Plainfield, NH (USA)

During my lunch break, I decided to head over to the town of Plainfield (villages of Plainfield, East Plainfield and Meriden) because I'd seen online that they had a tradition of decorating their yards with "Pumpkin People."  I made some a stop in West Lebanon (for computer repairs) and then drove south on NH-12A.  It was rainy and miserable but I found a few of the pumpkin themed decorations that residents added to their yards.  I didn't see a lot in the village of Plainfield, although there was a clever one that paid homage to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  I decided to try to find some other displays to the east, so I headed back to the north.  As I was about to turn on to a side road, I got pulled over by the local police department for speeding.  I hadn't realized I was, or what the speeding limit even was - fortunately, the officer was merciful and warned me to be careful.  He then recommended some good locations for me to find more Pumpkin People.  I drove over to Meriden on Stage Road and followed the policeman's recommendations - there were so many good ones!  It was hard to find places where I could pull over for photos but I ended up with come good pictures in the end.  I checked out the village of East Plainfield too - it appeared that people decorated as far north as the Lebanon town line.  I used NH-120 to get back to my condo and resumed my telework.  It was a fun trip!

South Pomfret, VT (USA)

Got an early start this morning, excited to be in striking distance of finishing my last few AT miles in Vermont!  On the way out of town, I stopped for breakfast at McDonalds in West Lebanon (0700) and then used US-4 to get to Woodstock.  I arrived at the AT Trailhead (empty lot) on VT-12 (north of Woodstock) by 0745.  I headed west (AT SOBO) immediately The temps were in the low 60s already but it was overcast, fortunately - I was able to start with a short sleeved shirt again. The first part of this section took me across active cattle pasture (didn’t see any) before I got into the trees.  From there, it was a gradual, almost continuous, climb along a long ridge.  Leaves were falling everywhere and the white blazes were scarce - this made it hard to see where I was supposed to go.  Got turned around a few times but generally made progress as I ascended.  Through the trees, I occasionally saw buildings, which I presume were the kind of vacation homes I’ve often seen nearby - really didn’t feel very isolated until I reached the Wintturi/Winturri Shelter at mile four.  By then, my elevation was high enough that I could see the ridges to the southwest and noticed that they were covered in dark clouds.  It also got windier on that side of the ridge...  This motivated me to press onward through the toughest part of the climb: to the top of The Pinnacle.  After reaching the summit, I was pleasantly surprised at the leisurely descent on the western slope (very un-AT-like).  For the first time all season, I noticed ticks had fallen on my arm - fortunately, they hadn't bit me yet and I was able to brush them off.  About half way down, I found myself on an old track which I soon discovered was the unimproved part of Green Gate Road.  Since my turnaround point was right where that road and the AT diverged, I started thinking about how it might be easier to backtrack to the car via a different route.  A bit later, it started to rain - that made the decision easier!  Donning my poncho, I took the blue blazed trail/track to the gravel part of the road and found the parking lot I’d used a few weeks before (empty).  From there, I followed country roads all the way back to VT-12, passing pretty farms (including one founded in 1757!) and enjoying the steady downhill grade.  Through all of the walking, I didn’t see any other hikers - I only encountered three vehicles and one guard dog (he never left his porch).  I reached my car again (the AT lot was full by then) at 1145, having covered nearly 11 miles!  Even better than the great pace, though, was the fact that I’d finished every AT mile in Vermont.  Figured out I’ve hiked almost exactly 200 new miles of AT in only seven months of 2020.  Still hoping for more, of course, but I know I was very lucky that Winter held off for another Saturday...  AT Today = 5.2 miles / G.T. AT = 1726.2 miles

Sharon, VT (USA)

