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Trail Journal




Date: August 14 2000
Trail Day: 75
Miles Today: 14
Location: Trapper John Shelter
Section Mile: AT 426
ECT Mile: 1119

Last night I heard my plastic food bag rustling. I thought it was mice getting to my food. But in the morning I found my food intact. Also started smelling some very bad stuff - turned out to be my socks. They were smelling much worse than usual. I think I stepped into some awful stuff.

Started hiking back up Mt. Cube. Managed it quite easily. I saw a double blaze indicating a turn in the trail. How I missed it I don't know. I saw several places with blue berries - ate some. It started raining about noon and kept on. I got drenched but was in good spirits. However towards evening I had had enough and was ready for the shelter.

There was only one other guy in the shelter. He was quite talkative. He told me all about his gear, hike etc. He is from Boston. It continued to rain all night.



Date: August 15 2000
Trail Day: 76
Miles Today: 16
Location: Alpha Theta Fraternity, Dartmouth College
Section Mile: AT 442
ECT Mile: 1135

It rained again in the morning. I waited till the rain let up. Saw several salamanders today. I am also getting into the bad habit of tasting unknown fruits along the way. I need to cut this out or I may end up hallucinating or sick.

Easy terrain today. Very muddy though. Saw numerous north bounders. I think the wave is just coming through. I think they will get to Katahdin just before they close it for winter.

Also went through a place called Velvet Rocks. It has large rocks covered with Spanish moss which gives it a velvety feel - looks nice. Got into Dartmouth College. Its supposed to be a high brow, snobbish college. Didn't see any evidence of it though. They all looked normal. The fraternity Alpha Theta takes in thru hikers. So I went there. I have never been in a frat. Went to the library, checked email, talked to Suriyan, ate, drank and slept. A zero day tomorrow.



Date: August 16 2000
Trail Day: 77
Miles Today: 0
Location: Tabert House, Dartmouth College
Section Mile: AT 442
ECT Mile: 1135

A O day today. The Alpha Theta fraternity was closing for the season. Found a place in Tabert House - another fraternity. Bought groceries for 5 days. Suriyan will be visiting me on August 22 and I wont be going into town till then. They had Indian food in the store so I bought them. They are heavy but good. Also ate at the Indian restaurant. The food was spicy. Tried reading a novel but got bored. All in all a good O day - my best so far.



Date: August 17 2000
Trail Day: 78
Miles Today: 15
Location: Thistle Hill Shelter
Section Mile: AT 457
ECT Mile: 1150

The next 10 days should be fairly easy. I have to average 15 a day till I meet Churi and then take some O days.

Had breakfast at Everything but Anchovies. Saw Cannonball there. He is also at Tabert hall. He is having nail problems and is not sure if he wants to complete his New York - Katahdin section.

Also there is a couple from Switzerland, another from New Zealand, Dagan an Israeli whom I have been seeing off and on since Gorham. I took a photo of the Switzerland couple. They are Swiss Miss and Swiss Cheese.

Last night they had a party at Tabert house and we could not sleep till about 2 AM. They were loud.

Today's hike was fairly easy. Started late and finished early but got the 15 miles. The north bound wave is starting to come in. I met about 20 today. At this shelter I am the only south bounder, the rest 6 are headed north.

Hanover was a nice town. Fast Internet connection at the library, good places to eat and a college atmosphere. Most hikers are having a hard time leaving this town. Most of them have been here 3-4 days.



Date: August 18 2000
Trail Day: 79
Miles Today: 0
Location: Thistle Hill Shelter
Section Mile: AT 457
ECT Mile: 1150

As I have enough time to cover the miles to meet Suriyan I decided to take a O day today. My first O at a shelter. It was very relaxed. Town O's are hectic as you have to run errands.

I slept till 10 AM and then read a book. Dagan showed up at noon and we talked. I took a photo of him. He has another 2 weeks on the trail after which he goes to California and then to Israel. I may not see him again. Around 1 PM, 3 north bounders showed up - Urban Camper, Godfather and another gentleman. Godfather was hilarious. North bounders, because there are so many of them and have seen each other for a while now have a more social element in their hike. They talked about trail stuff, other north bounders and women. Godfather was very entertaining. He then left to do some more miles. We were then joined by 3 teenagers doing a 4 day hike. Nature Boy also dropped by and moved on. I thought he was ahead of me - apparently not. Towards evening Solid and a girl arrived and then came Tuba man. Tuba man carries a 30 lb Tuba and is quite a sensation.



