North to South…an Epic Journey of the Long Trail…Day 11-20

Day 11  ~  Wednesday, August 24th, 2016  ~  14.4m

Taylor Shelter to VT 2 Suspension Bridge

On trail at 6:45am.  Wasn’t sure how far I was going to go today.  Decided to hike out to the road by mid-day and call to stay at a local B&B…No reservations!  So I called Andy and Carlene listed in the End 2 End Book…Carlene picked me up after the suspension bridge and took me to their home.  She is an avid hiker and bicyclist.  She was going to ride her bike, so she gave me the keys to her car and explained how to get to Richmond, VT and grocery store.  Great store!  Bought dinner and a few heavy food items for the trail.  Banana, apple, curry cashews, cherry tomatoes, GF chocolate pie!  She allowed me to shower and tent on their back deck…very appreciative!  From Taylor Shelter to Puffer Shelter was rocky with one ladder up.  I slipped on a root and down I went…fell in a mud puddle…wet and dirty!  Bruised my right leg.  From Puffer Shelter the trail got a little easier down to Buchanan Shelter.  It is 0.3m off trail and I did not go down.  Word on the trail is from Buchanan to VT 2, no water.  I crossed a muddy, thin trickle of water and decided to try to filter some when two young men and one gal hiked by.  I asked about a better water source down trail…they had plenty of water and gave me enough to filter…thankful!  I was thinking I might stealth camp near VT 2 and needed water…

 

Day 12  ~  Thursday, August 25th, 2016  ~  5.0m

Suspension Bridge to Bamforth Ridge Shelter

Grassy fields, farms, cows, gardens and four stiles with a little road walk.  With all of this extra food (heavy) made for a tough climb to the shelter.  Got here at 10:00am (Yep)!  Only 5.0 miles…there is a 60% chance of rain and I am going up and over Camels Hump…scattered rain…but I hear it is a very tough climb not to do with wet rock!  So I stay put and I will eat all of my heaviest foods.  Around 1:00, 2 older men doing a nobo section, stopped in for water and lunch.  It did sprinkle on them coming over.  I hope I made the right decision!

 

Day 13  ~  Friday, August 26th, 2016  ~  5.4m

Bamforth Ridge Shelter to Montclair Glen Lodge

On trail at 10:10am.  Rained all morning and I wanted to wait.  The climb up was rocky with open ledges.  Many day hikers were on top of Camel’s Hump.  Two caretakers were also on top to oversee hikers safety, etc.  Beautiful views on top of Camel Hump…lots of huge boulders, ladders and rock going down on the other side…fun but slow!  Down at the shelter was a father and his three sons and a nobo “Johnny Bravo”, also a caretaker.  Cost is $5:00pp to stay.  Slept in the bottom bunk.  Tied my tent up to crawl inside…saw a mouse!

 

Day 14  ~  Saturday, August 27th, 2019  ~  10.6m

Montclair Glen Lodge to VT 17

On trail at 7:28am…up Mt Ethan Allen, many open rock ledges.  Lot of rock scrambles.  At Cowles Cove Shelter there were five guy friends hiking a nobo section.  About my age…had lunch here.  They were funny and hilarious!  When I got to Birch Glen Camp (where I thought I might stay the night) it was dark and yucky so I went on.  It was 3:00pm when I left.  Steep ups and downs before I got to the road VT 17.  At road I called Millbrook Inn for a room.  Joan from the Inn came and picked me up at the road crossing.  She drove me straight to the local outfitter shop.  I needed fuel and bought three Good to Go two person dinners.  Then I walked down to town and went grocery shopping before hitching a ride to her Inn.  Expensive!  $140.00 per night!  A middle aged woman picked me up.  She said she was going to scold and yell at me for hitch hiking.  She thought I was a teenager!  What!  I told her I was very capable and no…the big 6…0 is hanging out there somewhere in the sky preparing to fall on me!

