Rain, Rest, and Rutland

Six days into my thru-hike, I finally got to know the pain and rain of the Long Trail. In this stretch between Manchester and Rutland, I trekked through obstacles, over mountains, and alongside other hikers.

Trail marker on top of Bromley.

Climb Every Mountain

As a first-time thru-hiker, it was a challenge leaving the comforts of town after my first resupply. Following a wonderful “nero” (nearly zero miles completed in a day) in Manchester, we continued hiking north on the Long Trail. The first stop was Bromley Mountain. We were trying to beat the rain in the weather forecast but spared a few minutes to enjoy the views from the top of the Bromley Mountain Observation Tower.

Hiking up a ski trail on Bromley.

On some of the tedious downhill climbs, I forced my new trail friends to play “guess the song” with me. We took turns humming the melodies of earworms like “American Pie” while hiking. That classic and way-too-catchy 8-minute, 36-second song followed me for miles on the Long Trail. It buzzed in my ears like a swarm of black flies. It’s stuck in my head writing this now.

No Rain

After six days, I found myself in my first real rainstorm on the Long Trail. We had been racing the forecast all day. I felt grateful that the rain waited to really start until we reached a shelter for lunch. I was even more grateful that I didn’t have to hike through the storm alone. Through the fog, it was hard to see my friends hiking in front of me at times. I tried to embrace hiking in the rain as another Long Trail rite of passage.

That night, my friends and I had Big Branch shelter to ourselves. There was no cell service, so we talked and listened to songs we had downloaded on our phones to pass the time until “hiker midnight.” (Hiker midnight, also known as around 8 pm or sunset, is the unofficial bedtime for sleepy backpackers and campers.)

Creek crossing on the Long Trail.

No Pain

I started to feel every mile in my knee. I had been dealing with knee pain since coming out of Manchester, hoping that it would pass. 

The next morning, we left Big Branch Shelter in the chilly rain. And then it started to pour. 

It felt like there were rocks in my knee, grinding every time I took a step. I was like the Tin Man, wearing my gray hiking pants and gray Frogg Toggs rain jacket, walking as if my knees had rusted in the rain. I had never been in so much pain from walking, and we had 17 miles planned for the day. 

Now, writing this, it’s funny looking back. I remember the moments of being in pain. But they’re overshadowed by the beautiful mountain views or the jokes that made me laugh in between the painful steps. It was all totally worth it. Thru-hiking is the ultimate kind of type two fun.

Hiking over boards through the forest.

Rest & Relaxation

We stopped at Little Rock Pond Shelter to try and wait out some of the rain. One of my friends said he wanted to stop earlier that day, bringing our day to only 13 miles. I thought that was a perfect idea on a rainy, painful day. 

A group of women on a yoga retreat joined us at Little Rock Pond Shelter. They invited us to join them for yoga. 

So, my two options were:  

 1. Hike for hours in the pouring rain and thick mud, with knee pain in every step. 

OR

2. Do yoga, meditate, and rest. 

…We kept hiking. We hiked through mud, rocks, and a water crossing that went up to my knees. That night, we camped at Minerva Hinchey Shelter with a group of A.T. hikers, and a hungry porcupine.

Spent the night at Minerva Hinchey Shelter.

In the middle of the night, we woke up to the sound of the porcupine chewing on the wood of the shelter. But I can’t blame the porcupine for wanting a late-night snack!

A delicious dinner on trail.

Rutland

The following morning, my knee felt much worse. It was difficult–and a little funny–trying to walk. After hiking about three miles, we made it to a road crossing. I decided it would be best to take the day off, and I got a ride to a hostel in Rutland. I was more frustrated than anything, because I felt so happy on trail, and only had to stop because my knee wasn’t as happy as I was!

In Rutland, I was surrounded by other hikers and appreciated their kindness and advice. One hiker was a doctor off-trail, and she kindly examined my knee. I spent the night in Rutland, then reconnected and resupplied with my trail family the next day. 

Town food for lunch in Rutland, VT.

I was feeling better and hiked out with my friends the following morning. This meant that I skipped an 18.5-mile section. I decided that I would complete this section after finishing the Long Trail at the Canadian Border. 

But that won’t be for a little while. For now, I’ll keep hiking north.