The Rest of Vermont...

Vermont has been incredible. We finally feel like we're back in the mountains again and it's great. Walking the AT section through the state assures that i will be back one day to finish the Long Trail all the way up to Canada.

We spent a few nights sleeping on top of mountains that people pay big bucks to go ski down in the winter time. Drinking boxed wine on top of Bromley Mtn, hanging out in the fire tower on top is Stratton in 30 mph winds and scrambling up to the top of Killington to watch the sun go down are some of the best times on trail. I even slept in a leaky roofed cabin on top of a mountain out in the middle of nowhere. We had spent most of the afternoon at the deli in town and still wanted to go about 13 miles more. It was hot, I was full and tired but forced my legs to go forward. A bad storm was rolling in and it was rumbling and threatening us for hours. The last 3 miles I pushed as hard as possible to make it to the cabin before the skies opened up. 3 miles, uphill, in the dark and I made it to the cabin without a minute to spare. One of the times where you really appreciate a roof over your head. Even if one side of it leaked.

Vermud, Verocks, Veroots. It was wild to walk along some of the streams and rivers that had completely wiped out everything around it during Hurricane Irene last year. Bridges washed away, trees strewn about everywhere. There were places like the Clarendon Gorge which had about 30 feet of raging water running through it and it was uncomprehendable what that would have been like. We stopped one night in West Hartford and ate at an amazing deli right on trail and a couple let us sleep in there backyard 3 houses down. They told us stories of having 5 feet of water in there home because of the overflow of the river and brook that they live on. Almost unbelievable.

Then there is Hanover. The trail walks us right into the campus of Dartmouth University and through the streets of Hanover. We heard stories from southbounders about really good people and places around town and that was the main reason we pushed so hard to get through Vermont. The town was packed with students, locals, and hikers alike an we had heard of a few trail angels that would put you up for a night. Pizza places giving out free slices to bearded men, free bagels, it's incredible how nice people here are to hikers. We hit 2 coolers of food in driveways of people's homes immediately upon exiting the woods and walking towards town. Banana bread, watermelon, cold water. So awesome.

We're gonna spend the rest of the day in town and head to the woods to watch the meteor shower tonight.

Up next...The Whites