Week 14: (July 1 – July 7, 2023) Blame it on the rain.

“The rain to the wind said,/You push and I’ll pelt./They so smote the garden bed/That the flowers actually knelt,/And lay lodged–though not dead./I know how the flowers felt.” ― Robert Frost, Lodged

Edits from last post. Team Ohio noticed that the Table entitled “Hiker’s Saltiness Scale”didn’t post well. We have created an image of the scale. See below in Reference.

July 1, we hiked from Goddard Shelter (1625.9) to Story Spring Shelter (1634.8). We hiked to Manchester Center, VT (1655.9). AZ Eagle joined us and we decided to hike a dryer section of the AT. The three of us drove down to Salisbury, CT. We were able to share the beauty of that section with AZ Eagle. Total miles for the week = 30 wet miles. (Note: we did not count the CT mileage again.)

Dessert Queen’s earworm: Liberty Bell March by John Phillip Sousa. The Yakety Sax by Spider Rich and Boots Randolph used as the closing theme for the Benny Hill Show and Dolly Parton has played this didie on the soprano sax. (Oh to see Dolly on the trail singing me on!!!!)

Mr. Rook’s earworm: The Road to nowhere by the Talking Heads.

 

Joy

• Stratton Pond Shelter/Chalet. This Shelter is a bright spot in the middle of the woods. It sleeps 18 and the roof extends over picnic tables. It was a place for weary, waterlogged hikers. All were welcomed and any hiker who showed up, a dry space was made for them to sleep (people were sleeping in the picnic table area). This was the complete opposite attitude from the salty experience at the New Seth Warner Shelter. Somewhere in our hearts, we held compassion and empathy towards our fellow hikers. I want to believe it was because we weren’t alone. We all experienced and endured a rainy day where you took your hand to wipe off the rain, put your head down looking at your feet, marched forward and prayed you didn’t fall and break something. At the chalet, we showed up for each other: sharing stories, sharing cookies and M&Ms. How could this behavior be replicated in our communities back home?

• Beauty. 1) A day of soft rain and sunny breaks. 2) Walking next to Beaver Bog during a sunny break. The beavers have hunkered down in their dens. Moose poop was also spotted around the Bog. The sunny break brought out the frogs singing their bass thunking songs. And the iridescent and glittery Dragonflies buzzed around our head, darting back and forth like little helicopters. These little creatures guided us forward. I think about this moment and the joy I felt. It was a crack in time to see beyond the rain and take in creation. 3) The rain has encouraged the Fungi and mushrooms to come out and beautify the trail. 4) Raindrops on plant leaves. 5) Sunny break at Prospect Peak. The first view in three days of rain.
• Red Eft seen for the week = 4 Total for the Hike = 81

• AZ Eagle. We enjoyed our hike in CT with AZ Eagle, our son.
• Boot Dryer. Pinnacle Lodge has a boot dryer. The owner checked us in and immediately showed us the hose to wash our boots and delivered a boot dryer to our room. Our shoes dried in record time.
• Compactor Bag.  Once again it was extra protection for our Sea to Summit Bag. Team Ohio is happy to report our sleeping quilts and extra clothes remained dry.
  
  

• VT Humor. We talked to the caretaker at the Stratton Pond Shelter/Chalet. He told us the bog boards under current conditions (i.e., dry areas) were not out of humor. The boards were placed in the areas for the spring wet season; where the snow melts. Vermont’s flooding is occurring in different areas of the trail. Team Ohio was also made aware of a VT AMC sign (paraphrasing) “the trail allows for opportunities for natural forces to direct the characteristics of the land. There will be not many white blazes, no cutting of logs on the trail, and not many bridges.” I guess this explains a lot.

