Vermont 1997

Monday, August 25, 1997—Erwin Clifford Recreational Park.
Cool Day!

Tuesday, August 26—Thistle Hill Shelter.
Wow!

Wednesday, August 27—Winturri Shelter.
What a great week it’s been so far. On Sunday 8/24, I had a short hike over & down Moose Mountain. After filling a cat hole near Goose Pond Road, a pickup drives by and picks me up, and the driver gave me two apples. He dropped me off on Highway 10, and after 10 minutes of walking, I got my next ride, all the way into Hanover. What luck! I dropped my stuff at Panarchy House, took a shower, and headed out to breakfast. Next came Murphy’s Pub, Guinness & College football. Next morning, Monday 8/25, I met Kampfire. He’s a dude, driving along the trail, helping hikers with shuttles, slackin’, and fuel. He drove me, Bobby K, & Flipper to the trail head in Vermont. Yellow-blazed another road walk, Yea! Nice easy hikin’. Met up with Bobby K, & Flipper at the remains of Happy Hill Cabin, and again at Route 14, near the White River. We were looking forward to the deli, but it closed down 2 months ago. Shit! So me & Bobby K hitched to White River Junction, and picked up beer, fried chicken, fries, & potato salad. Took a taxi back to the closed deli & Flipper, only to find that it had rained there, and Flipper had moved all our gear on the deli porch. It rained on & off for the next 2 hours. Abe, a northbounder, came by, so we gave him our leftovers & got him wasted. Trail Magic, it is better to give, than it is to receive. Abe eventually moved on, and "our next-door neighbor" told us about a park, a ¼ mile away that would be a good place to camp for the night. Just as we were ready to leave, it stopped raining. It was about sunset as we pitched camp, which had a Porta-Potty. Had a rough nights sleep cuz of my ribs. Yesterday, I got to Thistle Hill Shelter and called it a day. Well not quite, cuz I spent all day exploring Thistle Hill, bushwhacking, following a snowmobile trail, and siting & listening to the forest. Thinking about how modern man doesn’t fit into nature, he tries to fit nature to him and how he is doomed, as a species, if he doesn’t find away to integrate back into nature. I really don’t see a way to do this, barring some major calamity, but I’m not giving up yet. Peaceful night’s sleep, but this morning my ribs bothered me a bit. Hiked in the rain for the first time in a while. Felt good, but I was wet, more from sweat than from rain. Went to South Pomfret for a couple of Roast Beast sandwiches, potato chips, & Pepsi. The sandwiches were excellent, but cost me 2 miles of road walking. Today was my biggest mileage day since my town injuries. Hope I feel good in the morning.

Thursday, August 28—The New Stoney Brook Shelter.
Really stony!

Friday, August 29—Inn at Long Trail.
Yesterday was fun. The hiking was easy, and the rain stayed away ‘til I was pumping water at the shelter, but it was only a 5 minute sprinkle. I went to a lookout about a ¼ mile north of the shelter, hoping to see the sun set behind a ridge. [Kurt note: My memory, nearly 2 years later, is that I hiked over new trail to get to this look out, and therefore it would have been south of the shelter, but I did write north in my journal at that time, so who really knows?] It wasn’t meant to be, cuz a storm was a-brewin’ to the west, but that was real cool to watch develop, and I stayed until it started to drizzle, that’s when I decided to sprint back to the shelter. I made it back before the deluge began. I had the shelter to myself, cuz a couple tented, and this guy with a LOUD snore slept in his bivy. Today, I had planned to camp near the Inn at Long Trail, but when I got to Maine Junction, the skies let loose. 10 more minutes, and I would have been dry with a Guinness in my hand. Oh well, but instead of camping, the rain changed my mind, I paid for a 3 night stay, cuz I wanted to see Opening Day of the NFL.

Monday, September 1—Inn at Long Trail.
The Royal Family has announced that from now on, Princess Di, Will now be referred to as Princess Died. What do Prince Charles and Princess Di have in common? Prince Charles will bore you stiff, and Princess Di is as stiff as a board. If I ever have the choice of having a picture taken, or dying in a high speed crash, I hope I'd choose the photo! As Jim Morrison said, "People are Strange." Enough current events, I spent Saturday trying to cheat. I was hoping to take the ski lift up to the Killington, and hike back to the Inn, and then take the lift back up and head south from there. But the lift was closed! Damn! I had a great day hike anyway, and met up with Flipper, who I thought was way past here. Cool Dude, I hope to catch up with him again. Yesterday was a full day off due to FOOTBALL! My Jets blew out the Seahawks, cool!

Tuesday, September 2—Pico Camp.
The war on Pico & Ghost Town.

Wednesday, September 3—Clarendon Shelter.
Monday Night, I camped across the street from the Inn, in the woods, after watching Monday Night Football. Tuesday morning, I was not feeling well, to say the least. Halfway up Pico, I stopped for a break, and tuned in the Howard Stern Radio Show from Montreal. I sat there and listened and laughed, till it was over. Made it to Pico Camp pretty easily, but still 'under the weather.' I decided to stay put. I wasn't going to go any further than Cooper Lodge on Killington anyway, and I'd already been up to Killington on Saturday, so why not explore Pico. I had a good day, but it was upsetting too. Pico Camp is a battle zone, under attach by ski construction. To get to the top of Pico from Pico Camp, one must cross over a scar on the side of the mountain. Then, once on top, ski lift machinery, antenna's and dishes. But I was alone, in a ghost town. The wind whipped at a steady 25 to 30 mph, so I didn't hear the sounds of the construction/demolition below, which were incessant at Pico Camp. Brought my camera up with me, but I forgot that I had already taken the last picture of that roll. So down & up I went for another roll of film. Easy day today, the clouds broke up a little after taking a break at Cooper Lodge. It was chilly, I hiked with my fleece on all morning long. Clouds built up again, about a mile before Clarendon Shelter, so I picked up my pace, and was there in no time. No rain yet, but it's getting kind of cold. 

