7/06/06 Thursday: AT...Suttons Place, Manchester Center, VT. to Greenwall Shelter (24.6mi)

PICTURES:
1. 1016: Bromley Mtn vista
2. 1355: Nice bridgework thru the wetlands around Griffith Lake
3,4,5. 1436: Baker Peak vistas
6. 1723: Trail Majic near Danby USFS10
7. 1830: Rock Pond near the shelter
8. 2010: Sunset and interesting rock arrangements near the Greenwall shelter...

Hello again from Hanover, NH. Dan (Protozoa) and I just crossed the Connecticut River bridge into Hanover, NH about 1200 today. I'm now happily blogging away and hopefully will get all caught up before hitting the White Mountains...
Dan departed Suttons about 0700... I left shortly thereafter at about 0720. I went to breakfast at the Friendly Restaurant and had a nice big breakfast before returning to the trail... The owner Suttons suggested to stop at the Donut shop across the street from the Friendly to hitch a ride back out to the trail.... After finishing my meal I went to buy a couple of donuts and coffee and planted myself outside the Donut shop with my thumb out in the direction of the trail... I could see Dan hitching about 500yds down the street in front of me... We both were not having too much luck, but after about 40min a painter rolled into the parking lot to get donuts for his crew and some coffee for himself... He approached me and we started chatting about the trail... He was obviously a friend of the trail and had frequently provided rides for hikers entering and leaving town... He offered to take me up to the trail after he made a few stops in town and I graciously accepted... Dan had given up and we walking toward me now and I motioned for him to hurry along to catch this ride... He joined me and we both enjoyed the 6.5mi trip back up to the trailhead. Dan and I had not hiked together before but we hit it off well right away... He was a section hiker poised to complete the entire AT with this last 350 mile trip... He had done the previous 300mi sections in 3 week increments and was ready to move a little faster to get these final 350mi done in the same time period.. I on the other had was trying to complete the trail by my 4 month anniversary date of 8/05/06. And a companion willing to push 20+ miles daily would be quite helpfull...
We got a late start hitting the trail about 0900 but moved well throughout the day... The climate was great with partly cloudy skies and a definite coolness in the air. We stopped for lunch at 1200 after 7mi, pleased with our progress but well aware that the afternoon would require many more... The terrain was not too bad, with many "bumps" (200"-500" climbs) spread out throughtout the day. After a 45min lunch we moved on to the Peru Peak Shelter to gather water. There were not many views from the mountains on this section, but the Vermont mountains were beautiful... After stopping for water again 10mi later, we finally arrived at our destination for the night... We were both exhausted and after having dinner we both retired for the evening...