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[at-l] Williamstown to Manchester Day 2
- Subject: [at-l] Williamstown to Manchester Day 2
- From: MrsGorp@aol.com
- Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 18:05:16 EDT
Awake at 4:45am...way too early, rolled over and reawaken at 5:30am..time to
get up, it was light enough to see and the birds were singing. Ate some fig
Newtons then packed up and left the ridge campsite. The coyotes howled
during the night. The breeze died down during the night and the Nomad
stopped bellowing in the wind.
Onto Congdon Shelter for breakfast. The trail was MUDDY and sloppy. The
puncheons near Sucker pond were under water. Stamford Stream was roily.
Finding water is not a problem. It's cold and tasty too. I thought to
myself, West Virginia water wasn't this tasty. Ahhhhhhh.
Ate breakfast at Congdon then headed to Harmon Hill. A cloud burst opened up
just as I was signing the register on top of the hill. I could see the sun
shining in the valley and the Bennington Battle monument. Coming down the
hill on the stone steps to Rte 9 made the outside of my right knee sensitive
to the pounding. There were many new blowdowns along the stone stairway. I
worked up a sweat going downhill. Thank goodness for two Leki poles.
Ate lunch beside City Stream at Rt 9. A couple walked by while I dined on
beef jerky, bagels, corn nuts and Gorp. She had her little black leather
purse slung over her right shoulder. They asked me the usual questions.
"Hiking alone?","Where are you headed?", "Where did you start?". Several
major blowdowns on the climb up to Melville Nauheim Shelter. As I was
getting water from the stream at MNS, the same couple came up from behind and
spooked the living daylights out of me. I shrieked. They apologized. I
guess I was lost in my thoughts and didn't hear anything except the gentle
trickle of flowing water. I took my wet socks off, rung them out and strapped
them to my pack to dry. I'd walk sockless and see if my boots would dry out.
It started to rain around 2:00 and my boots never did dry.
Shortly after passing Porcupine Lookout I met a southbound section hiker
cloaked in a brown poncho. He was headed for Williamstown where his sister
was to pick him up. He certainly was a chatty fellow. He'd never seen moose
scat before and we concluded it must be a moose or a rabbit on steroids that
was roaming about Glastenbury Mtn.
Got to Goddard Shelter around 4:00. A young man and woman who were hiking
the Long Trail had already claimed the far corner of the shelter. I claimed
the other corner and tossed my junk along the shelter wall. Shortly
thereafter Southern Comfort arrived, followed by Lobo, Old Spice and
Duckxing. The gusty wind kept the bugs away, however I wore my mid weight top
and bottom, versatech windpants, puffball pullover and fleece hat to keep
warm while doing cooking chores. My FF bag was very warm.
I have a terrible rash around both ankles from hiking the last 8 miles
without socks. My feet were filthy so I washed them before going to bed.
The mesh openings on the Montrail Vitesse let in all the mud and gooshy grit.
I wish I had packed my Tevas.
Thank goodness for the little radio and my book. I had three hrs of daylight
before bed. After 19.9 miles I really didn't want to head out to Kid Gore.
The weather was stormy looking. And sure enough at dusk it began to rain
once again.
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