Thursday, September 4—Big Branch Shelter.
I feel like a hiker. Hit the Whistle Stop on VT.103 for breakfast, and I loved it, and it's only a 1/2 mile off the trail. Picked up some Power Bars, for only the second time in my life, and in my opinion, they're 'Hiker Crack.' They're hardly edible, but they do provide extra energy. The terrain helped a bit too, and sections reminded me of Maine. Like Little Rock Pond, the trail was rocky & rooty, but I had a nice 420 break right on the bank of the pond. Been meeting lots of hikers that I met at or near Damascus, around Trail Days this year. They'd better hurry up. Me, I don't feel rushed. I'm enjoying every minute out here that I can. So far, so good!

Friday, September 5—Peru Peak Shelter.
What a beautiful day! This family, who I shared the shelter with last night, started a fire this morning, and left with it still burning. So I used it to stay warm while I listened to Howard on the radio. Didn't start hiking till almost noon. When I arrived at Lost Pond Shelter, the register was left by my friend, Skylark. Only she would carry a notebook that would last this long in a shelter, over a year, and there are still quite a few blank pages left. Stayed there a while, then headed to Baker Peak, cool view. Then a group of kids showed up. Oh well, the shelter wasn't that far away. I needed this short hiking day, and it was mostly peaceful. Mother Teresa makes 2, who's next?

Saturday, September 6—Bromely Mountain Warming Hut.
Got a late start after listening to reports of Princess Di's funeral. Hiking felt good, once I got going. The pump was dry at Mad Tom Notch, so I was hoping that even though Mad Tom Shelter was closed, that the site still had water. Once at the shelter site, I saw why it was closed, part of the roof was on the ground, and the other half was on the deck of the shelter, along with the walls. I went to the boxed spring, only to find it dry, but there was water 20 feet below it.. While I was pumping my water, it started drizzling, so I pumped fast and hard, and got moving as soon as I put on my rain jacket and pack cover. Made it to the warming hut and set up camp. Have the place to myself for the night. Time for bed, without a sunset.

Sunday, September 7—Sutton Place.
Guinness & Football!

Monday, September 8—Spruce Peak Shelter Tent site.
Yea! The first time on this hike that I stayed in town for only only one night.

Tuesday, September 9—Stratton Fire Tower.
What a peaceful day! Yesterday, I left Manchester Center in the afternoon, so I just hiked to the next shelter, Spruce Peak Shelter, and caught a good sunset from the tent site below the shelter. This morning I hustled out of my bag and hoofed it to Prospect Rock, for sunrise. I think I made it in time, but it wasn't facing the right way to see it. Listened to Howard, then boogied to Stratton Pond, where I made supper before heading up Stratton to catch sunset. I'm sleeping in the fire tower tonight, in hopes of catching sunrise too.

Wednesday, September 10—Kid Gore Shelter.
No sunrise, just clouds & wind & condensation. Which is really cool with a down bag. Got a late start, but I didn't push, just let the miles happen. My knee is once again my #1 problem, not because it's gotten worse, it's because my ribs are finally almost not bothering me. I can no longer fool myself, fall is here in Vermont. Leaves are changing to yellow, orange & red, and falling. My boots are cool in the morning, and I'm using my rain jacket more & more. Pretty soon I'm gonna have to start adding weight to my pack. Nooooo! Saw a moose today on the trail just before Kid Gore. At first i thought it was a horse, cuz my view of it, was an obstructed profile of it's hind quarters. It turned and looked at me, then just headed down the trail. No time for a picture.

Thursday, September 10—Melville Nauheim Shelter.
Woke up in clouds. Hiked most of the day without my glasses on, as it was wet & chilly enough to make it easier to hike visually impaired. Took only one break today, at Goddard Shelter, then had 8.3 miles to this shelter. After the first hour, I was beat, but I kept going, like the Bunny. Be the Bunny! I was movin' pretty well in wet, rooty, rocky, and muddy conditions. Was done in less than three hours. Met 3 northbounders today, and 2 of them were talkin' about gettin' off the trail. I advised one guy to jump up to Monson, to do the Wilderness to Katahdin, for a little closure. Manchester Center would be a depressing place to end one's hike. Today I actually smoked while I hiked, on downhills. I hope I don't fall into that habit. I'd like to thank my knee for holding together, and performing flawlessly thru today's grueling miles.

Sunday, September 14—Congdon Shelter.
Friday (9/12), I booked it to Bennington, but there was no room at the Inn, cuz of a yearly Antique Auto Show. So I took a cab 10 miles east on VT. 9, to this small store & 5 unit motel. 30 bucks a night. Read mostly. This morning at 2:30, I'm awakened by a pounding at the door. It was one of the store/motel employees, drunk as a skunk, with dried blood on his hands, and looking a bit banged up. He told me he got into a fight with some young guys who broke into the store last weekend. One of them pulled a knife and stabbed him in the finger. He told me he pounded the shit out of a couple of them. He talked to me for over a half hour. Living the last decade, or so, in urban New Jersey, I've never had anyone show up at my door, bloodied & beaten, just to shoot the breeze. Who would have thought that I'd have to come to Vermont to have this experience? Tomorrow, mAss!

Kurtis Kirsch.
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