Happy anniversary! – Long Trail Days 21 and 22

Day twenty-one, Friday, September 5

Bear Hollow Shelter to Rt. 15

Distance: 3.9 miles (226.1 miles total).

Sweeping and leaving

The weather was clearing the next morning as we started moving into the shelter. I was in no rush with a planned “Nero.” Nero is a very short day, close to Zero, hence the name. Heavy rain was forecast for the next day, so I planned to follow my Nero with a Zero. Plus, it was a big wedding anniversary and I could spend it with my granddaughters while their parents celebrated!

As a result of my lack of urgency, I was the last one to leave the shelter. I even swept the floor and checked to make sure I hadn’t left anything behind. Then I set off, about ten minutes behind the 18-year-old I had been chatting with the night before.

The trail was all downhill, but the slope was gentler. With time to spare, I spent more time looking around than I usually do. I saw some cute little mushrooms emerging from some rotten wood that I photographed. I think I’ve mentioned before that I love mushrooms.

Soon the trail gave way to a forest road, which made the hike even easier. There were several potholes that were filled with water, so I couldn’t quite dream, but nothing challenging. Some of the roads were closed to vehicle traffic, but there was no problem for a hiker to get around.

It’s certainly not a common sight on the Long Trail.

The price of a careless exit

Then I saw my 18-year-old friend walking towards me, in the direction we had come, without wearing a backpack.

«What’s happening?» I asked

«Oh, I suddenly realized I had left my Garmin at the shelter,» he responded.

A Garmin InReach is a device carried by a high percentage of hikers (including me). It allows satellite communication and has an «SOS» button that will request help in an emergency. It also costs quite a bit, say about $300, maybe less on sale. In any case, it’s worth the return trip, even if it means a four-mile round trip hike.

«I’m so sorry, I looked around the shelter before I left to make sure I didn’t forget anything. But of course I didn’t look at the top of the shelf.»

The young man had parked above it the night before.

«Okay, no problem. The road is easy, I’ll get it and come back quickly.»

With that he continued, as did I, in opposite directions.

trying to help

Less than half a mile later, I came across his backpack. I was surprised he hadn’t hidden it under a tree, out of sight. Instead, it was right next to the logging road, visible to anyone.

It bothered me while I was walking. «That kid is so trusting, he just leaves his backpack there. I mean, he’s probably fine, right? Who’s going to take it? That wouldn’t be cool at all! But a person might come along and think, ‘Well, it’s a valuable backpack and it’s abandoned, so why shouldn’t I help myself?’ Of course, it was unlikely. But it was possible, right?

He had already traveled about two hundred meters beyond the group. I turned around and went back to it.

Using a small notebook I had with me and a pen, I wrote, «I forgot something at camp; I went back to pick it up. I’ll be back in a few minutes!» I left it under the strap, visible to anyone who stopped to examine it more closely. Then I moved on. I wondered what the boy was going to think when he came back and saw the note he hadn’t written!

Tractors and fasteners: the things I find!

Up ahead I found a tractor parked on the side of the road. It had huge chains around its tires.

The living tractor! See the bird’s nest on top of the windshield?

Above the windshield was a bird’s nest made of mud. The nest suggested that the vehicle had not been moved for some time. The tractor reminded me of an impressive painting my younger sister had done of a Nebraska tractor in a field in which the metal object seemed alive. This one also had that feeling that, at night, he might embark on his own tractor adventures!

Now the road began to be lined with houses. At first they were far apart, then they got closer. I was getting closer to civilization.

Before reaching Route 15, the trail turned left, leaving the road, along a wide gravel road. It felt like a superhighway compared to some of the Long Trail I had hiked! Not surprising, as it was the Lamoille Valley railway route. Up ahead I saw something lying on the road. As I got closer, I realized it was a dark blue sports bra.

«Hmm, how did you miss this?» I asked myself. It seemed like a strange piece of clothing to find lying in the middle of a path.