 

 

• Rain Humor. There comes a point, at least for me, I doubled over and laughed when I found myself on the ground again. I’m speaking about falling on bog boards or almost losing a shoe in the mud. Mr. Rook didn’t find slipping, falling and muck as humorous. Looking back, maybe my laughter was an antidote for this trial on the trail. It hurt when I fell, but I got up and walked some more and repeated another fall. Which led to the Yakey Sax melody playing in my head. I probably looked pretty silly.
  
  

• Stratton Pond Shelter Caretaker. Cheers go out to the Caretaker. He was out in the rain with a mattock making ditches for the water to flow off the trail. He was trying to minimize the erosion that was happening to the Shelter. The Caretaker work was non-stop even in the pelting rain.
• Thank You. Once again, Team Ohio thanks all our friends and family members who texted, IM’ed and called regarding the weather.
  
  

• Memorable People. 1) Caretaker at Sutton Pond Shelter. 2) The bravery of the two flippers who survived a bear attack in their campsite in Virginia. The bear clawed the tent of one of the flippers. Everyone at the camp made angry noises and the bear ran off. Thankfully she was safe. 3) The random woman driving down VT 11/30 who stopped and asked us if we wanted a ride. 4) Manager at Pinnacle Lodge was very kind. If we had stayed in VT rather than traveling down to CT. He was allowing us to park our car during our hike. (NOTE: The Lodge has a nice book reading selection).
• Memorable Food. Grilling out at Pinnacle Lodge. Baking brownies in the oven to share and a large green salad and steaks.
  
  

CONFESSIONS

Team Ohio confesses to crossing the closed bridge in the middle of the woods. We did scout out the stream crossing detour route. It seemed like a no brainer: rushing stream above our knees with no visible rocks to hop across versus a closed bridge. From visiting family in AZ, we are aware that flash floods are common in the desert. KGUN 9, AZ TV broadcasters emphasize repeatedly that it takes just six inches of rushing water to knock over an adult and 12 inches of rushing water to carry a car down stream. Drowning on the Appalachian Trail wasn’t on our bucket list. We crossed the closed bridge with caution.

Thorns and Tenderness

• Rain. (I think this is pretty self-explanatory). Our rainwear’s waterproofing has degraded, and the coats don’t bead up anymore. I long for my junior high, orange vinyl, Cleveland Browns rain poncho (NOTE: It kept me dry on Mrs. Zolar’s Girl Scout hikes) or my NOHS Band vinyl raincoat of the 1970s.

• VT Historic Flooding July 7-12. President Biden approved Gov. of VT request and declared VT a major disaster emergency. Around July 7th, hikers were asked to get off the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail. (NOTE: ATC sent a text alert.) Team Ohio could see this coming. After much angst and several friends texting us about what the landscape looked like in NH and Maine, we decided to go back to Ohio and wait it out. Bottom line, we wanted to give VT’s first responders plenty of room to do their job; VT communities time to recover and two fewer people for them to have to worry about.  NOTE:  Feb 24, 2024 Gov. Scott of VT also requested a disaster declaration for the state.  This is helpful information for 2024 Long Trail Hikers and AT Hikers.   
  
  

• Missing Pink Hot Dog. We learned when we came home, we missed hiking by one of our AT hiking heroes… by one day. Oh! Well! Things like this happen on the trail. Maybe next time. You can watch Mushroom and Pink Hot Dog’s Youtube videos on Playground Earth TV @playgroundearthtv5366
• Long Trail Hiker. A Long Trail Hiker joined us at Story Spring Shelter who sprained her ankle. In the morning, we all moved forward and promised to save her a spot at Stratton Pond Shelter. She didn’t show up. Our thoughts go out to her for safe passage off the trail.
  
