Klauks to Katahdin: Golf on the Trail

Day: 130 (August 2)
Starting location: Winturri Shelter
Ending location: West Hartford, VT
State: VT
Miles today: 16.4
Miles total: 1,727.5

Today was a tough hiking day. The trail was very overgrown and was probably the worst maintained section of the entire trail. Bushwacking really takes it out of us. It makes you really appreciate all the trail maintenance crews. It rained for most of the afternoon. When it starts to rain, Kristen and I stop briefly to put on our pack covers and continue on our way. Rain is a big part of the trail that you just learn to deal with and make the best of.

Kristen and I were almost entirely out of food with over a day until we reached Hanover, NH. The trail is a bit different than real life. In real life when you run out of food you go to the grocery store. On the trail when you run out of food you starve. Let me tell you this, it isn't a good feeling. We spent most of the day trying to find food but places were either not open yet or closed. Today might have been a good day to carry a gun so I could kill a rabbit or something. Just like on Oregon Trail the computer game. Don't worry Kristen still plays it.

We finally reached West Harford, VT around 4pm. There was a general store that was just a few tenths of a mile off the trail where we could get some food. We both had every intention to continue the 4 miles to the next shelter out of town aftering eating. After two large cheesesteaks we knew there was little or no chance that we were getting out of town. We had heard that a local business/house down the street allowed tenting on the property. We walked down the street to thr Hartford Sign Company where we found the owner Steve talking to a few southbounders. Steve was extremely nice and was a former thru hiker of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail). The property was on a couple of acres with two homemade golf holes. Yes Capt Karl, I said golf holes. We spent the rest of the night playing golf and hanging out by the fire that Steve had built. Just another example of an amazing trail angel.