September 14th, 2021: Middlebury Snow Bowl to Lincoln Gap Road (18.7 miles) The trail can be cruel, unforgiving, messy, and difficult. I understand why people look at long-distance hikers strangely (quite frankly, they are a strange bunch). Why would you subject yourself to such punishment? The injuries? The solitude? I often ask myself this when […]
Long Trail: Day 11 (The End…For Now) Read More »
September 13th, 2021: David Logan Shelter to Middlebury Snow Bowl (16.5 miles) Once again waking up before dawn (I did not miss this), I hit the trail early. It had rained a little bit the night before, but that eerie fog was gone so I didn’t have to worry about getting lost again. As the
Long Trail: Day 10 (Middlebury Ski Lifts) Read More »
September 12th, 2021: U.S. Route 4 to David Logan Shelter (13 miles) It is hard to describe how demoralizing it is when you go in to resupply and leave with a much heavier pack. That is the exact situation I found myself in checking out of the Killington motel in the early morning. I walked
Long Trail: Day 9 (See Ya AT) Read More »
September 11th, 2021: (0 miles) As I wrote in my last post, I decided to take a zero day. Which is just trail talk for not hiking. Since I booked another night at the Killington Motel, my only goals were to relax, watch some college football, and get some laundry done. I woke up at
Long Trail: Day 8 (Zero Day) Read More »
September 10th, 2021: Clarendon Shelter to U.S. Route 4 (16.7 miles) I woke up again to darkness. There was a big climb coming up today, and I wanted to make it to the Inn at the Long Trail early enough to get a room. (narrator’s voice: “he did not”). I was awake a good hour
Long Trail: Day 7 (Mount Killington and the Hotel Dilemma) Read More »
September 9th, 2021: Big Branch Shelter to Clarendon Shelter (16.9 miles) Waking up before the sun rises is hard in everyday life…waking up when its still pitch black, after a not-so-great night of sleep, packing everything into your pack, and then walking for 8+ hours can make you want to cry. Wearily, I gathered my
Long Trail: Day 6 (Hiking Through the Gloom) Read More »
Author’s Note: Hello everyone!!! My sincere apologies for the delay. I had to get off trail earlier than expected. I decided to take a couple weeks to decompress. My wife and I bought our first home recently so I have been spending the last few weeks focusing on moving in. I know you have all
Long Trail: Day 5 (Refreshed and Reinvigorated) Read More »
September 7th, 2021: Stratton Pond Shelter to VT-11 (10.5 miles) Today my only goal was making it in one piece to the Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel. Compared to the last few days, it would be a low mileage day. All I had to do was make it to the road and contact the Green
Long Trail: Day 4 (Green Mountain House) Read More »
September 6th, 2021: Goddard Shelter to Stratton Pond Shelter (19.5 miles) They say the harder the challenge, the better the reward. I don’t know if I agree with this, as plenty of things I’ve done in life were fairly easy, and still quite rewarding. However day 3 on the Long Trail may have swayed me
Long Trail: Day 3 (The Longest Day) Read More »
September 5th, 2021: Congon Shelter to Goddard Shelter (14.4 miles) It was a chilly morning, with a lot of fog, and the forecast called for rain later in the afternoon. After a quick bite, I said goodbye to Mr. Bobblehead and Hoodwallah (the other hiker that arrived later to the shelter after I fell asleep)
Long Trail: Day 2 (Hiking through Vermud) Read More »