John and Mike Take a Hike ~ with Natalie!: Day 128 (Monday, August 18th) - Williamstown to Bennington, Vt. 18.4 miles

Pretty pond

Today's Miles: 18.40
Trip Miles: 1607.10

The cone of a pine tree

I had breakfast at the Williamstown [or as Chuck says, "Bill Ville"] Motel. I was talking to a man from Canada who is touring through the area on his Harley. He asked me about my hike and commented that he's a bit old for doing something like that.
"How old are you, 55 or so?"
"No, I'm 61."
"Oh, gee, you don't look it. You look great for your age, eh"
Ego boost.

I went outside to hitch back to the trail [I didn't want to wait for the ride from the hotel manager] and a bus was going by toward North Adams, my direction, so I flagged it down.
"How much to get to the trail?" I asked
"$1.75, but you're obviously over 60 so it's 85 cents."
Ego bust.

Boost to bust in about fifteen minutes.

VT/MA border

I got to the trail at 8:30. It was a long, gradual climb out of Williamstown. There was no one on the trail north or south bound for the first hour, then SOBOs in ones and twos started coming by. All looking pretty fresh and all very young. I got to the VT/Ma border at 10:00. No one was around so I used the timer for some pics. It was still cloudy and cool, kind of nice. I passed a north bounder not long after the border; Mama Bear. We just said, "Hello" and I kept moving.

My right knee was still sore from the steep descent into town yesterday. It gave out once this morning so I took some Tylenol and slowed down a bit. Some nice streams and ponds along the way and of course, Vermont's famous [infamous] mud. A switch from Ma. where it was mushy with boulders, to mud, mud in Vt. Shoe grabbing mud, ankle sucking mud; I'm glad it's not raining.

I met Daddy Long Legs and Baby Steps sitting with Man Bear at Consultation Peak. He's a different Daddy Long Legs than the one who was slack packing with Rudy. I had last seen DDL and BS in Duncannon, Pa. I moved on. At the Congdon Shelter I met Sunshine, Smokey and Ferngully. We hiked to Bennington together. Another steep downhill, ouch! The knees.

They hiked on to the next shelter while I went into town for food. I met Raven [who I first met in Virginia] at the Madison Brew Co. We had diner together and some good conversation before I headed back to the trail. Raven stayed in town. I hitched back and found a nice place to tent next to a creek. Nice spot. I fell asleep quickly so I'm writing this as I wake up to 45 degree temps. Where did summer go?

TTFN