Well, folks I'm back a bit earlier than planned. I hiked the 100+ miles between Williamstown Ma/Pine Cobble Trail to U.S. 4/Killington VT over seven days. I intended to hike the whole long trail but ended up just re-hiking the AT section! My father is having a rather routine heart surgery this friday. Although I was aware of this before leaving, it seemed to affect me more and more as I hiked on, leaving me with the what if's...

Couple that with the fact that I didn't see another hiker from Bromley Mtn to U.S. 4 and honestly I began to grow a little weary of the solitude (ha!). I had an outstanding week and I felt great physically. The weather was much better than what I had for my 03 thru-hike and I got to appreciate some sections I didn't even know existed. I enjoyed two nights alone and even hammocked for the first time at a beautiful stealth site, right next to Guild Brook a couple miles south of Gov. Clement Shelter. I climbed up to killington in the morning light and had the mountain to myself. Also enjoyed a fabulous night atop Bromley with a rewarding sunrise/set.

I met 6 thr-hikers. I spent a few days off and on with Pickle and Peanut, a great couple who have a journal at TJ's. They left 2/7. Met Shadowman from Wisconsin, who left 3/4 and had not taken a zero day yet. He had hiked the whole trail in sections the past couple years. Then there was Dusty and Lefty who started 2/15. They were a middle-aged couple walking to Hanover to attend their sons graduation from Dartmouth and were then headed to Katahdin! Also met a flip-flopper briefly, named Voices Withing the Wind i believe. The only LT hikers I met were a guy my age named Kyle and his uncle Paul. I got ahead of them and they were planning on taking 3-4 days off for a wedding so I knew they would never catch back up to me.

I'll be posting my journals and pics over at TJ in the next few days so check em out!

Hey A-Train,

I just got back from hiking Killington today and saw your entry in the Cooper Lodge register! Just did a quick up and back with some extra frozen Gatorades in case I ran into any hikers (met one section hiker from Georgia "No trail name") Thought it would be a bit early for the AT hikers, but a couple weekends ago, I met BoyWonder in N.Woodstock, said he was one of the first 3 NOBOs this year. Dr. Taco?? and Magic (yet again) being the other two.

Nice day to be on the trail (when isn't it?!) Sounds like you had a great hike yourself! The trail will always be there, I think you made the right decision by going home to be by your father's side.........no such thing as a "routine" surgery...esp. heart surgery! Hope all goes well and he's back to his ole self asap.

Thanks for the kind words Chickety. Glad you had a nice day on Killington as well. Not sure if you saw the article in the register at Cooper, but they are plannin to knock it down and rebuild it somewhere else down the Trail. That area is one of my favorite spots on the Trail.

Definately suprising how early the thru-hikers are this yr. About 20 seemed to have gone by Vermont before I got there. Should be about 30 thru Hanover in the next coulpe of days. Magic just finished I believe and Officer Taco is the other. Seemed that Boy Wonder was doing 30 mile days and wrote about catching Taco in the registers.

I did indeed have a fun trip. Vermont is truly a beautiful place to live and hike and im looking forward to the northern Long Trail in the future. Happy Hiking!