Jul 23 - Vermont/New Hampshire

DAY #126
START LOCATION: Thistle Hill Shelter
FINISH LOCATION: Velvet Rocks Shelter
TODAY'S MILEAGE: 16.1
TRIP MILEAGE: 1,738.8
MILES TO GO: 440.3

Smoke and I were on the trail at 7AM this morning. It was gorgeous weather overnight and we were excited to get to New Hampshire. Plus, rain was coming around 1PM. Our goal was to make it there before the rain.

We flew through the first 4 3/4 miles to West Hartford, VT. We stopped at a general store there that serves, say it out loud with me... BrEaKfAsT. Smoke and I had the Full Belly Special... Two pancakes, two breakfast meats, eggs, home fries and toast. I substituted the pancakes with French toast. Smoke had the pancakes. They were the thickest pancakes I'd ever seen. I wished I'd taken a picture. The cook/cashier/waitress piled on the food. It was so much food, it was all I needed for the 10 fast miles to Hanover, NH. Never has a breakfast filled me up and kept me satisfied over multiple states.

After a quick water stop at Happy Hill shelter, we grew wings. The rain was coming and our pace reflected this. The arrival into Hanover was preceded by a 2 mile road-walk through beautiful Norwich, VT. It reminded me of Connecticut. As we saw the Connecticut River, which serves as the border between VT and NH, the rain started falling. We rolled through it without pack covers and it stayed tame. We saw Mimi, Fred and Lou in town and went and had lunch with them, as all three were getting off for a couple of days and I'd likely not see any of them again on this hike. We had a nice lunch at Molly's Balloon and said our goodbyes.

Smoke and I went to a coffee shop to charge up our various electronic devices and pushed on to Ramunto's Pizzeria for a quick bite before resupplying. Ramunto's offers a free cheese slice for thru-hikers which was a nice welcome to Hanover.

We pushed in to the Hanover Consumer Co-op grocery store and loaded up for our 3+ day hike to Kinsman Notch. We packed out a couple beers and headed the 3/4 mile to Velvet Rocks Shelter. Here we enjoyed what is likely our last few drinks together before I get off the trail on Tuesday. I'll explain this plan in coming days. It was a nice night of reminiscing our time together over the last 3 1/2 months since we met on April 10 back at Hogback Ridge Shelter in Tennessee.

We start attacking New Hampshire in earnest tomorrow. Soon we'll be reaching the climax of our AT experience... The White Mountains. I'm so excited.

-natedog