A-Train
06-09-2004, 13:47
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!
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!