[at-l] Trip Report: AT/LT 8/01-8/02

[ARTCLOUTMN@aol.com (ARTCLOUTMN@aol.com)]

Susan Buchanan and I were to meet Jan Leitschue and Clyde in Williamstown at
the Williams Inn Thursday morning between 9:00 AM and 9:30 AM.  Through
E-mail we heard that the train Clyde was to travel on was in a wreck and
therefore Clyde would be delayed by several hours.

In the mean time Susan showed up at my place on Crystal Lake in Gilmanton, NH
about 10 PM on Weds evening.  We talked awhile then had some sleep.  Up at
5:00 AM we swam in the lake before sunrise.  Packed some last minute
belongings then headed out in two cars toward Williamstown.  After 2.5 hours
we reached the route 9 trail head in Bennington. VT where we left my truck.
There was a thru hiker hitching a ride into Bennington who we picked up.  His
trail name is "Just Bob."  This is his second Thru hike, his first was in
2000.  After another 30 minutes of travel we reached the Williams Inn where
we received a note at the desk from Jan and Clyde that they were having
breakfast and would return shortly.  It seems that they had traveled all n
ight arriving in Williamstown at 6:00 AM.

We drove to an Outfitter in downtown Williamstown to pick up some items
needed for the hike.  We were directed by the salesclerk to Dave's Auto
Repair to leave Jan's car for the rest of this month.  Jan and Clyde hope to
finish the Long Trail before Labor Day.  We all piled into Susan's van and
headed for the Pine Cobble Trailhead about 3/4 mile away.

When you are very tired and when it is very hot, 90 degrees +, the Pine
Cobble is a bear.  1200 feet in 1 mile is always tough.  We reached the top
of Pine Cobble about 1:00 PM where we took a break for lunch.  The Junction
of the AT and Pine Cobble trails was a short walk from our lunch spot.  We
began to run into Sobo hikers right away.  One I recognized from two weeks
ago when Suzan and I climb Mt Lincoln and Lafayette on Franconia Ridge.  Just
before the MA/VT border and the Begining/End of the Long Trail we were
overtaken by RKid, a NOBO, who started in late March.  He lives in Vermont so
was excited to be near home in time for his families annual summer party.

We continued along the trail with some addition ups and downs arriving at
Seth Warner Shelter about 4:00 PM.  Three of us set up Hennessy Hammocks,
Clyde took the easy route and crashed in the shelter.  Lots of AT northbound
and southbound thru hikers arrived while we were preparing Dinner.  The young
people were great.  They did not put on airs about being Thru Hikers.  They
answered our questions and asked about our equipment.  Jan, Clyde and Susan
were using Pepsi can stoves I was using a Zip stove.  They each were eating
dinner before I had my fire going.  There was a group of 8 women who were
just finishing a Tru hike of the Long Trail - south bound obviously.  Some
friends came in to congratulate them on their success.  (They did have one
more day of hiking ahead of them.)

Clyde was in his sleepingbag snoring before 7:30 PM.  Susan and Jan headed
for their hammocks about 8:00.  I could not resist talking with the young
hikers in the shelter until 9:30.  I slept very hot on top of my sleepingbag
with no clothing.  Clyde complained that it was to cold for him.

We were up before 7:00 AM on Friday.  We were casual about having breakfast
and breaking camp, leaving about 8:00 AM. We crossed many roads and a couple
of powerlines during the day.  About 10:30 AM we came to a huge beaver pond
with a very tall beaver dam.  Jan and Clyde went for a swim in the pond.
Rkid caught up with us at the pond and a SOBO hiker talked with us for a few
moments at the pond.  Susan changed the dressing on her heal where a very
large blister had been developing.

Hiking on we got spread out along the trail.  Susan and I were in front as
the sky began to darken.  It started to sprinkle and we began to hear thunder
in the distance.  I told Susan I did not want to stop to put on my pack rain
cover unless it started to rain hard because I knew the Congdon Camp was
close by.  Well, it started to rain very hard so we stopped.  After covering
our packs we took three steps around a tree and saw the shelter just ahead.
The shelter was occupied by 4 gentlemen who had stayed in Seth Warner
campsite with us the night before.  Rkid was also in the shelter.  Then the
lightning began to get very close and the thunder very loud.  Soon Clyde and
Jan showed up very wet.  We ate some lunch, tried to dry off, and rested for
well over an hour while the storm passed.  Several more hikers arrived at the
shelter before the storm ended.

We left the shelter about 3 PM with a long haul up Harmon Hill ahead of us.
Near the top of the hill Susan was able to contact her daughter via Cell
Phone and Jan was able to use Susan's Cell Phone to send her pocket E-mail.
The wonders of modern technology.  The views from the summit were very
impressive.  Thunderstorms were moving by in the distance and much of the
northern Berksires could be seen.

Nexy came a long, steep downhill climb into Bennington where the trail
crosses route 9.  The trail drops about 1000 feet in only 1/2 mile.  My knee
was very painful after that long haul down to the parking lot where my truck
was located.

Rkid, Clyde and Jan accepted a ride from me to a motel in Bennington where
they would spend the night before continuing their journies on saturday.
Susan and I used the motel room to take showers befroe returning to her car
in Williamstown and starting our 3 hour drive back to reality.  We both
wished Clyde and Jan a great month on the trail and offered the same wish to
RKid who would be finishing his AT Thru hike before the end of September.