The Long Trail Questers are halfway to completing their thru-hike! Today they reached Day 24 on the trail, having endured as many hours in the wind and rain as those under sunny skies. They are now less than 100 miles away from the border of Canada – they have already hiked almost 200 miles!!
Our recent Visiting Day was great for both groups of Long Trail Questers. Luckily, it was a beautiful, sunny day. Everyone, even those who had loved ones who couldn’t visit, enjoyed the gifts of food and had a great time hanging out with people they haven’t seen for weeks.
Back on the trail, you’ll be delighted to know the groups have moved into the second phase of our hikes where the Leader of the Day has almost full responsibility of the group (aside from safety). They are completely in charge of waking up the group in the morning and getting everyone out of camp at a reasonable time. That day’s leader also decides when lunch happens, selects the chore groups once we end our day in camp, and makes sure the chores are completed effectively. Your Questers are getting the chance to lead a group in the wilderness, and it’s been incredible watching them step into their roles.
During this most recent and third resupply, I joined each group for a few days for their first “zero day” on the trail – or the time where they set up camp and remain for two nights to enjoy a short rest. We hiked a steep and rocky section of the LT – in the sun with the Robbins group, and in the rain and wind with the Taylors. As we hiked, the Robbins conversed about a variety of things like skiing and the such. The Taylors sang in unison about perseverance and soggy backpacks to the tune of the Hallelujah Chorus — but instead of singing the word “Hallelujah” they sang: “sooooggy baaaaackpaaaack, soooooggy baaackpaaaack” and every noun in the verses was replaced with “sog” or “soggy”. Their creativity was very impressive. Both groups made it into zero camp in good time, and they were thrilled to know they could hang out and enjoy the place for a couple days.
Because it was a special occasion of rest and rejuvenation, different meals were brought in as a celebration. We stayed at Birch Glen shelter, and in the morning enjoyed blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes – drizzled with maple syrup. For dinner, we made pizza bagels with shredded mozzarella and offered pepperoni as an optional topping. The groups thoroughly enjoyed those meals. They spent a good portion of their rest day playing some of the games that were brought in, such as Catan and various other card games. We painted our nails a new color, made s’mores around the fire, and had a grand day hanging out and relaxing.
All the groups are faring well. Their spirits are still high, yet they are feeling the effort as everyone does when they’ve been on the trail for so long. When they examine the map and see their progress, however, it’s clear that they are stoked to have made it this far and can’t wait for the day when they can say “we did it!”
All the best,
Marissa, Quester Coordinator”