Day 46: Happy Hill Shelter to Cloudland Shelter

Today's Miles: 10.6

Total Miles: 458.6

I tossed and turned all night and slept very fitfully, so I put off getting up as long as I could. When I finally pushed off, it was probably close to 8:30. The first few miles passed quickly. There were a few hills today, but nothing too significant. Most of the hills have switchbacks which make the climbs a little less steep. It's just a pain because it takes twice as long to climb them. I had another road walk passing under I-89 and into West Hartford. There was a general store with a deli inside, so I stopped to get a breakfast sandwich and an apple juice. I sat and talked to a NOBO named Goldilocks while I ate, and she told me about the bridge that a lot of hikers jump off of into the White River. I had also heard about it from Red Tail and Gray Wolf last night. I figured I probably wouldn't do it since I was by myself. A lot of things just aren't as fun when you're hiking alone. I finished up my sandwich and continued along the trail, passing over the bridge shortly after leaving the restaurant. I would have to say that one of the better parts of the day were the massive amounts of wild blackberries on top of all the hills. Most of the hills opened up at the top to fields of plant varieties shoulder high at most. A good portion of these were blackberry bushes, and I ate so many my fingertips turned purple. I later came upon a rolling grassy area that the trail cut through and decided to stop there for lunch. There was a beautiful view, and I couldn't pass it up. I stayed there far too long before I decided I had to continue on. I was debating whether to stay at this shelter or keep pushing on to Woodstock, but I was afraid I'd end up night hiking if I continued. I don't think this decision was much better, and I think I would have ended up regretting both of them either way. This shelter used to be part of the AT, but it is now on a privately owned piece of land. The owners still let hikers use it, however. It is a little ways off the trail, more than I would ideally like to go to a shelter. The trail isn't very well marked either, and I almost gave up searching until I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I turned around. There's a lot of trash around it, and it looks like it's going to be another lonely night if I don't include all the critters running around. I can hear something in the woods that sounds like a cow. I can hear some owls off in the distance as well. I'm looking forward to going to sleep so I can wake up and get out of this place as quickly as possible. 

I'm hoping I can start putting in much better miles with the easier terrain here. I'm tired of hiking alone and really need to catch up to some people I know ahead of me. I have seriously considered yellow-blazing ahead to meet up, but I know I would regret it later. I'm hoping my body will be able to hold up as well. I've been wearing knee braces since Maine because they were getting so destroyed with all the climbing. I decided to try a day without them today, and they did not hold up well at all. After I set up camp, my right knee locked up and I couldn't straighten it for a little while. I've also been starting to get shin splints, which haven't been much fun. It's just been a very stressful day out here, and I'm so ready for it to be done!

Good thing!

I was really amused by the name of the road here. 

Another highway underpass

Right along the trail

The bridge over White River that everyone jumps from

Towering pines

A great spot for a lunch break