2020-09-05 SA – AT VT to NH trip V – water from a garden hose

07:15 – wake up

08:34 – I am completely packed (without breakfast) and spending my quiet hour at the Privy.  There is a very weak signal here.  My neighbor turned out to be nice young fellow (~42 YO). He speaks a lot, coughs a lot, and smokes a lot, but he is harmless.

08:47 – Amelchenko shares an image where he checkmated someone while being -18 in material and he was using only a Night and a Bishop. Very impressive.  He is still playing, but his rating is lower than mine.

Hiking sector 1 – 08:56 – 09:54 = 00:58 1.70 mi (1.9 mph) – from Happy Hill Shelter to a leaning tree

Hiking sector 2 – 10:17 – 11:35 = 1:18 2.72 mi (2.2 mph) – from a leaning tree to a Bloody Brook

11:16 – I am at Elm Street parking.  From here starts the longest on the streets section of AT.  It is a long way down to the highway, to the Connecticut river and toward NH.

11:35 – 12:37 – water break.  To reach water it is a sharp down away from the road without any path or hint of a path.  While doing complex manipulations with water filter, and bladder, and plastic bottles, I realized that I dropped a hose washer with screen.  It is black, compact and hardly can be seen on the ground littered with leaves and branches.  I froze in my tracks, lowered my eyes, looked intently into the ground . . . and found the little washer.  Good, good sign.  That will paint all my day positive.

Hiking sector 3 – 12:36 – 13:06 = 0:31 1.21 mi (2.5 mph) – from Bloody Brook to VT-NG border

12:53 – an unpleasant highway section of the AT.  Cars, noise, overpasses, and very little shadow.

13:04 – take a breakfast break at Connecticut River.  There are chairs and tables at this small Foley Park in VT side of the river.

Hiking sector 4 – 13:42 – 14:48 = 1:07 2.35 mi (2.2 mph) – from VT-NH border to Velvet Rocks shelter

13:41 VT/NH border at the middle of the river

13:46 – Welcome to NH. The first thing you see when walking into NH is that masks are required in the entire town on Hanover, NH.  What a surprise.  We thought the state slogan was “Live Free or Die”, but apparently it is all an ancient history.

14:09 – finally, a sign to turn from the street back into the woods.

14:13 – that is it. Back into the forest.

14:39 – a sign to the shelter side trail – 0.1 mi.

Here at the shelter, my neighbor from yesterday is already here.

15:28 – first notes after arrival at the shelter. I’ve added 3 more logs to my neighbor fire.

Hiking sector 5 – 16:01- 16:33 = 0:32 1.07 mi (2.4 mph) – walk around Velvet Rocks shelter to find water

Hiking Summary – 08:56- 16:33= 7:37 9.45 mi (2.2 mph) – from Happy Hill Shelter in VT to Velvet Rocks Shelter in NH

15:50 – expedition with Southern neighbor in search of water.

15:58 – there is no water in the barrel buried into the ground to collet water. Completely dry.

16:13 – instead of returning to the camp empty-handed, I am going down to Trescott Rd to ask for water at the houses there. Success! Got water from a garden hose.

16:31 – fire is going, thank\s to my folding saw (last picture of the day)

17:18 – In further conversation with my neighbor, I learned that he received $835 in disability pension, and this amount is enough to keep him going shelter to shelter year-round.  He saves a lot by not paying the rent.  His case manager would send him a desired amount of money to any post office and he can replenish provisions and repair equipment and clothing.  Even in winter, some shelters have a fireplace and all four walls with a door.  When he needs even more money, he would do a paint jobs or help at the construction sites. He finds work through a church or community groups. 100% free.  100% unattached.  He smokes.  He eats processed foods. He can shoot squirrels with a Slinky Shot (рогатка).  He constantly listens to a portable radio (requires batteries).

17:35 – finally I am getting closer to serenity. Weekend is well under way.  IT is a calm soft evening.  Only wind in treetops. Only fire that is very stable and does not require constant care.  With this fifth trip, I am closing my hiking season for 2020.

18:07 – guaranteed $835 story per week made me think about achieving $1K per week with trading.  I even wrote a formula that should help me to understand entry and exit prices

19:27 It is a middle of the night in Ukraine, my chess partner – Misha2310 did not do a single move today.  So far, I have +2 (2 ponds advantage), but everything can change with one mistake. His last 3 completed games were all losses.

Our NH stately neighbor (he lost 180 lb. recently) – Breinden – suggested adding Emergen-C to the tea.  Interesting idea for longer hiking intervals.

19:30 I am alone in the shelter.  Frogs are singing.  I am drinking tea and eating my LARA bar.  Time for the last walk – this time in the dark.

20:00 We had a profound conversation with Breinden.  He is on the left of the political spectrum.  Yet, he is a handgun instructor and photographer.  He thinks that both Hilary and Biden are normal people that will rely on normal advisors.  Furthermore, he thinks that current administration in Washington, DC is elitist. We spoke very quietly and without sharp angles. At the end, I shook his hand, surprised that left and right still can talk without high pitch.

It is relatively warm in the forest now. I do not even want to jump into my sleeping bag.  Everything will be OK.  My other (Southern) neighbor is listening to sports on the radio.  I still have one plum and one apple left. And I have plenty of water for tomorrow.