After my hike in the snow last weekend, I really didn’t expect that I’d get any more trail miles in the area until 2021.  However, the weather improved dramatically yesterday afternoon and temps in the mid 60s were expected today - it seemed like a good excuse to work a short Friday!  I left my house at around noon and crossed the River into Vermont (used I-89 and US-4).  By 1300, I had reached the Thundering Falls AT Trailhead (on River Road, just east of Killington).  The lot was full and more people (most from New York and New Jersey) were arriving by the minute!  I managed to get a spot on the side of the road and headed NOBO immediately - fortunately, the crowds were headed the other way (to see the Falls).  It was warm enough that I wore a short sleeved shirt - wow!  This section wasn’t very long but included a steep climb to the top of Quimby Mountain - the ascent kicked my @$$!  I think a lot of the reason for my discomfort was the lunch I ate before leaving the house.  Despite my sluggishness, I made it to the top in just over an hour.  From there, I walked along the high ridge and got great views of US-4 and a river in the valley below.  There were clouds to the south end west so I couldn’t clearly see Pico and Killington - just glimpses every now and then.  Visibility was better then I expected overall, though, because almost all the leaves had fallen off the trees.  There was a cool mountain breeze on the ridge - it felt good.  Didn’t see any animals but I encountered some people as I crossed a powerline slash.  It looked like three young guys had taken out their family’s big four wheeler and driven up on tut ridge so they could use the wireless network - they were all pounding around on the ground, looking at their phones...  I walked a short distance north and found the gravel road where I’d turned around almost two weeks ago - started my backtrack immediately.  The return was easier and I began to feel a bit better but I had to really watch my step so I didn’t slip on the steep, leaf covered trail.  Arrived at my car at 1515 and discovered that I’d walked nearly five miles (farther then expected).  Wasn’t too tired and was glad to be done with that tough hill.  Headed back towards home on US-4 (it was already getting dark) and made more hiking plans for the next day.  I’m SO close to being done with the AT in Vermont - hoping to finish this weekend!  AT Today = 2.2 miles / Grand Total AT = 1721.0 miles

Woodstock, NH (USA)

