Miles on the mind, coffee in the belly (Day 134)

We have hiked some shorter days the last couple of days, which is starting to make me a bit restless. We still have a lot of miles to do and this is the last section where we can do bigger days, before we are slowed down by the tough terrain in the White Mountains.

Dreamcatcher and Small Bites wanted to go to a coffee shop, a little bit off trail. I had it in my mind to just keep on hiking to stick to the plan. But, I can’t let the worry about miles take over this experience. If we stick to the plan today, I actually would really like to sit at a coffee shop for a bit. The rest agreed.

I’m glad I went. It’s a very nice coffee shop. It made me want to grab a laptop and start working on stuff. No such technologies available to us though, so I took the time to draw a little bit in my book. It’s nice to feel creative again, I think I really needed that. Even if you have miles on the mind, don’t let it ruin all the fun.

Still, eyes on the prize!

After this lovely break, it’s time to go back to trail again. The climbs are long and steep, but I feel rested, physically and mentally. We’re ready for whatever today throws on our path.

My dad has been thinking about what he wants to do after trail, especially after he retires. I’m thinking about what I want to do after trail too. It’s a great place to think about that stuff.

Vermont wildlife

Vermont is becoming more open and varied, with nice fields to hike through and dark mystique woods. Adding to the ambiance, there was a big owl sitting on top of a tree above the trail. What a magnificent animal, it truly feels like it’s the guardian of these woods.

If that wasn’t enough, we saw another porcupine! Today is a great day for wildlife in Vermont. After a long day, we set up camp in Linda’s garden – a trail angel in West Hartford, Vermont.

They climb trees!