[at-l] Williamstown to Manchester Day 2

[MrsGorp@aol.com]

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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