Have been wanting to climb Moosilauke since I moved to New Hampshire and, with the approaching winter weather, thought this might be a good weekend to try it.  The weather today was expected to be pretty nice (50s and sunny) so I left Hanover with faith that the 30s and foggy would improve.  Crossed the Connecticut, drove north on I-91 until Bradford (VT) and then crossed the River again at Haverhill (NH).  As I reached the top of the westernmost crest of the Whites on NH-116, I was treated to clear skies and long visibility - I thought “awesome!” and started looking forward to a great hike.  But a few minutes later I started to see what initially looked like heavy frost...  Soon, it was clear that the area had gotten some real snow during the previous 48 hours.  Wasn’t too worried (I’ve hiked the AT in snow before) until I got to the intersection of NH-112.  From there, I could see that Kinsman and Moosilauke were both topped with visible whitecaps.  This made me doubt the wisdom of a day on the AT and I almost gave up.  Since I was there, though, I explored some trailheads I’d ultimately need to use.  The road at Reel Brook (with a connector trail for Kinsman) was impassable due to the snow, so I drove to the AT Lot at Kinsman Notch (near Beaver Pond and Lost River Gorge).  It was already full - almost every car was from Massachusetts or New York...  The snowplow hadn’t actually opened all the spots so I had a choice: leave or see if Nessie’s AWD could make one.  I tried the latter and then considered my options.  Other hikers were leaving the lot (all headed south for Moosilauke) so I supposed it must be possible to climb.  But I wasn’t thrilled about an ascent of over 3000 feet in the ice - I hadn’t brought spikes or my snowshoes.  If I went the north, I knew I’d be “marooning” an AT section.  I was carrying my brand new Hike Safe Card - perhaps that’s a double edged sword (less liability vs. green light for risk)...  In the end, I decided the weather was too nice to just leave without trying something. So I left my car at 0945 (AT SOBO) with a plan to get as many miles as I could on Moosilauke.  The temps were still in the 30s so I had two layers (with a third in reserve).  The ground was frozen and water from the Beaver Brook(s) was adding more ice.  I walked about one tenth of a mile before I came to a place where the AT Guide said there should be a footbridge - but it was completely gone.  I looked for a way across and couldn’t find one - now it looked like my only choice (if I kept going) was to wade through 8-12 inches of water.  That wasn’t appealing at the beginning of my day so I decided to turn around and cross the road, trying my luck with AT NOBO.  That turned out to be a better route - from NH-112, the rocky Kinsman Ridge Trail climbed dramatically.  I took my time and used my trekking poles to ensure that I had at least three good balance points.  I reached the top of the 800 foot climb pretty easily but most of the trail was filled with melting runoff.  Every once and a while, a conifer branch above me shed all its snow - brrrrr!  On the ridge, I had to wade through deeper drifts and one really boggy area with several inches of water in places. I was feeling pretty good by the one mile mark and thought I might be able to reach the Gordon Pond Trail junction.  But then I came around a corner to find a dad and his two sons trying to decide what to do.  They told me they’d encountered an impassable area a few hundred yards to the north end had decided to go back to the road.  I continued and started looking for the spot they referenced - it was a steep cliff drop off that would have been difficult even without ice and snow.  If I hadn’t needed to do a backtrack, I believe I would have tried my luck - I was close to the Dilly Cliff Trail (never saw the trail junction but I’d read that the sign had been removed) and wanted a landmark to remember.  Ultimately, though, I really didn’t have good options.  Since I knew my descent on the backtrack would be tough anyway, I cut my losses and walked back towards the car.  It took just as much (if not more) concentration to make it safely down (I fell once).  Passed the dad and sons on the way - they were the only hikers I saw on the section.  I made it to the trailhead by about 1100 (after just over 2.5 snowy miles) but decided to look around the area near the pond and maybe find a way across the creek that had no bridge (I was unsuccessful).  About 30 minutes later, with new visitors glaring at me for my valuable parking spot, I departed for home.  I used almost the same route to reach Hanover but I stayed on the east side of the Connecticut (NH-10).  By the time I passed through the Dartmouth campus, I was seeing young people out for exercise with shorts and tee shirts - the temps in the Valley had reached the mid 50s.  Looks like it will be an interesting next few weeks - with weather seeking nice in the low elevations and snow on the AT.  Cross your fingers for me that my hiking isn’t done in 2020!  AT Today = 1.2 miles / Grand Total AT = 1718.8 miles

Gaysville, VT (USA)

