What Goes Down, Must Come Up

After a restless first night with something sniffing at/trotting around my tent, I was up and at ’em by 6:30 AM. The first couple days of a backpacking trip are tough for me to fuel properly. I can only guess it’s the massive influx of strenuous exercise and my body’s general response of “what the hell are you doing to me?” Anyway, no matter how hard I tried to force myself to eat, the most I could stomach the day prior were a few bars and a dehydrated meal.

Day 2: Congdon Shelter to Goddard Shelter (14.4 mi)

The day started with a good climb out of camp up Harmon Hill, a small grassy knob overlooking the town of Bennington. Despite downing 8L of water yesterday (two with electrolyte mix), I felt hazy and dehydrated while nibbling at a protein bar for breakfast. Immediately after came the knee-buckling descent down to Rt 9. Scrambling over loose rock and boulder fields, the grade of close to 1000 ft/mi presented a unique challenge. I’ve done this section of trail twice now. Both times, I’ve landed on my ass.

Right after crossing Rt 9 and the footbridge that followed, the trail started climbing again with the same intensity. The uphill seemed to never end. “It gets easier after Split Rock!” a day hiker I passed called. It did not get easier after Split Rock. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of planning a long day today to set myself up for an easier day over Stratton tomorrow. Because of an unprecedented heat wave, I was really struggling. Not to mention, many marked water sources were barely a trickle as a result of a super dry spring season. The trail has a way of putting you in your place like that.

Soon realizing I was not going to make it to Kid Gore, I settled for a tough push up to Glastenbury Mtn. I could camp up there and enjoy sunrise/sunset from the fire tower. Then I read the comments on FarOut – fire tower is closed as it was deemed structurally unsafe. Well, that’s a bummer.

They say all’s well that ends well.

Feeling down for not reaching my mileage goal, I opted to stay at the next available shelter. Conveniently, there was a bear box and it was only a 5 min walk from the summit of Glastenbury. I could save it for the morning. By 4:30, I was totally wiped out and once my hiking shoes came off at Goddard for the evening, I was done. I met and chatted with a few more early season AT thru and section hikers. Even though I felt like a rookie, it was nice to feel validated pushing bigger miles on a first thru-hike. I’ve always been tough on myself – this was one of the things I was hoping the trail would help me with.

Chilly temps and the wind whistling through the dewey pines at 3500′, I had a much easier time falling asleep. I forgave myself and chose to trust the process. Things would work out the way they were supposed to.