Day 60 - More Vermont

Started out from Cloudland Shelter. The trail back to the AT is all torn up by logging equipment. Lots of broken ground, deep tyre tracks, and random debris. Added to that, the loggers also put up their own blazes on the trees that look just like AT blazes. Very easy to lose your way. Best is to keep your eyes glued to the GPS and navigate using that.

Trail was significantly friendlier than Maine/NH. Far fewer roots and rocks, it is nice to walk along a flat dirt path.

Met a NOBO named Iron Giant. He raved about this hostel a few miles away. $55 for a bunk, showers, laundry, breakfast, and a shuttle both to and from the trail and to the grocery store. He had bought an enormous steak and cooked it at the hostel. I was very tempted to reenact this side excursion but ultimately decided against it.

Stopped in at a lovely place called On The Edge Farm Stand. Bought 2 sandwiches (one ham, one turkey), a blueberry muffin, as well a bunch of sugary stuff. Very bad for you but very delicious and full of energy.

I also bought some ramen and threw out some gross rice noodle things that I'd bought as an experiment.

Signed the register for the next section, and saw an amusing note of the board (see pics).

I took a photo of a bridge over a small creek. It was the second very well constructed bridge spanning a small waterway I'd seen today. They do things differently here in Vermont, had this been Maine the crossing would have been white water rapids 20 metres across with a small handwritten sign saying "figure it out yourself, dickhead". I can see why some NOBO's find Maine tough going if this is what they are accustomed to.

I've also discovered what the open fields full of grass are all about. I'd been kind of mystified because they seemed deliberately planted but weren't part of a farm, nor did the plants seem to be a commercial crop. Found a sign that indicates these fields are food for the Monarch butterflies.

Staying at Winturri Shelter tonight. Fair number of people here but I got in early and grabbed the best tent site.

Met a 70 year old NOBO named Gravy. Inspirational. I hope I can be doing this stuff at his age.En savoir plus