Up ahead there was a small bridge that crossed a stream. In front of the bridge was a sign: «Smith Brook.» I hung the bra on the poster, hoping whoever it was would find it there. Then I continued.

I wonder if this ever recovered.

It was such a sunny day and the trail was so open that I thought it might be perfect for a «shadow photo.» I think this one is pretty good, what do you think?

I have a little shadow that comes and goes with me…

Cemetery on Route 15

Finally, the Long Trail turned right, away from this glorious rail trail, and toward Rt. 15. It wasn’t yet 11:00 am and Ben wasn’t scheduled to pick me up for at least another half hour. So I hid behind some bushes in the parking lot and put on the clothes I’d been sleeping in, a little less dirty than the ones I’d worn while walking. Then I went exploring across the street.

There was a cemetery there. I always enjoy the peace in a cemetery. I enjoy looking at the headstones, checking out who has resided there the longest, who has the largest and most ornate headstone, who is most interesting, etc. This one seemed the most three-dimensional to me. The inhabitant of the tomb had been a Mason, and that could be the reason for the shape.

See the Masonic symbols. Interesting, right?

Returning to civilization

Across the street, Ben soon came to pick me up. It was great to see him and I gave him a big hug. But also gently: he was recovering from surgery, remember? I was happy to see him so well and in good spirits, despite the cancer diagnosis. I looked at him and tried to understand reality: “My 46-year-old son has colon cancer!” It was hard to swallow, but his positive attitude made it easier.

Since it was time for lunch, we went to a famous burger restaurant called Burger Barn. It was just a trailer parked next to a parking lot, but the burgers were good! I had one with blue cheese, but now I don’t remember if it was the simple “Bleu Burger” or the more elaborate “Wilbur’s Blues” or “Bleu Royale”. Somehow, “Royale” with its “Pulp Fiction” overtones sounds good.

When we got to Ben’s house, I did the usual thing, got rid of the trash, picked up the clothes, put them in the washing machine, and took a shower. These are just the basics (besides eating a big burger) to get you off track.

Celebrating a wedding anniversary

Additionally, we completed a special project. The traditional 17^th The wedding anniversary gift is «furniture.» Ben had secretly bought Melody a free-standing storage piece designed to fit into the right-angled corner of a wall. In fact, it would fit perfectly in an empty space behind your bedroom door. So Ben and I did the DIY build and put it up as planned. It looked great and when Melody got home, she loved it!

That night the two went out to a special anniversary dinner, then visited the art center and spent the night at the Hilton. It was a pleasure to take care of my two granddaughters, with dinner, a movie and bedtime stories. Everything seemed normal, with few traces of “cancer” hovering over the scene. That night I slept like a baby.

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Day twenty-two, Saturday, September 6

At Ben’s house

Distance: Zero miles (226.1 miles total).

A sweet day zero

The next morning I woke up to the sound of rain falling. For a change, the humidity was outside; I didn’t have night sweats.

This was the real day of the 17th.^th wedding anniversary I remember that day on the beach in Sint Maarten, the two of us standing under the chuppah in the sand, exchanging vows and then partying all night. It’s funny how time seems to expand and compress simultaneously. It seemed as if all of this had happened recently, and yet it also seemed like a long time ago. It sure makes two beautiful growing daughters!

Ben and Melody got home reasonably early after their evening celebration and we decided to go bowling later. It was fun to walk into the streets in the rain outside and hear the sounds of balls rolling and pins falling echoing in the alley. The best player among us was young Iris, who benefited from having bumpers, but probably would have beaten us anyway. As for me, it was well below 100 and I’ll leave it at that!

That night we extended the celebration and went out to dinner at Waterworks Food + Drink in Winooski, one of our favorite riverside restaurants. Ben has friends everywhere and his friend Adam made us special desserts at the end of the meal.

Celebration dinner on the Winooski River.

Back home I went through all my gear and pre-packed everything I could. According to the plan, the next time I would go off trail would be after arriving in Canada and completing the Long Trail.