Day 135-Doing the Right Thing...I Guess

July 31-4.3 miles-Congdon Shelter to Bennington, VT-AT mile 1613.8

We had a long 4.3 miles to do to get to Route 9 (to get into Bennington). I say long, because the last, maybe 1/2 mile, was nearly straight down. It took almost as long to do that as it did to do the previous few miles!

Only saw one today. 

Either that is one big ass shoe print, or someone has been riding a motorcycle on the foot-traffic-only AT. 

Just some pretty greenery along the trail. 

Before coming down the steep part, we climbed up to the summit of Harmon Hill. There was a sign, but it was barely legible. As far as the Long Trail goes, we were starting the Bennington section. 

I slowly inched my way down the steep stuff. Fortunately, there were a lot of rock stairs. 

Sometimes, the steps are a little big. 

When I caught up to Sure Foot at Route 9, he informed me we had no cell service. Hmmm...that would make it difficult to call for a shuttle. He had seen Fairweather and Zoom at the trailhead. They had just been dropped off by the owner of the motel we were going to. They said when they got up the hill, and had service, they would call the motel, and have the owner come get us. Problem was, I didn’t have Fairweather’s number to find out if the guy was actually coming. 

 There was a guy sitting in a van in the parking lot. I asked him if he could give us a ride into town. He couldn’t (van was full of stuff), but said we could hitch really easily. Sure enough, a guy named Deegan picked us up in about 5 minutes. Didn’t take us all the way to the motel, but at least into town. 

At the gas station where Deegan dropped us, I called the Catamount Motel. The owner answered, and said he was just on his way to the trailhead to get us. I told him where we were, and he came and got us. Yay!

This is, like most motels, an older place, but the room is nice, and the price is right...$65/night. We have decided to take a zero tomorrow, even though we had one in Great Barrington not too long ago. The hope is that my knees will have a chance to rest. The motel owner even gave me ice packs. I’ve purchased a couple of those compression knee support sleeves. I’m hoping they will help. I also got some insoles for knee pain. And, of course I resupplied my stock of ibuprofen. 

We got all of our resupply done, so tomorrow I can literally lay around with my legs elevated, and my knees on ice. I suppose taking a zero is the smart thing to do.