Make it count: Day #118

Wednesday, July 8th - Day #118 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 10.6
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1653.9/2,193 (75.42%)

Stratton Pond Shelter (1643.3) to Manchester Center (1653.9) - stayed at Pinnacle Lodge in Manchester Center

Total ascent - 1,120’
Total descent - 1,841’

Total States Completed - 11/14

**Rain - Rained in the afternoon and evening. Really humid while hiking today

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Coming to you live from the Pinnacle Lodge - just outside Manchester Center, Vermont. It’s 7:30pm now - I’m in for the night. It’s been a good, relaxing day.

I got out of camp this morning right at 6am. The hike was fairly flat, with smooth terrain. I completed the 10.6 miles by 10:15am. Then - a 1/2 mile walk to the lodge. Good Will was already here and Slow as Molasses showed about 1 hour later.

The owners of the lodge are great - really hiker friendly. By the time I was out of the shower - Slow as Molasses showed. The owners gave us a couple beers each on the house. We ordered a pizza and chilled outside in some chairs for a couple hours. It was great!

We decided to meet up again around 3:30pm to go into town for our resupply and dinner. I laid down and ended up falling asleep for about 2 hours - a deep, restful sleep. I’ve actually been sleeping better in my tent lately as well. I’m still not sleeping fully through the night - but I’m only waking a couple times (and just for a few minutes each time). I guess my body is adjusting to what it needs to survive.

They had to bang on my door to wake me - because I wasn’t hearing my phone. We got a shuttle from the owners into town. Manchester Center is about 5 miles away. We got our resupply and then looked for a place for dinner. Here’s where Covid-19 has made the AT more challenging this year. Nothing was open for seating. Carry-out only. And some places were closed all together. Vermont is very conservative and has been slow to open with Covid-19. We ended up getting a burrito from Cilantros - a recommended place in Guthooks. We called the shuttle driver to pick us up. We ate dinner at the hotel in the chairs outside our rooms (in the yard). It was nice.

Rain started moving in. It’s actually looking like a pretty heavy rain pattern for the next week. Tomorrow will be 90 degrees and really humid - followed by several days of rain. Good Will is actually getting off trail. He did the AT last year and was just hiking the Long Trail. Slow as Molasses and myself will continue north on the AT bright and early tomorrow - to beat the heat forecasted.

The next stop is Killington, Vermont - at Mile #1707. I’m hoping for 3 days - but I may push this to 4 if the weather gets really bad. I’m doing a 16-1/2 mile day tomorrow- that will give me options.

So - back to my analogy of comparing running a marathon to hiking the AT. I’m 75.42% complete with the AT - this is equivalent to 19.75 miles completed in a marathon. Almost to the 20-mile marker. The 20-mile marker for me is Hanover. I’m just focused on getting there. Then - it’s only a 10k to the finish. 10K - 10k — I can do that!!! At this point in a marathon - it’s all about setting small goals - whatever it takes to get you across that line.

Here’s to staying strong and healthy!!