VT-NH - 1733.8 miles

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST......

Welcome to New Hampshire....

Vermont was definitly the prettest and nices state....THANKS!!!

Now we are ready for N.H. - the Whites & MAINE (the one we have been waiting for)

See you in 40 days - we hope....

We plan to enjoy the next 2 states to the fullest!!!

Have Fun

West Hartford, VT - 1724.5 miles

No sunrise - just overcast - the stars were so pretty last night - so clear until it got overcast and ready for rain. We were rudely awoke by 2 horses that decided to come and investigate my tent - they were very big and I was very scared - the tent is very thin with no protection - Of course I called for help from Patches - not realizing I called in African - he only understood some...so early... 6am and no coffee yet - thank goodness the horses left me alone!

We started hiking with some soft rain - very humid and hard to hike - about 1 PM it started to rain with heavy thundering & lighting. What a hike - we ran with backpacks over ridges with these pretty wildflowers and thunder & lighting all around us.

At West Hartford, VT we discovered a nice store with fish & chips.....delicious!!! A nice man close to store allows hikers to sleep in his barn - which was 6 hikers, 1 dog and lots of rain outside.

10 miles away from Hanover, NH!!!!!

Woodstock, VT - 1711.9 miles

What a pretty day - real good hiking weather - lots of ups and downs again - we hiked 14.5 miles to make up for yesterday.

At VT Rte 12 was a farm stand - we got ice cream, bananas and summer sauce - what a treat!
Tonight we are sleeping in a cow pasture - hoping to have a nice sunset and sunrise. The mts in VT is so pretty.

We are 23 miles away from New Hampshire - we are getting in a hurry to get to the whites .

All of you have fun - we do - Enjoy everyday.......

Got up normal time - went for a nice breakfast - caught the 9:15 bus to the trail head - started hiking North again - lots of steep up and downs. Then......we realized we forgot coffee - Patches hiked down a road to a store and got coffee. We hiked over a board walk for about 1/2 miles that was put here last year for disabled people - very pretty wild flowers.

A lady told about the waterfall - that they turn it off - run the water thru a big pipe to make electricity for Killington - they have been doing this over 100 yrs - this is the only way to get electricity into Killington - which is a ski town - Rutland is the 2nd biggest town in VT. Apparently Stratton and Killington ski area was the most expensive in the country last year.

VT is very pretty - we had our first real lighting and thunder since we have been in VT - of course just when I reached the ridge on top of the mountain - it poured rain w/thunder & lighting (I was a little scared) - but both of us made it safe to the shelter.

Got up 5:30 AM again - must catch bus to trail head Ash,VT - to hike south 17 miles. Since we are pure hikers - our back packs go up the mountain with us. We did leave our tents and extra clothes. We went to shop and got coffee and muffins and headed for the bus. The bus dropped us off at trail head at 7:45 AM. We stated climbing Killington Mt up the 4000 ft - highest point on AT in Vermont - a very pretty hike - field flowers were so pretty - nice hike lots of ups and downs. We were back at trail head at VT 103 just after 4 PM. We are having trouble with our water filter - takes us 1 hr 45 min to filter 3 - 4 liters (wasting time) we decided that we will get bleach as back up untill we get to Hanover, NH to get a the new filter that is waiting for us. We got a hitch in about 10 minutes to the mall and from there we took the bus. At 5 PM we were back at hostel and decided to go see the new Harry Potter movie - it was such a nice treat - Rockworm went with us - a nice guy that thru hiked in 2005 and now doing it again - also spent 3 yrs in South Africa - he enjoyed it a lot. At the movies we had popcorn - which also was our supper - along with a peach and banana.

Very nice!

Rutland, VT -1688.2 miles

We got up 5:30 AM - hiked 12.4 miles into VT Rte 103 - where you can get a bus or hitch hike into Rutland, VT - 8 miles into town. It was a nice hike - I did not get lost and tried hard to keep up with Patches speed - very easy terrain. When Patches got to trail head parking - there was a man going to his car - he asked "if he was going to Rutland" and he said "No" - but he can take him there - so Patches asked "can you wait on my mother-in- law" - well how lucky can we get...He dropped us off right in front of the hostel in down town Rutland before 1 PM - how is that for good timing. The hostel is run by Twelve Tribes - a culture that also runs Back Home Again Cafe & outfitters shop all in 1 building. The young guy that showed me around and taught me the rules offered me a job in the kitchen - just so I would not have to pay to stay. Patches had paid for us to stay - we discussed it and went to the head guy and he gave our money back and sent us to the kitchen -(if they just knew) - they gave us both on of the big chopping knives - we both are still alive - we chopped all the vegetables for the soup the next day - we worked about 1 1/2 hours - then they ran of jobs for us. So, we went to resupply and then went to eat at 8 PM Monday night get together - nice food. We decided to hike over Mt Killington and come back here to the hostel.

LIttle Rock Pond - 1658.6 miles

Sorry to all of you that support and cheer so good but today our 14 mile hike took a detour and became 9 mile hike - It was wonderful and definitely the most beautiful place on the trail - it called our names and we had to stay....

It is called Little Rock Pond - got here around 1 PM for a lunch break - Patches decided that it is a good place to wash clothes - then it all started...I came around the corner and guess who is in the pond - our Georgia Boy - swimming. The pond is so clean you can see your feet and the rocks. Well I stop and jump in - that was the end of our hiking day - there was a canoe waiting for us to canoe around the pond. (The caretaker was a nice young student) We pitched our tents - relaxed - Patches tried to catch fish but he was only feeding the fish - we ate our macaroni & cheese with French music by a lady camping with family and friends - WHAT A TREAT - they invited us to their campfire - Patches played guitar and song - what a wonderful treat to ourselves - we enjoyed every bit! Thanks GMC for a wonderful place to relax and pitch tent. The caretaker sid that we were the happiest hikers he has seen in the last month and 1/2 hiking thru.

