VERMONT & GREEN MOUNTAIN -5-

Canada in the distance from Madonna Peak

Sterling Pond-Madonna Peak hike definitely is nothing compared to Hell Brook-Long Trail loop. As I approached the summit, yes, the boulders got bigger and more difficult to conquer and yes, the saturation of all surfaces with the rainfall of the day before made footing difficult, but at least the terrain always had a grade to it, it was never a straight up wall like Hell Brook was at many points.



The lillies on Sterling Pond



On my way back, though, I take my time off, sit on a small rock right where the pond is spilling into a small stream, take off my shoes and socks and dip my battered feet and toes into cold high country water. What an ecstasy my goodness. I close my eyes and meditate to the feelings in my feet the near icy-cold water triggers. When it gets too cold, I take one foot out, at a time and rest it on another small rock for a while before alternating. My feet eventually come back to life with the elimination of the edema in cold water followed with the rush of circulation under the caress of the sun and my feet and I feel totally refreshed at the end of a 15 minute meditation and I head down.



This is how wet the footing was on the Green Mountain



I guess, for the natives, or more acclimated, Sterling Pond is nothing since it is so interesting to see footwear on people's feet, which terrain in my mind, required no less than real hiking boots. It is rare, almost exclusively limited to backpackers to see people wearing proper hiking boots. Two most outrageous though, are of note: I see a woman of continental Indian origin, for that matter, wearing one of the plastic toe shoes, I can’t help but cringe "ouch", silently, imaging how she must feel on pebbles seeing how cautious she is with where she steps on. But the most awkward is a woman with flip flops that makes me almost exclaim, but I control myself down to a friendly: "You are brave, to climb up this trail with these..." when we have eye contact. She smiles and replies "I am a country girl” and she looks it, too. “When it is difficult, I just take them off." and that's exactly what she does a few feet ahead of me and jumps from one rock to the other like a little kid despite her relatively large size. So much more to learn from people on these trails, such a humbling experience. Altough, today's hike was not as difficult as the first day's, considering the "second impact" phenomenon, my muscles don't feel any better than the first day. A bath and shower are in order again, which revive my achy body one more time and this time it is somehow easier to get back to normal.

Sterling Pond leanto, under worse conditions, could house a dozen people

After I put on some nice clothes, I ask the receptionist for her recommendation on where to eat. As pleasant as all the other receptionists at this place, she gives me several options, but states, her most favorite one is Pie Casso pizza and pasta place: I don't think I want to eat at a pizza place in this lovely place, but as they always say, “eat where natives do while traveling”, which I try to do as much as possible. She is so adamant that this place is her choice above any of the eateries in Stowe and that every single visitor she sent there came back to thank her, I decide to listen to her. I certainly choose to eat out on the porch to be closer to the mountains, without knowing that "they had been promising rain after 3 PM this afternoon" as a gentleman who is eating with his wife, his son and daughter-in law and their kids tell me as they are leaving at the onset of the promised rain. He is so kind, he helps me move my table to under an umbrella they are freeing as they were done eating. And sure enough, as soon as they leave, the little bit of drizzle we have had for a while turns into real rain. At the end of my dinner, the bench I am sitting on is covered with water save for my seat and perhaps a foot around me and my table top. I am the only one on the porch now, having refused to go in to have a seat at the bar, which I thoroughly enjoy. When it is time to leave, I salute to the receptionist in my mind: the pizza I ordered loaded with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, artichokes, and red pepper was superb.

Covered bridge in Stowe, one of many in Vermont