Today was a holiday for me so I decided to return to the large, isolated hiking zone in Vermont where I’d spent the last two days.  Left a bit later than I’d planned (0745) and had a further delay while getting breakfast at McDonalds in West Lebanon (0800).  Even with the slow start, though, I easily reached Stony Brook Road ((via I-89, VT-14 and VT-107) and found the same parking spot I’d used two days before by 0900.  As I got ready to leave Nessie, I realized I’ve been really fortunate recently: I can drive less than 40 miles to log AT miles (the best I ever had before moving to New Hampshire was about 60)!  It was clear and sunny again but the temps started at 31 degrees - this required two layers, along with light gloves and earmuffs (I was eventually able to shed the latter items).  After about 0.5 miles, I intercepted the AT at the footbridge over Stony Brook and started up a long climb to the east (AT NOBO).  When I reached the top of the ridge, I had a pretty easy walk for a while.  I could see for miles in both directions because many of the leaves had fallen in this area and because I encountered large clearings where the loggers had cut down lots of trees on both sides of the AT.  As I mentioned previously, the white blazes weren’t very easy to see in the area and the fallen leaves covered the beaten trail - now there weren’t ANY clues to see where I was going!  I must have walked almost a mile with uncertainty before I felt like I was in the forest again...  Soon after that, I noticed a boot print on a rock as I crossed a small stream - I hadn’t expected to see anyone so it came as a surprise.  A bit later, though, I caught up to a backpacking father and daughter (also NOBO).  They were headed to VT-12 and had spent the night before at the Stony Brook Shelter with almost everyone I’d met the day before (i.e., the five older guys with complaints and the six smiling youngsters).  I therefore got a taste of trail communication within a SOBO AT “Bubble” - it was amazing how much information could be shared by a few messengers traveling between hiking groups nearby!  Even more interesting to me, though, was that the dad had lived his whole life in the area - he told me tragic stories of two major 100 Year Floods in the little village of Gaysville (at the bottom of the hill) that had changed the entire history of the region between Stockbridge and Bethel.  His advice: don’t build anything in the valley below - ever.  They were hiking a bit slower than I was so I continued north ahead of them for about a mile.  At that point, I had the deja vu feeling (not strong enough), marked position in my iPhone maps (close but not exact) and some photos I’d taken the day before (best indicator) to tell me where to turn around on Bull Hill.  Once I located this spot, I started my backtrack immediately.  The wind on the top of this hill was sharp and biting, despite the sunlight, and I was glad to get back into some cover.  As I passed the Dad/Daughter pair on the downhill, I wished them well.  Right around the same time, I glimpsed a fast-moving figure in the trees on the ridge above and realized there was a hiker following me.  I stopped to let him pass but ended up tagging along with him after I learned he was a SOBO Thru hiker named “Abe Lincoln”.  He grew up in Tennessee and spent his young life on the AT before becoming a long haul trucker.  After getting divorced a few years earlier, he bought a van and decided to live on the road.  This meant that he was able to hike all year long (with short work gigs in between) - he said he’d been on a trail for almost three full years (including a CDT Thru hike).  In early 2020, he used some long trails to connect the Florida Trail to the Benton MacKaye Trail in Georgia and Western North Carolina.  Just before entering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, COVID-19 forced him off the AT.  Undeterred, he went to North Dakota and hiked hundreds of miles of the North Country Trail (all the way to Duluth, MN).  After that, he worked for a few months and then decided to try the SOBO AT Thru hike.  He had been hiking for such a long time that he was used to 30 mile days and was going MUCH faster than all the other SOBOs I’ve met.  What an interesting guy!  I had thought about bailing off my backtrack on a logging road but enjoyed hearing his stories so much I walked all the way to Stony Brook Road again before I realized it.  Would have liked to hike farther with him but, as usual, normal life was calling...  Headed reluctantly back to my car, arriving at 1230 after about 7 miles of hiking.  It was a bit warmer (high 40s) but it was clear that winter isn’t too far away.  Glad I was able to chip away at this ~18 mile section this weekend - I’ve only got about 7 miles left in Vermont and it’s all accessible from paved roads.  My body feels OK (I think my new day pack takes the stress off my back).  What a great New England Fall weekend!  AT Today = 3.3 miles / G.T. AT = 1717.6 miles / AT Left = 467.7 miles

South Pomfret, VT (USA)

