7/6

7/6

(start 10:30. Finish 1. @ us 4. 6.3 miles)

No spot check- Inn at the Long Trail

Ok so I forgot to mention yesterday how awesome the hike was up to the summit of mt Killington. It was 4.3 miles rising 2000 feet. Some people like to do the elevation change in a shorter distance to get it over with. I prefer the longer, more gradual climb. This climb had an awesome vibe. I felt like i was in some enchanted forest from lord of the rings or harold potter. it was scattered with evergreens. Half were dead and barren, the other were alive and well with a weird moss growing on them. The forest floor was covered with moss. There were humongous, veiny roots all over. It was a super cool feeling.

So I walked my 6.3 miles to get to the road where I planned to hitch hike west 7.5 miles to resupply in Rutland, VT. it took a while to get a hitch but then I got the best hitch ever. She was a sexy, outdoorsy girl, 25 yrs old. She quit her teaching job to work for this outdoors guide company. She takes groups out hiking and kayaking. I wanted to ask her to marry me. Haha. Jk. But really.

I planned on tenting for free at the Inn at the Long Trail, but on the bus ride back from Rutland, I met up with Christian (a dude i met a while ago on the AT) and he said it was a good place to stay. So I wussed out and got a room. An hour later it went from a beautiful day to a torrential down pour, hail and lightning. Good decision on the room. I plan on a big burger and a few beers for dinner.

Ok so I've been sitting at the pub with steve, dan and Mary. Awesome times. No burger because I ate a block of cheese and a package of pepperoni (that I bought at the grocery store when resupplying) but the beers are flowing. And I'm sitting at the bar in boxers because that is my back up, clean shorts. I keep them clean and hike in my real shorts. I probably should start using real shorts as my clean shorts so I'm not in public in boxers. I don't wanna get tipsy and let the turtle head pop out and not realize it.