With the weather forecast looking very nice for a hike in southern Vermont, I coordinated a shuttle (with Vic) and asked Elizabeth if I could stage out of Danby the night before (she agreed). I teleworked until around 1500 and then finished packing. Got gas before leaving town (1525) and then used I-89 and I-91 to get out of the area. Got off the Interstate at Ascutney and took back roads (VT-131, VT-100 and VT-103 to reach Wallingford. From there, it was only a short distance to Danby. I stopped (for the first time, after thinking about it for many years) for dinner at Otter Creek Fun Center (1800). The people there were nice and made me a great (local, farm-to-table) meal. I ate it on a picnic table in a big field that had great views of the Fall Foliage developing on Mount Tabor. The weather was pleasant and I felt like I'd made a great decision to backpack the next day. After I was done eating, I drove to Elizabeth's place and got ready for the following day. Read a bit and then went to bed (2200). Excited for tomorrow!
