Day 64: 600 Miles and Feeling Good

Summary
June 28th

VT RT 9 to Kid Gore Shelter

NOBO mile #1625.0

Tolmann’s daily mileage 14.4

Tolmann’s total mileage 601.3

It was a struggle getting up this morning. I had intended to get up early, and get out on the trail by 8-8:30, but I ended up sleeping in a little. My packing up routine has become pretty streamlined, especially when I don’t have to pack up a tent. But I also kind of spread out in a motel room, so I need to take extra care not to forget something. 

The motel supplied breakfast: bagels and cream cheese, Fruit Loops, bananas, juice and coffee. Simple, but surprisingly satisfying. 

Then it was a short ride to the trail. Met up briefly with Floater again, and leapfrogged her through the day. I hadn’t spent any time researching, but had some rough idea of doing around 10 miles for three days, getting to Manchester on Saturday. 

Bumped into Long Trail thru-hikers Nebula and Plattypus (who are hiking to support UNICEF and Syrian refugee children), as well as Floater, at Porcupine Lookout, where there was a bit of a view. I hiked on and stopped at the next overlook to sit and rest. Nebula and Plattypus caught me up there, and commented that my pace was impressive. That’s the first time I’ve had anyone say anything about the speed of my hiking, and it was gratifying, even if it was based on my fastest speed, and my hiking pace is extremely uneven. 

I caught up to them again at the next shelter, Goddard, which was my goal for the day at 10.1 miles. Floater was there, too. It was only 2:30, so I was really struggling with whether to stay or try for the next shelter another 4.9 along. It meant continuing up and over Glastonbury Mountain, and I had really struggled up to Goddard Shelter. 

In the end, I just couldn’t accept the shorter day, and doing the extra miles meant possibly getting to Manchester either early on Saturday or perhaps on Friday. There were other folks who came in to the shelter who had heard that a serious storm was going to hit the area on Saturday, so being able to get in to town early was very attractive. 

So on I went. It was a stretch, but certainly doable. 

One thing I haven’t mentioned is that the mud situation was not as bad today as it was before I took my zero. And I felt strong most of the day. There actually was a moment where I was stopped in my tracks, struck breathless by the realization (for the first time in a long while): “I’m hiking the frickin’ Appalachian Trail!!” 

And how cool is that?!!!!

The Kid Gore shelter had a view to the east, and was supposed to be impressive at sunrise. The shelter was pretty full, but there was an upper bunk open. There had been reports of an aggressive bear there, so I kind of led the charge on getting bear bags hung. I ended up giving some newer hikers a lesson on the PCT method of hanging (do a YouTube search), which felt strange; I haven’t really internalized that I have experience that others might be interested in. I guess I impressed folks with my own hang. 

Time to sleep.