Friday, August 22, 2008

Can't get out of town....

We are in West Harfort, VT - just 9 miles or so from the VT-NH border. We rolled in to town last night and ended up camping in this guy Steve's yard who takes in hikers. He, his wife and his cat Bob are all super cool. To say thanks a bunch of us just pitched in at the local library and helped scrape paint, prime and shop-vac before they paint it fresh. It's after 1pm and we still have
Miles to go before we sleep.
Miles to go before we sleep.

We've had ups and downs on this trail and it feels like the muddy doldrums of Vermont have dissolved in the sunshine and many hiker reunions on the trail. We stopped in Rutland and saw Blaze again, who is doing well and back on the trail (he should pass us running any day now). Lots of other folks around us: Becca, Jogle, Spidey, NoAmp, Chuck, Naked Time, Burrass, Keychain, Zen, Hoot and Sundance, Rainman and Opop, Pixie and Holler, Chainsaw, Achilles, Swami and Darcy, Thinker (who had to scoot to Hanover for a dentist appointment today after partaking in Jogle's chewy licorice yesterday and pulling out a crown) and many more.

We have 400-something miles left to go. Dang. And Eli, to answer your question 'what's the first thing we're going to do when we get back?'
Brahma: shave.
Potato: sit and stare.

Thank you everyone for the goodies you sent to West Hartford!!! We loved going to the Post Office and getting letters and care packages. You know you are - you're awesome!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Almost there!! Let us know the next mail drop.

Much Love.

Jeremy, Michelle, Violet, Lily & Summer the Dog

Anonymous said...

Can't believe you're closing in on NH border! WOW.
Are you starting to hallucinate already, or what!?!
Your posts and photos are always so entertaining and enlightening. I show them to Melissa. She loves them.
Good luck!
Love,
Kathy and the South England Street Gang

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you're so close to being finished! It makes me so proud of you all! It will be great to have you home and I'd love to sit and stare with you any day, Bets. Keep on truckin' and know you are continually in our thoughts and prayers!! Love ya, Zac and Martha

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you're so close to being finished! It makes me so proud of you all! It will be great to have you home and I'd love to sit and stare with you any day, Bets. Keep on truckin' and know you are continually in our thoughts and prayers!! Love ya, Zac and Martha

Anonymous said...

Hi Dustan & Betsy....Thinker, if he is with you.
Wow!! Can this be...only 400 miles to go!!!! I can't imagine doing this, but we knew YOU TWO could. What great people you have met and sights you've seen. We still miss you and hope you will be traveling through Waynesboro again. Keep up the good work (no doubt about that) and safe travels to the end.
We missed your last mail drop so we want to be sure to make the next one. We'll be watching the blog. Sending much love and blessings and safe travel to the end.

Anonymous said...

Hey Betsy and Dustan,
Hope you two and all your hiking buddies are doing well--what an accomplishment! And what an experience!! I envy you all the sights you have seen and the people you have met--and most of all the chance to have this time to get closer to each other and to God. How proud Jeff must be--I'm sure he knows. Seems like I have been missing him more lately--not that I got to see him that much, but I knew he was always there for me, and all I had to do was pick up the phone to tslk to him and get a definite lift to my spirits. He could always do that for everybody, I think. You two continue to travel safely and have a good, good time on these remaining days!! As the old Irish blessing says,..."May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
Love you, Jo