Tuesday, August 13, 2019
I left the Buchanan Lodge by 8:00 a.m., as was becoming custom. I was low on coffee and Advil so I skipped having either the day before. I think it contributed to yesterday's lack of energy so I made sure I got my fix today. Not sure if it did the trick but I hiked strong most of the day. Felt like I had light legs.
The terrain helped. Most of it is really good trail, easily traversed. I got to I-89 and found trail magic, the term used for little goodies left by trail angels for hikers. Trail magic is common on the Appalachian Trail but it was my first encounter with it on the Long Trail. It was a cooler full of soda and fruit. I grabbed a cold regular Coke and enjoyed drinking something other than water for the first time in days. Delish.
Today was a warm day and I knew I needed to stay hydrated. I stopped for water at the Winooski River after I crossed under I-89. It took me forever to filter my water due to my clogged water filter. I followed the instructions to clean it but it didn't matter. Replacing my filter was a priority.
I got back to it and crossed the river using the pedestrian suspension bridge. The bridge ended at a little parking area and a road. It was a little confusing which way the trail went from there so I asked a middle-aged couple who apparently just arrived for a short day hike. They didn't really know either so I checked my map and took my best guess.
As I continued on, the gentlemen decided to join me. It was hot, we were on a road, and I really wasn't in the mood for extended conversation, but he was. I tried to pick up my pace to discourage him but he kept up with me. Admittedly, I'm not the fleetest of foot so I don't think he had much trouble.
He asked me why I was in shorts with all the Lyme Disease found in these parts (he was in long pants). I told him it was a fair question but I told him I just preferred shorts, especially on the climbs. We went on like this for a while as he was fascinated with the concept of thru-hiking. He wasn't doing anything wrong; I just like hiking in peace.
When we finally reached the trailhead to head up Camel's Hump, he bid me adieu. He had left his significant other high and dry by that point so waiting for her was a good call. Now I could focus on getting to my camp site for the night, Bramforth Ridge Shelter.
It was a long steady climb with a couple of nice views. I arrived at the shelter around 3:00 p.m. I felt like I could’ve hiked longer but I’m glad I stopped at Bramforth Ridge Shelter. It was halfway up the 6.4-mile trek to the summit and would set up me up nicely for the next day.
Bramforth Ridge Shelter was a decent camp site except for the location of the water source. It was a bit of a trek to get there. Another hiker rolled in right after I got back from getting my water for the night and asked me where it was. I pointed him in the right direction but let him know that it was a bit of a hike. When he returned a little while later, he remarked, "You weren't kidding."
Overall, it was a fun hike with varying terrain. I went over bridges, did some road walking, and traversed through a few acres of farmland with cows, chickens, and turkeys. I did 11.6 miles so I put in a proper shift.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day with three challenging mountains to get up and over. As long as the weather stays dry, I’ll be okay. It won’t be easy but that’s what makes it worth it.