 

Day 15  ~  Sunday, August 28th, 2016  ~  Zero day

Breakfast was scrambled eggs.  Millbrook Inn B&B is $140.00 first night and $120.00 second night.  Owner Joan drove me into town and dropped me off in Waitsfield.  Went to thrift store and art shops.  Did a little more shopping for food.  Hitched back to the B&B.  Finalized food and started packing.  Rested…

 

Day 16  ~  Monday, August 29th, 2016  ~  9.8m

VT 17 to Battell Shelter

Went to PO this morn.  Joan said it opened at 8:00am…nope…opens at 9:00am.  Shipped home a Eddie Bauer sweater I bought at the thrift store.  I also shipped home socks, 2 stakes, tent footprint, Thermarest Zlite, data handbook pages, bandana, sunglasses, camera.  Met “Still Walking” a norhtbounder around in her early 60’s.  She mentioned how nobo’s are giving sobo’s a bad image of the LT.  Two sobo’s called it the NOBO NO NO’s…the negative talk.  I so agreed…she would have been sweet to talk to but we are hiking opposite directions.  Summited Mt Abraham around 3:45.  Knees hurting on the way down.  Steep!  Sleeping in Battell Shelter…caretaker here.  Another nobo in shelter and 2 tenters.  Chilly out.

 

Day 17  ~  Tuesday, August 30th, 2016  ~  14.0m

Battell Shelter to Skyline Lodge

Trail not as many rock scrambles today…all that is behind me…Still tired after small ups & downs.  Took a nice lunch break at Cooley Glen Shelter.  Met an elderly man in early 80’s who was doing a loop…up Emily Proctor Trail, N on LT & down Cooley Glen Trail for about 12-13 miles…I was very impressed!  Made it to the Emily Proctor Shelter at 4:00pm.  Filtered water & decided to go the additional 2 miles to Skyline Lodge…2 young men nobo’s are also here.  Had I gone on to the next shelter it would have been a 16.2m day.  Too tired for that!

 

Day 18  ~  Wednesday, August 31st, 2016  ~  9.8 miles

Skyline Lodge to Sucker Brook Shelter

On trail at 7:00am…started to sprinkle shortly after then began to pour.  Pretty wet!  Stopped in at Boyce Shelter & checked the weather.  65% chance at 9am-10am.  I decided to go on.  Got to Sucker Brook Shelter just before 2:00pm.  Cleaned everything out of my pack & hung out all to dry.  Two young men, nobo, came in around 3:30pm for the night.  They are doing a section to Appalachian Gap.  Little chilly out.  Thankful for a dry shelter.  Getting close to the AT!

 

Day 19  ~  Thursday, September 1st, 2016  ~  12.6m

Sucker Brook Shelter to Davis Logan Shelter

On trail at 7:05am.  Climbed Gillespie Peak & Mt Horrid.  Up on the ridge all morn.  Ups and downs.  Once I crossed Brandon Gap up to Sunrise Shelter for lunch…it was flat and easy…I thought I was in Hiker Heaven!  From the road (VT 73) to Bloodroot Gap it was peaceful and easy going.  Crossed many streams.  After Bloodroot Gap it once again became short ups and downs, roots and rocks!  Arrived at David Logan at 3:10pm.  Swept out the shelter & started on chores, water, air everything out, set up tent inside.  I can do it without tent poles and stakes.  Two women came in at 6:30pm.  Didn’t come to shelter, tenting outside.

 

Day 20  ~  Friday, September 2nd, 2016  ~  12.7m

Davis Logan Shelter to Yellow Deli Hostel…Rutland, VT

On trail at 7:25am.  The trail has gotten easier as far as rock climbs & scrambles.  Still ups and downs.  Took a 40 minute lunch at Rolston Rest Shelter.  Early this morn I could hear a loon cry twice.  Chittenden Reservoir is west of the trail.  I got a distant picture of it.  Last night a couple came in the shelter near dark.  They had 2 dogs, very gentle.  They flip flopped and today they finish.  I was thrilled to get to the Maine Junction.  This is where you join the AT.  For sobo hiker’s on the AT going north, they will turn right and head over to NH.