Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 36 – Real food in Rutland
31st August 2023
The Lookout (471.9) - Route 104 / Rutland (489.2)
Daily miles: 17.3
Total miles: 496.1
I wasn’t first up but I was first out of the shelter. The person next to me sat upright from his sleeping mat and he already had a cigarette in his mouth.
I went up to the lookout platform, snapped a quick picture of the sunrise and then set about trying to hike the next 17 miles as quickly as I could.
Inside the Lookout hut
Dirty NOBOs
Sunrise
Not a cloud in sight
It was cold last night, one of the coldest nights on trail I reckon. I started hiking with my fleece and hat on and that lasted about half an hour which was actually longer than I thought it would last.
I passed 5 tents on the trail. NOBOs. I sat to filter water and I could smell the cigarette smoke wafting over from one of them. Exactly what I want to be smelling in the wilderness at 7am. These bunch of NOBOs are different. These are the ones who like to drink and smoke and don’t care so much about the miles… it’s a different vibe.
I barely took any photos all morning because it was just forest and trees. Around 10am I got to the river where a hiker called Steady Eddie got washed away and lost his life. For me it was a simple rock hop but he was here during the floods. There was a dedication posted on a tree.
RIP Steady Eddy
The trail was a bunch of ups and downs and in and out of fields again today. The nice thing was that the mosquitoes were far less today which made the whole experience a lot more pleasant. There were still a few around and I feel like I still got more than my fair share of bites!
There was a section of boardwalk and well maintained trail and where you find that you find a bunch of day hikers. Every time I thought about needing to go to the loo I would see a hiker so I was able to hold on long enough that I came to a campground where there was a toilet block and I was very grateful for that.
Bridges are my favourite
A very handily placed ladder
Power lines
Everyone loves a boardwalk
Going the right way
Campground toilets
Other than stopping to filter water twice I just kept going today. I got to the road at 3:30pm. I knew Cal would be just behind me so I tried to text him. If he was close I was going to wait for him and we could hitch together. I tried 3 times but my message wouldn’t send. There is a bus but it comes once an hour at 20 past the hour.
Hitching on the road to Rutland
So I stuck out my thumb and the 3rd car on this very busy road pulled over for me. It was a lady who had never picked up a hitchhiker before but stopped because I was a woman alone. She didn’t even know what the trail was. When I told her I was going to Georgia she asked me if I was getting the bus. She couldn’t believe it when I told her I was walking.
I asked if she knew where the Yellow Deli was and she said she wasn’t going there so I said that was fine and anywhere in town would be great. We chatted and she ended up taking me right to the door of the Yellow Deli. She warned me to not go out after dark because there is a big homeless and drug problem in town since the pandemic.
The Yellow Deli
I was back at the Yellow Deli. The cult. The cult that very much divides opinion, but also provides a free hiker hostel.
I went in and I was greeted with an ice cold mango matcha drink which was delicious. I got shown around and it looked exactly the same as when I was here last time. Boys downstairs. Girls upstairs.
The girls lounge which isn’t used as everyone likes to hang out together downstairs
Mimi was there in my bunk room, the lady doing the weird flip flopping, it’s now the third time I’ve seen her. I had a shower and by the time I was done and in my loaner clothes (orange flares and a hoody) Cal had arrived. He got to the road about half an hour after me so I could have waited.
We threw our laundry in together and then went out to get some food. I struggle to make any decisions about anything these days so Cal decided Chinese and I went with it and we bought it back to the hostel. I got chicken and broccoli and damn the broccoli was good! I don’t normally eat fast but I absolutely annihilated this.
A vegetable!
Is this a sign?!
We were still hungry (I was probably thirsty) so went to Walmart where there was a limited selection, and then to Price Chopper to get some more food. I should have got a drink but what I ended up with was a tub of Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked.
Over this side of town the homelessness situation was more apparent.
Back at the hostel we met a guy called Step and he’s been trail angeling and knows Toe and May Queen. We chatted with him for ages and before I knew it I’d eaten the whole pint of ice cream.
Toe and May Queen are where we were last night, tonight. They will get here tomorrow and they want us to zero here and wait for them. They also want to attend Shabbat tomorrow evening.
I did this last time I was here. I don’t feel the need to do it again. I also need to get moving. But then I also want friends to hike with. Is it worth being alone and a day ahead for the sake of one day. But what if I wait for them and they speed up and leave me behind?
I don’t know what to do.
I’m conflicted.
One of the guys we made bread with last time was there and I showed him a picture of us 5 years ago. He said he remembered it. I kinda doubt he did but it was nice to chat to him. He was more intrigued about the storage capacity on my phone than anything!
I also met a girl called Puff. Her boyfriend is called Huff and they were hiking with their dog - Ruff.
Bed for the night
I have so many mosquito bites. And they all seem to be heat activated so as I lay here in this warm bed my bites are itching all over. On my elbows, my calves, my stomach, my knees…
