Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Day 120: Falling to 500

It poured rain on and off all night, but I stayed dry in my tent and managed to get sleep. Heavy condensation and a little splashing through the mesh, but I was fine. Luckily, the clouds had moved on by 6am and was only tree drizzles by the time I was standing up at 7am.

Packed up the wet tent and everything else, had breakfast, then took off. It was a nice rolling flat for the first few miles, and then we got to a beautiful pond. We walked on boardwalks before Miles suddenly slipped while stepping down to take a photo. Deetz was behind him and thought he was going to end up in the water. He grabbed a tree, which saved him from a soaking, but it wrenched his shoulder out of the socket. He was ok, and, after figuring out that no one here knew how to pop a shoulder back into place, he took a dew deep breaths, relaxed, and it popped back in by itself. Apparently, that's how it usually goes for him when this happens - and it's happened a few times. He was sore but ok to hike. Phewph. Onwards!




A side note about falling. Since Vermont, we've all fallen a lot. Maybe it's the mud?? Boss even fell three times yesterday, and he's pretty good on his feet. We are convinced that Vermont has something against Scatters and is trying to break her spirit. She's fallen at least six times (one was a complete face-plant). Power Pack dove into a tree two days ago. Deetz slipped down a decline on roots today. I've luckily only had my one minor spill with an ankle twist, but MANY close calls. My poles have saved me a bunch and so has a little luck as well, I think. I hope it holds up. Thank goodness most all of these falls are followed quickly by a mass of giggles.




We hiked. We took a break where there was a collection of rock cairns. We hiked. We took another break at another collection of cairns. At 2:30pm it had been exactly 13 weeks of hiking for me - almost to the four month anniversary! It was a beautiful day. And so peaceful in the woods. A bit of a breeze would've been a nice addition while climbing uphill, but I can't complain. There was a nice waterfall.




Boss, Deetz and Power Pack had decided to walk half a mile up one of the roads to have dinner at a pizza place. Scatters and I decided to hike on a few extra miles tonight to make for a shorter day tomorrow and to eat out of our food bags. (Miles had hitched into town to go see a doctor about his shoulder.) Scatters and I said "see ya later" to the pizza kids and hiked on... up a WALL of an incline. Then a short break at the Clarendon shelter. Then another steep incline. Sooo glad we won't have those to climb in the morning (though we will be climbing 2500 feet up to Killington Peak...).

We found a nice spot to camp by a steam (our tents were still wet) and made dinner as it got dark. We'll probably hook back up with the rest of the crew sometime before getting to Rutland tomorrow afternoon. Xan and Neutron must be behind a half day or so. One Life is in Vermont somewhere. Not sure where the Aussies ended up. Time to sleep.

Shout out to Tom and Annah who got married a few weeks ago!!!

Only 500 miles left to Katahdin!!!?!?!??!!
(20.6mi 9st)



-- Posted from the trail...

Location:Gould Brook (at 500 miles to Katahdin)

1 comment:

I Live Inspired said...

Getting close! Keep it up.