VERMONT: Babose attack (ECT 179)

• Excited today: 27.1 miles

  • APPALACHIAN TRAIL (1,628.3 – 1,655.4)

• Total walking: 3,588.1 miles
• Total rowing: 99.5 miles

Climate: 65-78 ° F, very humid, cloudy, light rain.

Elevation: 2,198 – 3,940 feet

Glastenbury Mountain to Sprue Peak Shelter

It was surrounded. At night, they placed me without recognizing and now they got caught just where they wanted. In all my store, big, all played, small that, for what I know, could have oozed through the mesh of my tent and each size in the middle. Their bellies sucked, grabbing with a powerful strength, they could sustain themselves upside down or the cliff above and down. Gravity didn’t care and made me overcome.

Decompressing the store quickly sliding over my shoes, I managed to break its defenses. When I recovered my food bag, one tried to ambush me, but alone it was not a rival for my ferocity. The slugs had awakened the sleeping giant and, from that moment, it was a battle of wills. While packed, I went out to count. Disgusted by the ooze that was left behind, it was motivated to eliminate until the last one fearing what could happen if even one would be allowed to limit within my pack all day.

Adding an extra fifteen minutes to my package routine, I finally surpassed my opponents and were deeply defeated. At least for this round. I escaped to the path and walked in a hurry … above and on the last stretch of the Glastenbury mountain and beyond.

I didn’t feel so in the morning, but I managed to crush more than 8 miles, arriving at the Story Spring refuge. I put my fly to dry and the things collected once breakfast were on the way. Coffee is wonders for my soul. While hung, a hiker called Padddy Long Legs arrived and we share a good conversation. He is a super experienced hiker who has done something like 5 times and Vermont’s long path 3 times.

Before leaving the shelter, a memory of thought has arrived for a few days. I had reflected when I could be as north as my hometown and looking for it knew it was during this section. When reviewing here at the shelter, it was almost the point in the 43rd Northern Parallel, which also runs through Grand Rapids, Michigan. Something about this felt huge. I have mentioned before I have affection for the northern country and now all the rest of the way will feel like «the north» for me. Greetings to that!

I mentioned the long path several times. For those who are not familiar, it is a long -distance hiking route in itself, separated from the trail of the Apalaches (although they run together for approximately 100 miles similar to how the John Muir Trail and the PCT coincide for a section). The long path is approximately 270 miles and rolled the entire Vermont length from its South Majestum border to the top with Canada. It also has the claim to be the oldest long-distance path, according to my brief investigation, built by the Green Mountain Club between 1910-1930. Purdy ordered.

There were many long path walkers suddenly today. It was a fun change.

Around noon, just when some rain began, I arrived at a parking area. There was a guy sitting at the back of his Hatchback Subaru and called. He explained that he had some trail magic for me and the other hikers, but that he had just saved his cooking things due to the rain. Kind me gave me a place to sit down and an umbrella! And we expect the rain that passed by chatting. He explained that his path of path is Johnny «Shofar». Shofar could mean something for some, but at first it didn’t. I will explain it.

Once the rain stopped, Johnny quickly walked a massive and delicious pancake of black chocolate sparks for me. It was so good!

Daddy Long Legs joined after a while just like another guy who was called sadly forgot. It was fun. To top of the experience, Johnny explained that he had this horn of a kudu (I think … an antelope animal in Africa) and that it would fly as part of a religious ceremony for us. The horn is known as a shofar, an old musical instrument used for Jewish rituals (I suppose all this is new to me). First he told a history of the Bible and said that when the word «trumpet» was used, it meant more in the line of this horn …

I was energized by this experience and went ahead with a smile on my face. I would need it because the next one was the rise of 1,700 feet by Stratton Mountain. Stratton was the culminating point of the day just 4,000 feet of elevation.

Affirming, things seemed more moss covered and as if they were walking in a cloud.

In the upper part, there was a tower to climb the views. Lovely views today …

The rest of the day was a relatively cruise path, but it is still very useful. And the weather was strange, outside and in the sun and cloud a light rain. The prognosis seems not to be helpful lately.

The slugs are everywhere.

I keep seeing one occasionally.

Today I settled on a platform

I really struggled with the food hanging tonight. One would think I would have depressed, but no. There was a point where I was sure that my bag was stuck and did not go down!

Day album:

«Let Go» (2002) – Avril Lavigne

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