I'm am Not a Duck

On the 6th I did 21.9 miles and stayed on top of Glastenbury Mt. On the 7th I did 19 miles and stayed at Stratton Pond shelter. On the 8th I did 11.7 miles and stayed in Manchester Center. On the 9th I did 19.8 miles and stayed at Little Rock Pond shelter. On the 10th I did 19.4 miles and stayed at Governor Clement shelter. On the 11th I did 20.6 miles and stayed at Stony Brook shelter. On the 12th I did 21.5 miles and stayed at Thistle Hill shelter. On the 13th I did 14.7 miles and stayed in Hanover, NH. 

Vermont went quite smoothly. It felt great to once again have some sense that I was in mountains. I once again could stand out top of something I climbed and be completely surrounded by a great view. The best of these turned out to be Killington.

There were a couple other fantastic views in Vermont even though most of the mountains had fully wooded summits.

I came across a cool spot at the top of a mountain where people built a lot of rock cairns. People had even placed rocks pretty far up in the trees. Obviously I had to one up such people and go higher.

Vermont has been the first state that had some spots that really felt maineish. There are lots of ponds and evergreen woods that have the look and smell of Maine. It has felt great with the feeling of home.

In my last blog I believe I forgot to bring up the fact that I had succeeded in my own four state challenge. I mentioned a while ago trying to go four states without shower or laundry but it didn't last. I reinvigorated myself at the Deleware water gap for the challenge. I made it! I didn't shower between Deleware Water Gap, PA (mile 1289) and Manchester Center, VT (mile 1647). Laundry was even more impressive since I did that at Duncannon, PA (mile 1143) before Manchester Center. It was not a challenge for the faint of heart but it passed the time.

Now I'm onto another challenge. It has been coined the Fecal Trinity. The challenge is to poop in a flush toilet, a privy and in the woods all in the same day. It is outrageously difficult and I think I need the stars to align perfectly to have it happen. So far many days of 2 out of 3 and I keep continue to come up short. Eventually I hope to complete this one. It says something about the brain after so many miles of hiking. Such an activity is t challenging enough, you have to keep pushing the limit. Also, entertaining ourselves in the woods can be hilarious.

And now for something completely different...

Anyone who has a dream interpretation book laying around try your hand at this interesting specimen I had a few days ago.

The dream starts and I'm on a date with some reasonably attractive woman, at no point could I remember a face to this woman so just some faceless yet attractive woman. During the course of that date I find out she is addicted to heroin and in debt to the Russian mob. The next day I grab my guns, like everything is normal, and go to rescue her from the Russian mob's heroin den.

During this rescue attempt I meet heavy resistance and I was forced to run. I decided to run to get help from Kim Jong-un in North Korea. I ran there amidst a hail of gunfire (obviously you can run to North Korea in a few minutes) and found Kim astride a large horse firing back at the Russians. While I knew he was Kim Jong-un he had the rugged appearance of an American cowboy instead of kind of looking like a giant baby. He apparently hates heroin and people that deal in its trade. I end up getting wounded and as I am laying under a copse of trees Kim rides up and dismounts. At this time I realize that all of the Russians are actually ducks firing machine guns. I am distraught to discover that when I look down at myself I am also a duck. Kim kneels over me, placing his hand on my shoulder, and in a deep, sincere voice says, "You are not a duck. You are a turtle." I immediately feel completely at peace with my place in the world and awake.

Hiking does some strange things to your mind I think. Your welcome to comment on your interpretation of that.