Long Trail: Days 1-5
Thought Chronicle, Day 1
15 minutes in: This is going to be hard.
30 minutes in: I can do this.
9 pm that night: I don’t know if I can do this.
Day 0
I flew into Albany, NY, and got settled into a hotel. Walked to an REI to buy fuel and bought a lighter at a convenience store. Made sure my pack was ready to go with 5 days of food. Slept well.
Day 1 – 8 or 9 miles
I got a shuttle to North Adams, Massachusetts and began hiking north on the AT. The weather was cool, but I immediately got sweaty from hiking. The trail goes right through someone’s yard as it leaves North Adams, and I said hello to them as I entered the woods. The trees on the 3.5 mile section before the Long Trail begins at the Vermont border were not yet as colorful as I had hoped. Most were still green, but there were some yellow leaves on the ground that had already fallen. There was a big climb over rocks just before the border, and at the top there were some trees with red leaves. A good sign.
Then I saw the boards. There are boards through the muddy areas on the AT/LT, and seeing them took me right back to my AT hike. An old friend. The mud wasn’t too bad. The area hadn’t seen rain in a while. I got to the first shelter and walked .3 miles downhill to a beaver bog outlet for water. Never the thru-hikers first choice, beaver bog water. Springs are much preferred. But it would do. And the bog was beautiful. When I came back to the shelter there was an older man there from Savannah, and we had some nice conversation while cooking dinner. On my AT thru I used a nonstick pot, which allowed me to cook my pasta completely. I now use a smaller titanium pot without the nonstick coating. The method is to boil the water, stir in the pasta, and let it sit in a pot cozy for several minutes. This method saves fuel and keeps the pasta from sticking, but the pasta was decidedly al dente. I laid awake in my sleeping bag that night, thinking about the journey ahead, and listening to the woods. I got some sleep, but the first night of a backpacking trip is never the best, in my experience.
Day 2 – 10.7 miles
On the second day, I hiked more leisurely. No need to make high miles on the second day. Or the first week, even. My thoughts while hiking on this day were up and down. I was worried I’d bitten off more than I could chew, but then, I’ve done this section before. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t still hard though. I’m not used to the rhythm of thru-hiking yet. When I came to the crossing for Bennington I considered going into town, even though this was day 2. I was tired and the hill ahead looked menacing. I decided to keep going. At the top of the climb there was a shelter, and I was done for the day. It was around 4:30 pm I think. Plenty of time to unwind. Soon another older hiker showed up. He was dressed in tie-dye and doing a southbound hike of the Long Trail. I asked him about the trail ahead and he recommended Butler lodge. After dinner I tried to get a fire going in the fire ring. Comments on FarOut had mentioned bear activity in the area. Perhaps the smell of smoke would scare them off. And, of course, it’s just nice to sit by a campfire. I had trouble lighting it until the tie-dye guy told me birch bark burns well. That immediately got it going. Tip to remember for future fires: use birch bark. We had a nice conversation by the fire and I slept reasonably well.
I neglected to mention in my “reasons for hiking” post that the people you meet are possibly the best thing about hiking. Arguably even better than the nature surrounding you, though that is of course not to be discounted.
Day 3 – 12.8 miles
Rejuvenated by good conversation and a campfire, I set out on this day with more pep in my step, though I was not rushing things. I took fewer breaks and had songs in my head as I hiked. Hiking thoughts are often a game of free association for me. You never know what’s going to pop up. I went over Glastenbury mountain and managed 12.8 miles to another shelter. I met another older hiker there who said he had hiked the AT four times. He said there was supposed to be 1.5 inches of rain the day after tomorrow, and I began to make a plan to zero at a hostel. That night another hiker came into camp at 9 pm and was rather noisy setting up. That’s just how it goes.
Day 4 – 8.2 miles
It was raining when I woke up. I headed out and again hiked leisurely. My feet and legs were sore. During breaks in the rain I arranged a reservation at the hostel. Fueled by the thought of a roof, a nice bed, and good food, I pressed on. Even though I generally wanted to be out of the rain, there is something to be said about hiking in the rain. We spend most of our time in civilization avoiding rain. Walking in it without caring (too much) about it is freeing. After a quick 8.2 miles I made it to the road crossing for the hostel. I had thought I might hitch into town, but this a dirt country road, and there was no town to speak of.
I got a ride to the hostel, an old house in a rural Vermont, and was told I would be the only person staying here. The owner lived in another building, so I had a whole hostel all to myself. I got a hot shower, did laundry, and walked to a country store for some food. I passed beehives and chicken coops on the way. I got a can of beef ravioli and some mac and cheese for dinner. Back at the hostel, I noticed I was very tired and sore, and I felt it all the more now that I was sitting still. The body has a way of not paying attention to certain pains while hiking. The forecast was still calling for rain, so I decided to zero. That night I sat in an old easy chair with a throw blanket and let the physical pain and logistical stress melt away. Tomorrow would be a good day.
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