Date: August 19 2000
Trail Day: 80
Miles Today: 22
Location: Stony Brook Shelter
Section Mile: AT 479
ECT Mile: 1172

A long mile day today. I was itching to get out. Started early and got done by about 6 PM. The north bound wave is just coming in. I am seeing about 20 north bounders a day. About a month ago it was barely 2 or 3. Saw at least 10 female thru hikers. I think I am starting to see the weaker hikers come through. Most do low miles. Many have seriously considered dropping out. Some have actually done so and returned. I personally dont see the point of doing the AT if you dont enjoy it. It is just too much time and effort to spend on something you dont like. That's what a job is for. At least there you get paid. Here you just waste 6 months of your life - better do something else.

Also a note on the thru hiker caste system. Thru hikers rank above section hikers, who rank above weekend hikers, who rank above day hikers. At the bottom you have the scouts. No one will admit to this but that's the way it is. Superiority among thru-hikers is determined by number of miles covered. Near the 100 mile wilderness the north bounders have completed about 2000 miles while the south bounder, only about 100. At this stage it is common for many north bounders to not even talk to south bounders. My case is slightly different. When I first tell them I am a south bounder - I am scum. If I then tell them that I started at Cap Gaspe then I can almost hear myself being re-evaluated and placed in a higher category.

At this stage the south bounders have covered about 475 miles but most importantly they have crossed the hardest 200 mile section, so they get treated better by the north bounders. Its funny to see the ego dance when a north bounder meets a south bounder. On the positive side this crap occurs only at the first meeting. By the second or third meeting the mileages become immaterial.

The terrain now has become rolling hills, so I think I will be averaging 20 again. Mt Mousalake is certainly where things change. Now the climbs are short and gentle.

A magnificent View



Date: August 20 2000
Trail Day: 81
Miles Today:
Location: Near Cooper Lodge
Section Mile: AT 471
ECT Mile: 1164

Last night's dinner was good. It was noodles that was hot and spicy. I got it at the Co-op grocery store in Hanover. Its the best store I have seen so far. I was also able to buy Indian food - Palak Paneer, Vegetable Korma and Bombay Potatoes. All of them are somewhat heavy but delicious.

Started around 10:30 AM as I did not have many miles to cover. Nature Boy stopped by the shelter. He said he has not had much sleep in the past 2 days. The north bounders were loud, he said. I left a little after he did. I passed him about an hour or two later. He said he was going to go into Rutland and take a O day to recover and clear his head. We all need this once in a while.

Today's section also overlaps with the Long Trail. The climb up Killington seemed to go on forever. It was also towards the end. That always makes it look longer. Several day hikers headed to US 4 asked me how far US 4 was.

US 4 is a very busy road and can be heard for miles. They were frustrated because they could hear the road traffic but the road would never appear.

Also met Belcher and Swamp Eagle. Swamp Eagle is hiking from Key West to Cap Gaspe and is suported by his wife driving their motor home.

Also met the most beautiful woman on my hike so far. She was model beautiful and talked freely. She was a day hiker and was out with 2 others. For some reason she kept fidgeting with her wedding ring.

I had planned on staying at the Cooper lodge, which is a shelter on top of Mt. Killington but Belcher told me all the windows had the glass missing and it was very windy and cold up there. So I set up my tarp about a mile earlier. Set it up as a lean-to. Middle of the night I realized that if the wind blew into my tarp it swelled up like a sail and offered no over head protection from the rain. I would have been in a pickle had it rained last night. Talking about pickles, I would like to have Indian buttermilk rice and mango pickles - Ahh !

Well 13 miles tomorrow and another 5 the day after and I meet Suriyan. Most probably take 2 O day's off and do the usual eat like a pig, drink like a fish and sleep like a log routine.







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