There was a huge thunderstorm in the Upper Valley last night and I was very glad I’d resisted the urge to get another night of camping on the AT!  Fortunately, it was clear (but cooler) this morning.  My body clock woke me up very early this morning and, despite some creaky bones and sore muscles, I eagerly got going in my car.  Stopped for breakfast (McDonalds in West Lebanon) at 0720 and drove across the river until I was on US-4, headed west.  I was at the trailhead I’d discovered yesterday (end of Green Gate Road, north of Woodstock) by 0805.  I was only the second car to arrive - a far cry from yesterday’s packed lot!  Conditions were windy and in the low 40s as I left my car on the access trail - a much different start from my previous hike.  But I was soon comfortable with one layer (long sleeves) and found the AT (about 0.4 from the car) without any difficulty.  From there, I started west (AT SOBO) and soon found myself on some of the smoothest, flattest AT I’ve seen in years.  I guessed it was because this section was so well used by day hikers who wanted to climb up the tower we The Lookout...  It was only about 0.6 miles to that landmark and I decided to take the side trail before it got more crowded later in the day.  This turned out to be a good thing because the tower had a ladder and small platform that would only hold one or two people.  The view was spectacular - I could see the Whites, the Greens and lots of colorful foliage!  After about 15 minutes, enjoying the scenery and solitude, I went back to the AT and continued my hike.  The trail started to take on a roller coaster quality and I spent most of the morning changing elevation.  I encountered a pair of older lady hikers who shared a harrowing tale of being outside overnight in their tents - it sounded miserable.  After this short break, I didn’t see anyone for a few hours.  I reached Chateauguay Road (inaccessible in my car from both directions) and thought about turning around.  When I checked the trail guide, though, it looked like I could make my next hike in the area easier if I crossed the road and climbed Bull Hill.  The sun had come out, the temps had reached the low 50s and I was feeling pretty good - so I kept going for about 0.6 miles past the road.  Along the way, I managed to run into a pointy log somehow and got a charley horse - that made the backtrack, which I started when I reached the top of the hill, much more interesting...  Despite some deep muscle pain (and some frustrating time spent looking for the scarce white blazes in a few places) I made really good time all the way back to the area near The Lookout.  That’s when the hike changed character from a quiet adventure to a crowd dodging debacle.  It was nearly noon and LOTS of people had decided to go for a walk.  As I approached the access trail, I encountered almost 50 people within one mile!  Only a few were out for a serious hike - I passed five older guys who seemed to be on an annual camping weekend together (they each shared a series of complains) and am quite sure I (re)met a young local couple I’d encountered at Cloudland (nearby) in late June.  Otherwise, it was families out for a Sunday stroll...  I decided not to take the blue blazed access trail when I reached it because I wanted to see if I could locate the extension of Green Gate Road that the map said was nearby.  I found it about 0.2 miles away.  Just as I was about to turn towards the car, I got my biggest surprise of the day - I passed two young people (guy and girl) who both looked familiar.  When I asked if they were Thru hikers we figured out we’d last seen each other near Pierce Pond in Maine!  Back then, they were part of a larger group of six smiling youngsters - it sounded like they were all still pretty close together.  I’d estimated that it would take 30 days to reach Hanover from there and they beat that timetable, despite all the obstacles and challenging weather - wow!  I finished my day about 20 minutes later (1230) after just over 9 miles.  The parking lot (and surrounding area) was packed and I encountered more cars as I departed on the narrow gravel road.  Woodstock was even more busy - four out of every five cars I saw on the way home were from MA, CT and NY...  With all the Leaf Peepers around, I’m very glad to have enjoyed another Early Bird Special - hoping to get out on the trail one more time before the end of the long weekend!  AT Today = 4.2 miles / G.T. AT = 1714.3 miles

Stockbridge, VT (USA)

