Tuesday September 5, 2006: 8:07 P.M., Sutton's Guest House. Manchester, Vermont Distance traveled: 7.3 miles

We have come back into civilization for the night. Even through I have not been on the trail for very long, it did seem odd to be in a town once again. Hiking is a quiet journey. Once we came off the trail, I was immediately struck by how noisy it was back among people with their cars. We were not off the trail for more than twenty minutes before someone offered us a ride to town, which was great. Two men in a Vermont State van stopped and went out of their way to take us to where we wanted to go. We have met some very friendly people on our trek. Last night we spent the evening and overnight with Sam, Alex and George at the Stratton Pond Shelter. There was also a man named Jamie there. Sam and Alex were together. Both in their 20s, they were fun to be with, as they were very friendly and open to conversation. Alex (a woman) and Sam were both experienced hikers. Both had spent time working for the Appalachian Mountain Club. As there is no privacy in the shelter, we were privy to their interactions which were fun to watch as they good-naturedly verbally tussled with each other. George was our quiet resident. He was much harder to read, as he did not engage with us in conversation. In his 40s and not equipped with the latest gear, he was a bit of a mystery, a quiet traveler who kept to himself. Jamie was in his 30s with two young children waiting for him at home. Also very talkative and friendly, he had many stories to tell from his years of hiking. We were also visited by the shelter custodian, Robin. Robin was a recent college graduate who had spent the summer living in a tent by Stratton Pond registering hikers who stayed at the shelter and collecting the $5.00 fee that the Green Mountain Club charges for a night in their shelter. She also was very friendly and had lots of stories to tell from her time by the pond. One story that she shared that got my attention was of a man she met at the shelter who was a night hiker. She had spent an afternoon with him chatting and enjoying the sun by the shore of Stratton Pond. As evening approached, he abruptly stood up, donned his gear and headed out onto the trail, navigating with only a headlamp to guide his way. Having hiked the same trail that he would have traversed during the daylight hours and knowing the focus that I brought to bear to keep my footing, I cannot imagine doing it at night. Another story that caught my attention was of a trail runner who did the entire length of the Long Trail (272 miles) in six days! Having picked my way over rocks and roots and slogged through the many mud pits, I also can't imagine what it would be like to fly along these trails at that pace. Not only am I coming away from this trip with my own stories of the trail, I am coming away with others' stories as well. It seems hard to believe that I have only been on the trail for two days, so rich has my experience already been. I have to admit that I will never take walking without forty pounds on my back for granted again. I am doing OK with my load but it feels so nice when the pack comes off for the day.

Wednesday September 6, 2006: Bromley Shelter. Distance traveled: 10.4 miles

We left Manchester this morning, walking out of town to return to the trail with cars and trucks rushing past us. Being a pedestrian, one becomes aware of the noise that vehicles make as they rush along. Everyone seemed in such a hurry to get somewhere as we made our way at 2 mph on foot. Yesterday we had lunch at Prospect Rock, overlooking the valley spread out below. The clouds had parted enough to give us a wonderful view of the green hills with Manchester tucked in the valley at the bottom. After lunch we had walked down Old Rootville Road to get to town. It was a long descent of about a mile and a half. Today we had to walk up that to rejoin the trail. We fell into a slow pace that soon had my heart working hard. I stared at the road, glancing up occasionally to sight some distant target to walk to. We did not talk. My mind was clear of thoughts other than the steady climb. When we got to the top, my heart was pounding in my chest. We went back to Prospect Rock to have a snack and rest before resuming our trek on the Long Trail. The clouds were drifting past us in the vast space of the valley. Occasionally a patch of blue would open up and then be closed by more drifting clouds. It felt like we were in a plane watching the clouds outside our window. We did not have the long views of yesterday but it was very beautiful in a different way. After a long sit we headed out again. The hiking today was mostly flat. We crossed several beautiful streams. We came across a patch of black raspberries and stopped for a snack. The last mile to the shelter seemed to go on forever. When we arrived, I immediately lay down for a nap. I was very glad to take my pack off. Now we are quietly enjoying our new home for the night, reading writing and just listening to the wind in the trees. Dinner will be soon but there is no rush. To be continued...