Tomorrow we want to leave early to 13 miles into town - we will see....

Have fun we really do!!!!

Griffith Lake - 1649.0 miles

The end of month 5 - begin month 6!

Patches and myself has decided that Vermont is the best part of the whole AT that we have done we far. Very pretty - nice climbs - we really enjoyed every day of the last week a lot. Yesterday we climbed Mt Stratton - wonderful views of all the mountains so far.

Today we went up Mt Bromley - 3260 fit - saw our first sky lift. It is hard to think in 3 months all these mts will be covered in snow - according to the locals. The last 2 days has been sunny and warm. Today we also climbed Styles Peak - 3395 ft - and Peru Peck - 3429 ft. We set up camp on old job tail just off AT - close to Griffith Lake. Peru Peak shelter charges to stay. Vermont has 3 shelter and tent sites that charges $5 per person - ran by Green Mt Club.

Stratton Mountain - 1624.7 miles

I forgot to tell you that Gregory sent back my pack that they fixed - I sent back the loaner - my pack works good again. Patches pack was fixed again for the 3rd time - same problem - hope it will hold till the end.

Today was tuff probably the most mud that we have had to deal with so far - deep mud. You have to use hiking poles to see how deep the mud is and if the rock is really rock. The hike took longer than usual and my feet and legs can feel it tonight - toes are tired trying to balance and slipping and sliding the whole day. It did not rain and towards the evening we had some sunshine - most of the day was cool. Patches even put on his new fleece jacket when we stopped for snack/lunch. Vermont fall is on us - I hope we make it thru the whites with the cold weather. Tomorrow we climb Stratton Mt - 1700 ft - very steep up. We will see......

Vermont is very pretty - has lots of fur trees and other trees that I do not know the name - makes nice pictures.

Goddard Shelter - 1608.4 miles

We had 2 days 0 miles - rest & visit with Doug, Peggy & Chipmunk - it was a very nice time off the trail - we enjoyed the visit - nice room and food.

We said our good byes and left up the mountain. A very nice hike - started out in sunshine for about and hour - then it stated to pour down on us. It did not take long for the trail to be a river again - needless to say our boots did not stay dry.

Vermont trail so far is steep up hills but not bad at all. We tent at Goddard Shelter - Elev 6540 ft - nice to be this high again.

Have fun we do!!!

Patches Trail Photos

Hikes 14 miles into town - Doug, Peggy and Charlotte (chipmunk) are on the way to visit with us for 3 days. The hike was relatively easy - steep down hill towards the end - it rained just enough to wet the rocks and make it slippery - I did detour a little yesterday and today - but did find my way out again. We are looking forward to some rest before the last 577 miles. The last few days and night were cold.

Have fun - we do!

Mt Greylock- 1573.6 miles

Pond on tops of Mt Greylock
highest water body in MA - 3000 ft

Climbed Mt Greylock - highest peck in MA - 3491 ft. A wonderful sunny day - with views back and forward to north - up the mt was not to bad - down was a little steep. We completed our hike in MA and sleep tonight in Vermont - in the green mountains - 3 states to go. The southern end of the long trail is at the MA - VT border - the AT and long trail are concurrent for 105 miles. The long trail completed in 1930 is the nation's first long-distant trail.

Cheshire, MA - 1565.9 miles

Back on the trail....

A very nice sunny day - nice easy hike - trail still muddy and wet. we hiked thru Cheshire, MA with a nice ice cream place right on the trail - lunch was very good. There is also a bike trail for about 23 miles - we enjoyed seeing families and kids pass by on their bikes - some stopped for ice cream.

Was a nice day!

Rest @ Bird Cage

I called all the family - fixed our clothes with a patch her and there. Patches had a terrible migraine. Rob's dog "Tinker" (a 140 lb black dog) took very good care of Patches. Rob said that Tinker can sense when a hiker is not well. Rob's son took us to Walmart to resupply. Thank you Rob for you hospitality.

Dalton, MA - 1556.6 miles

Rob doing laundry @ Bird Cage

We hiked 16.5 miles into Dalton, MA - to resupply, rest and get clean at the "Bird Cage". The sun is shining - the trail is still wet and muddy - but all in all a nice easy hike.

"Bird Cage" is the house of Rob - an older man that takes hikers in for free (donations). He and his son lives at the house - which can sleep 20 hikers on beds, bunks in the basement and attic of garage. Patches and me got a bed each in a room next to the bathroom. The 1st night there were 20 stinky hikers. He welcomes you at the door - makes you take off your boots and leave your poles outside - directs you to the kitchen where all the stinky hikers stand in line for a shower. He does the laundry - folds the clothes very neat. For supper he drives all the hikers to a diner/country buffet. We set a new record of how many hikers you can get in a Ford windstar - 17 - the food at the dinner was very nice.

Finerty Pond - 1540.7 miles

No tenting signs - please note tents in background





Sunset on the Finerty Pond





Patches at our illegal campsite next to pond
(see our new alcohol stove & spam)




Mushroom Tree






Wildflowers

Wow - another sunshine day! Our wet socks are almost dry - nice peaceful day.

Mother nature suffers with all the rain - the trail is usually 2 - 3 ft wide is now in some place 5 - 6 ft - due to mud & rivers in trail - hikers are looking for a dry spot to hike. Due to swamp terrain the mushrooms and Indian pipes are plentiful - the leaves are starting to drop and change color.

Today again was a wonderful day! We are camping illegal at Finerty Pond, Mass. Last night we had some coyotes howling - sounded like a big pack.

Have fun we do!