July 21

Thought for this section: Everything looks difficult from far away.

Oh. I guess it really has awhile since my last post. I apologize for that. Since that time though, the trail has turned into what I always dreamed it would be. I'm currently in Vermont at the Kid Gore Shelter (1620.4 / 563.8). For whatever fortuitous reason the trail has matured into heaven. Weather is becoming better - both dry and chilly. I've hit trail magic more than I ever have before. The terrain and views are getting better. The people I've been meeting in town and on the trail are great. Currently, I pass more southbounders than I do northbounders. It's really quite helpful to exchange info about water sources and such.

In the last week, two places I've been really made the previous effort worthwhile - upper goose pond cabin and the Birdcage in Dalton.

Upper goose pond cabin is a small Appalachian Mountain Club owned cabin on Goose Pond. After writing that sentence, I realized the redundant nature of it. The cabin has a caretaker, is free, has a swimming pond, a canoe, and free blueberry pancakes with coffee. It was incredible. I sat on the dock with my feet in the water reflecting on the whole trail. I decided it was places like that that really make the trail fun and help with its completion. This was the place where Mousetrap caught a small-mouth bass with a survival kit. Until that point, I was pretty sure those kits were useless.

The Birdcage is almost a requirement of every through hike. It's basically a free hostel in Dalton, MA run out of Robert Bird's house. His philosophy with regard to the hostel is basically that he'll help hikers in any way that he can. He washes clothes, offers hot showers, gives beds to sleep in, and provides slack packs and other necessary rides. He seems to really enjoy the company of the hikers. He'll allow hikers to stay as long as they need to rest, relax, and heal. It was the first place on the trail that I've felt at home. I really enjoyed a 23 mile slack pack and zero there. It was a good place. It was on my slack pack that I met a southbounder from Plymouth Landing, a subdivision about a quarter mile from my house. It blew my mind. The exchange went like this... I'm from Florida. What part? Orlando. Me too. I'm from a small town called Apopka. ME TOO! I live on Plymouth sorrento rd. Alright, get the heck out!

Today I aim to get 20 miles to a shelter on the opposite side Stratton Mountain. What's climbing a four thousand foot mountain if not pure joy! I am actually really excited.