The Long and Winding Road

After a wild whirlwind of a week - a heartbreaking goodbye from NC to a short amount of time with the parentals and Perbear, I am now prepared to leave for the Long Trail trip with Elise. There is so much packing and preparing that has been accomplished and toiled over, but we are on our way to the trailhead. I am sitting in the Dirt Cowboy Cafe in Hanover, our final stop before we hit the Canadian border with eager faces and soon-to-be-toughened feet.

Pray for us - for our safety, friendship, and personal journeys. This is a pilgrimage of a sort - Hilary Becker is just coming over !! - and I need this space to process the intensity of the last years and months in a way that hasn't been possible until now. You all will so be on my mind during this long backpack. I have nothing else to do but THINK!! Below is a schedule/itinerary that I sent to most of you over e-mail. It didn't translate PERFECTLY, but yall will get the idea.

Take care... we'll be back before we know it.

Love,
Alice

Alice Hodgkins and Elise Booth

The Long and Winding Path:
Hiking Vermont’s Long Trail

Fall 2006 Itinerary
September 25 - October 18

Day Weekday Date Daily
Mileage Shelter at Night Total
Mileage Misc.
1 Monday 9-25 5.7 Shooting Star Shelter 4.4 First Day
2 Tuesday 9-26 13.2 Hazen’s Notch Camp 17.2
3 Wednesday 9-27 14.7 Spruce Ledge Camp 31.7 Mexican Day
4 Thursday 9-28 14.8 Roundtop Shelter 46.4
5 Friday 9-29 7.2 Bear Hollow Shelter 53.6 Drop 1:
Johnson Drop by Cheley gal Claire Johnson (UVM ‘05)
6 Saturday 9-30 12.6 Taft Lodge 66.3
7 Sunday 10-1 0.0 Taft Lodge 66.3 Rest Day
8 Monday 10-2 15.1 Buchanan Lodge 80.6 British Day
9 Tuesday 10-3 13.7 Bamforth Ridge Shelter 93.8 Drop 2:
Jonesville*
10 Wednesday 10-4 10.7 Cowles Cove Shelter 104.3
12 Thursday 10-5 14.6 Battell Shelter 119.6 80's Dance Party
13 Friday 10-6 14 Skyline Lodge 133.6
14 Saturday 10-7 9.9 Sucker Brook Shelter 143.2 Drop 3:
Cheley buddy Hannah Lowe (Middlebury ‘10) drives in for drop and weekend hike.
15 Sunday 10-8 12.9 David Logan Shelter 155.8
16 Monday 10-9 14.9 Churchhill Scott Shelter 170.4 Opposite Day
17 Tuesday 10-10 14.6 Claredon Shelter 184.9
18 Wednesday 10-11 13.8 Little Rock Pond Shelter 198.1 Give Alice a Foot Massage Day
19 Thursday 10-12 10.1 Peru Peak Shelter 208.2
20 Friday 10-13 12.7 Spruce Peak Shelter 220.8 Drop 4: Hannah Lowe and co. drop and hike.
21 Saturday 10-14 9 Stratton Pond Shelter 228.6
22 Sunday 10-15 10.6 Story Spring Shelter 239.1
23 Monday 10-16 17.4 Melville Neuheim Shelter 256.5 Mystery Mountain Man Contest
24 Tuesday 10-17 Rest Day TBD.
25 Wednesday 10-18 19.3 Wilmington Cabin 275.8 End of Trail - Ride from Williamstown from LV ‘05 Lindsay Millert.
Thursday 10-19 Ice Feet, Sleep
Friday 10-20 Prep VT House Cheley Girls arrive
Saturday 10-21 PARTY!!!! Angela buys lots of alcohol for her underage friends.
Sunday 10-22 Clean Trash House while we have hangovers. (Just kidding, Dad.) Drive back to NJ.
Monday 10-23 NYC Dinner. Prepare for Nepal and Denver.




I. We will be slightly flexible with mileage. Bold face are drops where we are SURE to be when our much-need food arrives!

II. If you need to get in touch with us, please leave a message on our cells! Elise: 208-310-9611; Alice: 609-468-2173

III. If you would like to send something, please do! Just be conscious that our lives our on our backs. :0) There are two addresses:

Jonesville (must arrive by 10/2)
Alice Hodgkins and Elise Booth
General Delivery
Hold for Long Trail Hikers, Arrival approx. 10/2
Jonesville, VT 05466

Hannah Lowe at Middlebury College (Must arrive before 10/6 for Drop 3; before 10/13 for Drop 4):
Alice Hodgkins and Elise Booth
c/o Hannah Lowe
3268 Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT 05753

IV) We have cell phones. In the event of emergency, we are never too far from a trailhead or service. If we are too ill/injured to go on, we will notify the appropriate people, and head back to the VT cabin.

Contacts:

Robinson Hodgkins:
908-256-9683
Meg Booth:
208-596-2856
VT Cabin:
802-464-3317
Elise:
208-310-9611
Alice:
609-468-2173

Thank you for all your support, especially Hannah, Claire, and Dad (Robin)! You are all making this possible and encouraging us with your thoughts and prayers. Think blue skies and warm weather.
Love,

Alice and Elise