Even though the rains didn’t come as predicted last night, it didn’t change our initial opinion on Verdamort (the state whose name we must not speak). Bunny woke up at 6 and pretended to be asleep when I rolled over and looked at her. Being the good husband, I pretended not to notice she was awake and forced myself to go back to sleep. I gave her the pleasure of forcing me to get up at 7, knowing she gets a superior feeling when she believes she is the first to get up.
Bear and Sassy were already nearly packed while I was cooking breakfast for my lovely young(ish) bride. I really had to visit the privy, but I cannot attend to personal functions until I have officially been released from spousal duty. Since we are just in the beginning stages of hiking with another couple, the demands on my time are more intense. Bunny’s duties have not changed. Really, mine haven’t either, but Bunny’s time expectations on me have gotten more stringent.
Today was, in theory, an easy day of hiking. We only had a short climb to the top of Harmon Hill (big time NCIS fans in Verdemort). Bear made the phone call to the motel from the top because we knew there was no service down at the Gap where we were to be picked up. He told us he would pick us up in 70 minutes at the parking lot—we felt the pressure to perform now. As in all pressure situations, I immediately went limp (minds out of the gutter, I’m talking my legs, although, technically, you were probably thinking the third leg).
Something else immediately happened when Bear hung up—the rains started. I was willing to think that our ritual of a few days ago was the cause of the downpour on Bear and Sassy when they were descending Mt Greylock. Something I haven’t mentioned before was that it also poured on them coming down Mt Everet. Since it was pouring again, I have come to the conclusion that Bear has done something to really piss off the rain gods.
Boardwalks in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts were usually an indication of wet trails. Here in Verdemort, it indicates the exact opposite. A few years back, the ATC mandate that the Green Mountain Club do something about all the complaints coming from hikers. They wanted action and they wanted results. The ATC demanded that boardwalks be put in. The GMC will not be forced to improve the Long Trail by the young pups at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. By gawd, the Long Trail is older, and, by definition, better. The ATC even stole their white blazes to mark the trail.
The GMC was backed into a corner, though. The ATC wanted boardwalks. Hell, they even paid for the wood. The GMC acquiesced and installed the boardwalks. There was only one minor detail, the ATC forgot to tell the GMC to install the boardwalks over water-soaked sections of the trail.
With all the water we have walked through on the trail, we were shocked and scared the first time we came upon a boardwalk. It must be wet as hell if the GMC has installed a boardwalk. We put our walking sticks in the trail beside the walkway and discovered…dirt. Dry trail! Now we know whenever we see boards in the trail, we are on dry trail. 99 times out of 100, the boardwalk will end at the edge of a wet section of trail. The GMC discovered it was much quicker and easier to install the boardwalks on dry trail. They didn’t want to stand in water or mud to install boardwalks—that’s a lot of work and your feet get wet.
We made it to the parking lot in 68 minutes. I think the guy at the Catamount has dealt with hikers before. I had gotten out front because I am always worried that if I’m last, everyone will forget about me and just take the ride into town. Bunny might notice the next day, when she wants the tent set up, that I’m no longer around. I’m sure that she would eventually remember that she was married but I’m not willing to push my luck too far. Everyone else was talking to Micky who lives up in New Hampshire. He promised us a shower and a place to stay when we make it up there.
While waiting for the most dynamic ride of our trip, we met a Jehovah’s witness handing out apples to thru-hikers. He seemed like a very nice guy, but I didn’t bite into my Apple until I saw that neither woman fell into a deep sleep first. Bear just outright refused the apple.
Both of our rooms were not ready, so we dropped our packs and walked to town. There was a nice Mexican restaurant down the street for lunch. After eating, we decided to try to resupply since everyone knows you don’t go shopping on an empty stomach. For a hiker, this is especially dangerous. You could easily end up with an 80# pack.
The main reason we headed to town today was to avoid the rain which we didn’t quite manage to do on the way in or, even now. The reprieve for lunch had been rescinded. We ducked into a Dollar General but couldn’t get all we needed. Instead, we bought a couple of super cheap umbrellas to use while we figured out where and how to catch a bus to the Satanic House of Worship (aka Walmart).
The rain and full bellies took it out of all of us. It was extremely difficult to make it back to the motel without falling asleep, but we managed. I suggested ice cream as a pick-me-up trying to cheer everyone up. Who doesn’t get excited thinking about ice cream? The three mean-ass soulless hikers I’m traveling with—that’s who. After a short nap, I was able to persuade everyone to get up and go to Friendly’s for a bite. I was worried they were all running a caloric deficit which was why they were so tired. Friendly’s may not have been the best choice on this particular night.
The place was packed; one of the cooks must have flipped out and quit. The manager was frazzled. Customers were grumbly. People were standing up front waiting for “to go” orders. We had front row seats right next to the register. We kept quiet the entire time trying to figure out the sequence of events which had turned Friendly’s into Unfriendly’s. Eventually a cop even showed up. Thankfully, they got his order right. As a reward, we got a free appetizer and free sundaes all around. Free ice cream is worth the building terror that an upset customer is going to pull a gun and start taking out people. America is always good for a show with the potential to kill.
We’ve been trying to contact Peter and Marcia to work out details of them joining us on the trail. They had bad news for us. They won’t be able to join us because their apartment got sold from underneath them. In the next month, they have to find a place, pack, and move. The lucky thing for them is that they had scheduled time at the end of this month to hike with us. Sucks for us, but we will get to see them at some point this year.
EFG