green mountain state!!!!

we're sitting at the border of MA and vermont and in a few steps will begin walking the vt long trail that runs parallel with at. hikers call vermont "ver-mud" so it might be messy, but we're looking forward to it.

we've also been enjoying time with friends. aimee from boston joined us for a day at dalton. it was so wonderful to see a familiar face. and as of yesterday we were joined by jack from albany who will be hiking with us for a section of vermont. jack is setting a fierce pace for us so it looks like we're going to cover good ground. but we're also looking forward to enjoying and relaxing.

Heaven (part 3)

Typical of thru-hikers, no one "zeroed" at Upper Goose, even though it was paradise. The walk out looked easy on the map, but it turned out to be rocky, buggy, and we walked slower than expected. So rather than push further to the next shelter, 7 more miles, we stopped after 11 at the "Cookie Lady". A wonderful couple with a blueberry farm allows hikers to camp for chores. The fed us chocolate chip cookies and we bought soda and ordered pizza and hung out with a couple of hiker friends. Great eating, cameraderie and a sound sleep, before our heavenly streak was to end.
Billy Goat

Heaven (part 2)

We had a huge push after Tyringham--the usual long climb, big miles and long haul. But the effort was worth it. We limped into Upper Goose Pond, the most beautiful shelter on the trail. A beautiful cabin on a glacial pond up in the mountain. We ran into loads of hiker friends, took a swim, then a paddle in a canoe, then dinner and sleep on actual beds, rather than the usual wood platforms. We woke to the smell of coffee and pancakes, prepared by the volunteer caretaker. Then we left for the next paradise.
Billy Goat

Heaven (pt.1)

One of our biggest milage days also turned into one of our most pleasurable. Across a ridge, down the side of a mountain and .6 along a road brought us to Tyringham, MA, founded pre-Revolutionn, the picture-perfect New England town, nestled between mountains. We intended an in-and-out for a food maildrop, but the post-mistress had stepped out, so we lolled on the grass. A local woman gave us some donut holes & and we bought brownies and bevvies from a B&B owner. The PO opened, we picked up our package, walked past some gorgeous old barns and we returned to the trail. We had a total of 17.5 miles to do, but what awaited us was even better.
Billy Goat

rain reign

We're no strangers to precipitation on the AT. But today we took getting wet to another level-rain over 3 climbs totalling 2,500 feet and 14 miles. The first--800 feet up and down Bear Mountain, Conn (every state seems to have one Bear Mt.)--wasn't so bad. Just a few drops, then a drizzle. But by the time we crossed the Mass. Line, it started coming in buckets. Slightly annoying, but no more so than the gradual 1,000 feet up. By now we were wet. Rain suits are nice, but when you sweat, the moisture has to go somewhere. Still no big deal. We were moving, and warm. As we approached the summit, we needed to sidle up large chunks of granite. Easy enough when dry, slippery and tricky when wet. So we leaned our weight forward and onto our poles and summited--literally into a cloud. Water vapor drifted past us and we enjoyed the view, even though the rain continued--almost sidewise up top. One picture later the view became shrouded in fog and we were getting cold from standing still. We followed the ridge a half mile rather too close to the edge. The bottom, when we could see it, was 2000 feet down. Another rocky descent, steep, slippery climb, and, finally, a reasonable approach and we hit a shelter. After changing into dry clothes and dining on tea, soup, and sandwiches, we're almost ready for another day. As long as it isn't rainy.
-Billy Goat

Zero Zeroes

It's really important on a hike like this to take "Zeroes" (zero mile days). But we somehow manage never to do so. After 10 days out, we left PA to finalize our condo sale, clean the place and put some stuff in storage. High stress and I messed a shoulder up steam cleaning the Car Barn carpet. Halfway thru NY we left for The City. But that was full of errands too-repairing and replacing equipment, seeind friends and family, etc. We DID manage to spend the better part of a day in bed reading magazines, waiting for the heat to break, so we could walk again (we hit NY amidst a serious heat-wave where most hikers we knew did little to no miles,due to limited water supplies. We arrived in Salisbury, CT late yesterday after a valiant 14-mile push, with the intention of zeroing here. But the campsite sucks. So after finishing the Sunday Times outside a delightful cafe, we're getting some groceries, returning to the site, breaking camp and climbing halfway up a 2,000-ft. Mountain. Call it a Nero (Near Zeo). Real zeroes may prove elusive as we aim to get thru 3 states in 4 weeks. But we'll still try to take some. If not, we'll surely be Nero-ing again as our bods can only take so much abuse.
Billy Goat

Sole Saviour

Earlier this week, Little Pony saved my sole. I'd been hiking in Chacos (trail sandals) for several hundred miles. But Pennsylvania did a number on them. By the last stretch of New York the soles were barely hanging on to the uppers. The left one flapped with every step I took. So I asked my mom to send my semi-broken-in boots. But meanwhile my sandals were fading fast. Even duct tape couldn't hold the sole. I tied it on with a bandana, but it still flopped around. So Little Pony went ahead of me down the mountain to retrieve my boots. I step-flopped at 1 mph while she raced into Kent. I slowly made it to the next shelter, set up camp, and waited. LP returned just before dark with mixed news. She was 10 minutes late to the PO, but managed to buy me a pair of Croc clogs. The next morning,we both walked down the mountain, got my boots, did laundry and mailed the sorry sandals home. They are supposedly under warranty. We'll see. If they get repaired, I'll PROBABLY never do a long hike in them again.
-Billy Goat