Vermont: The stench is back (ECT 182)

• Walking today: 15.3 miles
  • APPALACHIAN TRAIL (1,709.3 – 1,721.3)
  • Sherburne Pass Trail Alt. (2.4 miles)
  • Route 4 of the USA. Alt. (0.9 miles)
• Total walking: 3,653.9 miles
• Total rowing: 99.5 miles

Climate: 65 – Lower in the mid -80th F, cloudy, early drizzle, then sunny, extremely damp

Elevation: 1,201 – 3,479 feet

Pico Camp to the scattered site almost from the top of the hill

Horrible smell. My team also smells horrible. My rain pants smell to the horrible. Despite my attempts to remain rinsed through streams and lakes this past stretch is not good enough haha. Moisture has been relentless and every day I am soaked in sweat. As completely saturated. And, soap is needed. So, you would expect you to address the city and wash my clothes, yes?

Well, I planned to go to the city today, but only one thing bop and out to replenish. I have a reserved hotel in other days and that is when I hope to do all things. I promise! And I promise to let it get so bad again. Oof.

Could you do it? Go day after day to be completely stinky? Of course, most hikers do not become so twisted on the gross scale as me, but still. It made me think; The feeling of smelling and feeling disgusting could be enough to prevent one of the backpacks. And then I wondered, what are the other things that prevent people from getting here?

Obviously, there is the physical aspect of doing the real and that is real and intimidating, but I am more curious about other things. Could I spend the night alone in the forest, or is it a very scary concept to assume? Maybe it is the idea of sleeping in a shelter with strangers or potential non -human strangers such as mice and/or other creatures? Or, how about the fear of bears, snakes, ticks, mosquitoes maybe? What to be alone with yourself and only yourself for such a long period of time? Hmm. Only some reflections to start.

I woke up at 4:48 am, then again at 5:00 am and then at 5:06 am I called it then and got up. For a shelter, I slept quite well. I had no Mesee meeting 😉 or any other creature. My fellow hiker was also quite quiet.

He had 2.4 miles of descent to reach Route 4 of us. The path was not super steep on the standards, but enough where I felt on my knees. There were many roots to pass; That has been a common Vermont feature.

Along the way, my scheme for the day began to take shape. Or I expected.

That big building is La Posada on Long Trail, which also has the Irish pub of McGrath. I had read through its website that breakfast began at 7:30 am I arrived about 45 minutes before and did this intentionally with the hope of being able to plug my energy bank (I was arriving with a 35% phone battery and all outside the headphones and the battery of the Energy Bank).

The first part of the plan worked well. The building was blocked, but there were hooks along the side so that the packages were hung and a power outlet right there. Then, at 7:10 am, a guest of the inn left and the main door was unlocked. I went to reach it, now I worried that breakfast was just for the guests who stay. My fears calmed down quickly when I talked to the reception receptionist. He even invited me to have coffee from the lobby in advance. I received very good vibrations immediately from people here!

After talking with some guests of weekend hikers in the lobby on coffee, I sat in the ordered dining room. I liked the giant rock that was half inside. There was a small cave with a water source. There is a lot of character in this place and it also sounds like a lot of history.

I loved breakfast (a mixture of eggs, sausages, tomatoes and taters along with pineapple slices and an English muffin very with butter) and loved the experience. I was also happy to have been sitting far from others were very aware of my stinking. I could not help asking me if the host had intentionally done this. If so, I would not have blamed it.

After Breaky, I prepared to take the bus to the city. A long hiker, stick, and got on the 9:21 am bus to Rutland Transit Center. And after hitting Walmart and the price helicopter, we both headed back to the 11:15 am bus to Killington. Stick got off where the long path/on the cross, but I returned to the inn to maintain my continuous path.

I did not get any other photo of the city from a visit so fast and mainly I stayed in the shopping center. However, the city center looked fun. I felt that I had the potential to be an extravagant and pleasant city, Rutland.

Originally he had planned to stay on the Sherburne Pass path to connect back to the AT. However, on the bus trip, I discovered that «Maine Junction», the division where the leaves on the long path were located in the area that would be overlooked. This did not matter to me until I realized that the place is also the Eastern Terminal of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NTTA)! The NTTA goes from Vermont to North Dakota and has more than 4,000 miles long. It also goes on my part of Michigan. In fact, the association that acts as administrators of the path is based in Lowell, less than 10 miles from the house where I grew up.

The purple is my route today. Red circles are around the inn on Long Trail. And the green circles are found in Maine Junction and the Eastern Terminal of the North Country Country Trail. Does it make sense haha?

Finishing my little walking connector, I saw another hiker crossing the road. It was difficult to hear about the noise of the passing cars and the super trucks, but when he presented, I realized that this was the legend, Father Tom! From Florida I have been listening to him. Because? It also started at Key West and is doing the eastern continental path. Until now, our paths have been separated, but we both change our steps significantly recently and take off the ruptures and others. And so, quite randomly, it worked for our trips to align here at this time. I suggested a walk and talk and that’s what we did.

We walk the mile more or less to Maine Junction and talked all the way, telling his story and I telling me mine. A great opportunity to know and connect about this wild thing that we are both dealing with.

Who else should appear in Maine Junction, but Ice Cream Man, the angel of yesterday’s path once again here delivering haha snacks? Today it was a small gift of Debbie oatmeal.

I had a real kick to find the Blaze NTTA. I thought about walking through the North Country Trail, and I even bought a guide this winter thinking that maybe it would be my great adventure 2025. I did not come back and started a new walk here and now, haha. On the other hand, after enjoying the Sub Deli that I had packed, I continued towards Canada throughout AT and the ECT.

I liked this. Also in Maine Junction, he led and instead of blocking it with trees and brush as normal, they enrolled. Strange.

On the walk after lunch, I exhausted myself more than normal. I think part of this is the fact that I have been going without stopping for a nero or zero for too long. I need the rest wrong. And part of this is that I dehydrated.

When several water sources passed, I had forgotten to verify in advance and I assumed that there would be another. And then there was a dry stretch. With moisture, this turned out to be an expensive mistake. My energy and my mood fell, but I kept moving and finally I could water. Let’s go Stevie, I have to be on top of that.

With a little water in me again, I felt much better. It turned out to be a little later to walk again, but when I found another scattered place, I was in a good mood. In fact, it wasn’t super soft, quite lumpy, but it worked. Hoping that tomorrow has renewed energy.

Thanks for joining the trip! It means a lot that you took the time to read this adventure. If you have been enjoying the blog and you also want to help children get access to the outdoor, help me support Outdoor empowerment network!

The «Council author» button is a direct link to my fund collection page. I hope to raise $ 2 for each mile that walks in the ECT, so around $ 12,000. I am amazed at all the love shed for this great cause. You are all really incredible. Thank you !

If you are new and curious about what all this is, I wrote a publication at the beginning about why this causes me important … «Outdoor is for everyone»

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