to the Appalachian Trail Club of Florida. They will evaluate my packing list Hopefully they will find ways for me to reduce the load a bit. I’m not too worried about the weight. I carried the equivalent or more on past trips. The backpack is on the small side for wilderness hiking, so fitting everything including food will be tricky.