The forecast said today would be an unseasonably warm day and it was - from the moment I left the house, it was short sleeve weather!  In anticipation of this awesome opportunity, I'd set up a shuttle ride with my friend (Liz).  However, she texted late last night that she'd be unable to help today.  Undeterred, I decided to drive to the hiking zone anyway and figure out how to make the best of the situation.  I packed for several options: overnight, hitch-hiking, short sections.  On the way out of town, I got breakfast at McDonalds in West Lebanon (0805) and then crossed the Connecticut River.  I took I-89 to the South Royalton exit and then drove west on VT-107.  My target was the last hiking zone I’ve got left in Vermont: a nearly 18 mile section between River Road in Killington and VT-12 near South Pomfret.  Denied access twice previously (from two different directions; poor road quality and private road signs), I’d almost despaired of doing anything but a shuttle ride with an overnight.  However, a recent mix-up with an Amazon order (they sent me the wrong item) gave me access to a detailed trail map of the area, complete with dirt/gravel roads that don’t appear on Google Maps.  This gave me another option for AT access via Stony Brook Road (off VT-107) near Stockbridge.  Armed with this intel (but no GPS), I managed to find the (gravel) road and then followed it to the end of the “good” surface.  Unfortunately, I didn’t find the Trail!  There were two dirt tracks beyond that point and I was able to eliminate one because Nessie successfully got me to where logging trucks were cutting (dead end).  The other choice was worse - I didn’t even dare to drive on that road.  By this point (0930), I decided that ANY hike was better than none so I left my car at the fork and started walking, even though I really didn't know if I would find the AT.  About 15 minutes later, I found a white blaze and was able to start my actual hike (SOBO) - whew!  Because of the steepness of the five mile section to the west, I decided to hike on that side first (hoped to backtrack across the road in the afternoon).  This took me up to the top of Quimby Mountain and gave me some spectacular views of Pico and Killington, along with lots of pretty foliage.  The weather was warm and pleasant and it was great to be outside on such a nice day!  Like most of my hikes recently, I really didn’t see any wildlife (unless I count the grouses that loudly thumped their wings as they tried to escape me).  White blazes were scarce - this wouldn’t normally be a problem but the falling leaves made it difficult to find the beaten track in a few places...  I only saw one hiker all day: Pablo/Storytime told me he was actually a PCT hiker from Vermont who’d never hiked any AT until COVID-19 canceled all his adventures on the West Coast.  I spent a lot of time talking to him and this slowed me down a lot, in terms of big mileage.  I found a turnaround point that was only about two miles from River Road and headed back immediately.  The weather really nice - the sun was out and temps reached the mid 70s as I was hiking!  For this reason, I struggled with the decision about whether to hike longer.  On the “con” side, rain was expected before dark. I eventually came to the conclusion that this was a “bonus day” and shouldn’t require me to tire myself out, get hurt or get soaked.  So, back at the gravel road where I started, I called it a day and walked back to the car (1300).  This meant that I only hiked about 6.5 miles but I wasn’t too sore or tired.  Another good thing: I had time to explore several other dirt roads nearby.  Some were impassable but others had some promise.  In the end, I circled clockwise all the way around the hiking zone and arrived in Woodstock on VT-12.  Fortunately, by doing this search I found (with help from locals) an excellent AT access point off Green Gate Road that I can use to cut the section into smaller pieces!  Even with my short day, this discovery makes the idea of finishing the AT in Vermont before the snow seem like a real possibility.  Cross your fingers for me!  AT Today = 2.8 miles / Grand Total AT = 1710.1 miles

Plainfield, NH (USA)

A few weeks ago, my neighbors brought home some hand-picked produce from one of the farms south of West Lebanon (Riverview) and shared it with me.  From that moment, the urge to harvest my own batch of blueberries, raspberries, apples and pumpkins got stronger and stronger - I really wanted to go there myself!  Liz drove down from Montpelier (with her dog, Lincoln) this morning and we met up at Riverview Farm just after they opened (0915).  We got some apple cider donuts they made on the property and then got our picking boxes.  Only 20 minutes after they opened, the entire parking lot was full - it was yet another example of how the Early Bird wins almost every time...  It occurred to me as we walked through the grounds that a lot of things might have been picked clean.  Fortunately, despite several weeks of large crowds at this popular place, we were still able to find unpicked berries and apples.  And the experience was really fun!  Everyone - especially the families - seemed to be enjoying themselves.  It occurred to me later that the whole thing reminded me of visits with Mollie to the Tyo Christmas Tree Farm in Nanjemoy...  Liz stocked up for her baking projects but I only hunted for snacks, so my bill came to just under $3.00 (wow!).  Before leaving, we visited the huge corn maze - it was very well done and included lots of local monster-lore (my favorite part was learning about the Pukwudgies).  We entertained ourselves in the crisp, Fall New England air for almost two hours (done at 1055).  Definitely going back to the farm again...  Afterwards, we drove north to West Lebanon so that Liz could walk her dog - we parked at the airport and got in some steps nearby.  We then drove over to Applebees for lunch - it was a good meal and we had some good conversation.  Finished up at around 1220 and we both headed home.  What a nice day!