Final Long Trail Journal Entries

Long Trail Day 11, 8/21/07
I didn't journal last night cause there wasn't much to say. I'm up at 0530, showered and am packing up. I'll call Randy about 0700, breakfast at 0730 and probably be on the road by 0830. It's a 10 mile day today. Unless the terrain is "bad", it should be a pretty easy day.

So, OK, not an easy day. It took me 8 1/2 hours to do 10 miles. Not an auspicious start for the next few days. There are 15+ people here tonight. 11 from University of Vermont, a family of 4, 2 men and thier 2 sons fulfilling a Boy Scout camping requirement, the couple I've been hiking with all day and here is another single hiker just coming in. Several experienced hikers are telling me it's pretty rugged going north. I don't know if I can do the daily planned miles. It's worrying me.

Day 12, 8/22/07
I left the rail. I climbed two mountains this morning; Mt Carmel and Bloodroot Mtn. By 1130 I was at the Sunrise Shelter having had a nice trail, i.e., nearly level and fairly rock free. But I just couldn't face the 600 - 800 foot ascent up Mt. Horrid. So when I hit Rt 73 at about 1200, I turned left and started for Brandon Vt. After about 2 miles a nice young man, Jim, picked me up and gave me a ride into Brandon and left me at the Brandon Inn. Very nice place. My room is more like a suite. The huge bathroom has an old fashioned claw foot tub! After unpacking my pack, I drew a tub full of hot water, added bubble bath and had a wonderful soak. I got ahold of Randy about 1400 and reported my need for a pick up. He'll be here mid-morning tomorrow. My 2 remaining chores are to call the 2 hiker hostels where I have reservations, and cancel. The nearest one should have my resupply box. I'm going to arrange to drive up and pick it up after Randy fetches me in the morning.

Day 13, 8/23/07
Called all the remaining re-supply spots yesterday. My package had reached the Mountain View Inn. We'll drive up and get it. I read for awhile yesterday then about 1500 went for a walk around the village of Brandon. I had tea at a place called the Provencal. Smelled great in there and I checked out the dinner menu. I went down the street to a place called the Watershed and had a drink and checked out thier dinner menu. Then went across the street and checked out Sculley's. I decided on Sculley's for dinner cause they had pork chops. I walked to the Grand Union and bought a bottle of wine and went back to the hotel. They opened it for me and I read for awhile in my room. I made myself stay up till 9pm, finishing about a glass of wine in two hours. I still woke up at 0600. The hotel offers coffee in the morning and breakfast at 0800. Randy should be here about 0930 or 1000. This isn't the end to my trip I had hoped for but I think I had a good trip anyway.

Lesson Learned
The emotional component of the hike is critical. Physically, I felt pretty good but emotionally, the constant drain of hiking mountain after mountain was more than I wanted to handle.