  

• Dogs. We have met several hikers this week who are hiking with dogs. I really feel sorry for these dogs. I have been salty that the trail water has been up to my calf; my foot has plunged into mud up to my knee; and stream crossings are at flood stage. For a dog, their experience has been all four legs in the mud and water and maybe up to their shoulders. I can change into dry clothing to get warm, but for a dog this is a little hard. Dogs can’t remove their fur.
• Hiker CT. We met a hiker who is back on the trail after having her cast removed from her arm. She was wearing one of those Jolly Gear “fun” Shirts. In our brief conversation, she described her injury story that included a fall with her dog. Both are lucky to be alive. She is now hiking solo to keep her dog safe at home.
• CT AMC Club Phone Numbers at Trailhead. Team Ohio came across an abandoned campsite (Tent, backpack, sleeping bag and pad). We tried calling CT AMC phone numbers and were unsuccessful. One of the numbers was to a random woman in Great Barrington, MA. She didn’t know why people were occasionally calling. OOPS!

Opportunities and Other Thoughts

This past week, the idea of a “real hiker” and “hiking the right way” was brought to my attention by a thru hiker from Florida. It’s something I’ve been pondering on my hike this week. Some questions I’ve asked myself around hiking the right way have been:

• Does one have to have a hyperlight or can one be old school carrying an external frame?
• Should the hike be done with a serious military ethos or can one be free and lackadaisical?
• Is one able to wear thrifted or garage sale clothes and still be a serious hiker or does one have to be a fashionista on the trail wearing name brands including exofficio undies?
• Does a “real” AT hiker have to start at the terminus or can they be a LEAPER or a FLIPPER?
• Does one have to put in twenty miles daily or can a hiker trek up the trail 10 miles at a time?

We had set up camp at Bassie Brook Shelter: home to Cheeky Racoon from Week 11. (NOTE: Cheeky didn’t make an encore performance.) I began cooking up a hiking favorite: dehydrated beans and grits mixed with taco seasoning and dehydrated tomato sauce.

Florida hiker was watching me intently while munching on a skittles and Slim Jim dinner. “I’ve lost my appetite on the trail.”

“That sounds terrible. We have been using modified Outdoor Eats recipes the last 500 miles,” I said, starting to cut up green onions and cherry tomatoes to make taco toppings.

“It seems like a lot of weight you are carrying.” He pointed to the fresh vegetables and took a swig of water mixed with an energy mix.

“I guess we’re a little old school in our approach to this hike.” I shrugged. “We found the ‘boil and pour’ meals to be salty and missing spices. Taste versus weight. Taste always wins.”

We talked about our experiences in town. I hoped that he was taking advantage of tasty dishes. I rattled off restaurants and coffee shops that were coming up. I also recommended that if he was zeroing, there were some bookstores and museums to explore.

“You don’t sound like thru-hikers.”

I was taken aback and with curiosity asked why he didn’t think we weren’t thru-hikers.

“You’re having too much fun.”

I fell back to last week’s thoughts about embracing our style. Team Ohio chooses to hike like tourists. We choose to be foodies in town and on the trail. We have both old school and new school in our equipment that is ever evolving. And, this is right for us and may not be right for others. We know our limits.

Reference

Heckenberg, Bryan. Gamer’s Saltiness Scale. 2023

Randolph, Boots and Rich, Spider. “Yakety Sax,” Yakety Sax. Monument Records, 1963. Here the Boots perform this piece on the official Youtube channel https://youtu.be/lAJB6HsYiNA?si=qCHVuTqUY6NtqPZz

Sousa, John Phillips. “Liberty Bell March.” The United States Army Field Band. 3 Aug. 2022. https://youtu.be/K-xKri5Jmik?si=5QoKrhDOIindFD38

State of Vermont, Office of Governor Phil Scott. “President Biden Approves Governor Scott’s Major Disaster Declaration Request,” 14 July, 2023. President Biden Approves Governor Scott’s Major Disaster Declaration Request | Office of Governor Phil Scott (vermont.gov)

Byne, David. “Road to nowhere,” Little Creatures. Performed by Talking Heads. Sire. 1985. Talking Heads Official Video https://youtu.be/LQiOA7euaYA?si=EySTRnrkXkQvktmW