I’m taking another zero day today.  I’m kind of forcing myself to take a day off.  One of the mistakes I made in VA was pushing too hard.  I’m not really doing any “neros” this section, so a day off before the final leg should help get me recharged.

Nat is driving out from Boston to see the sights around here with me.  It should be a fun day.  Here’s a view of the mountains from near my motel.  I’ll be hiking up there tomorrow.

 
One of the things that hikers ask each other on the trail is what hike they are doing.  Some are NOBO AT hikers, SOBO AT hikers, Long Trail thru-hikers, flip-flop hikers, section hikers, or overnight hikers.  I had trouble at first explaining my hike.  But now I’ve got it down.  I tell people that I’m a “500 mile flip-flopping long ass section hiker“.  They all immediately understand and the usual response is, “nice.”

I’ll add more later when we visit around town.

Nat and I visited Mass MoCA and the Clark Art Institute.

Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead. – Benjamin Franklin 📢

It’s been an eventful day and a half since my last post.  I crossed into Massachusetts this afternoon coming into North Adams / Williamstown.  I have now hiked through Vermont on the A.T.  Yeah!

I ended up hiking with “Wildcat” yesterday.  It turns out he’s the Trail Chaplain embedded on the A.T. by the Methodist Church.  We had a ton in common.  He’s also the second Triple Crowner that I’ve met.

 
We passed a large beaver bog that was amazing,

  
and met “Dixie” – from Alabama.  She’s hiked all the way from Georgia.

  
Best of all, Wildcat helped me dress the one blister I’ve gotten.

(Sorry for the gross medical photo. 💉)

I’m in Williamstown tonight at a motel.  It’s nice to be dry and clean.  🚿  My brother Nat is visiting from Boston tomorrow.  I’ll be back on the trail at  Mount Greylock in 2 days for the final 50 miles of my journey.

Hike Statistics:
Day #15 section 2 (#43 total)
Miles from Katahdin, ME – 596.6
Miles from Hanover, NH – 154.4
Miles to Great Barrington, MA – 71.6
Total miles on A.T. – 449.2
Avg daily miles (section 2) – 10.3
Avg daily miles (total) – 10.4

There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self. – Benjamin Franklin ☕️

It’s 2 weeks on the trail this section and I will spend my last night in Vermont today. I hiked up Harmon Hill this morning and it was one of the most difficult climbs I’ve done this summer.  It was 1,000+ ft up over about 3/4 mile.  The view of Bennington from up here is awesome.

  
I’ve got lots of more miles to cover today, 13.1 total, so it’s back to the trail.  I’ll be at Seth Warner shelter tonight.  Tomorrow it’s on to town – North Adams / Williamstown.

No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true. – Walt Disney

I think I’m getting my trail legs back.  Yeah!  I’m hiking from Kid Gore to Melville Nuanheim shelter today (13.8 miles).  So far, I’m making great time even though I’ve climbed Glastenbury Mountain already.  There was a fire tower with awesome views at the top.

   
 
I spent last night at Kid Gore with Tinker, Hulkinator, Earthling, and Flailing.  The latter is one of many hikers from Germany. He even had a joke that only a video could do justice.
 

Two more nights and its on to Massachusetts.

Day #13 section 2 (#41 total)
Miles from Katahdin, ME – 576.6
Miles from Hanover, NH – 134.4
Miles to Great Barrington, MA – 91.6
Total miles on A.T. – 429.2
Avg daily miles (section 2) – 10.3
Avg daily miles (total) – 10.5

You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality. – Walt Disney

The A.T. In Vermont has a reputation for being muddy.  They discourage hiking in the spring because it’s so bad.  So far it has been fine, but the rain yesterday “restored the mud,” as Jeff (owner of Green Mountain House) stated.

  
There are lots of trails over bogs.

I spent the night at Stratton Pond shelter.  The caretaker was awesome.  For some reason I ran into her later as well, even though I’m not “The Most Interesting Man in the World.”

I walked by a beaver bog today.  Here’s the pond and the beaver hut.

I’ve decided to stop at Kid Gore shelter, even though there’s time to hike more today.  It still is a 15 mile day, although some of that was “blue blazing,” taking a short-cut.  I have 12.8 miles in store for tomorrow including climbing Glastenbury Mtn.

Hike Statistics:
Day #12 section 2 (#40 total)
Miles from Katahdin, ME – 563.8
Miles from Hanover, NH – 121.6
Miles to Great Barrington, MA – 104.4
Total miles on A.T. – 416.4
Avg daily miles (section 2) – 10.1
Avg daily miles (total) – 10.4

Whatever we accomplish is due to the combined effort. – Walt Disney