Living Sacrifice

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Fun Trail Stuff

OK, I decided based on pending weather conditions and because I'm feeling rather lazy that I would take a zero day in Stratton, ME. This has lead me to do some rather silly internet surfing, and I decided to do some "research" on a mountain I passed over in Vermont called "Glastenbury Mountain." Evidently, according to a caretaker we (Woody Crow and Hatteras were with me at the time) met shortly after, the shelter on top of Glastenbury is part of the "Glastenbury Triangle." And this triangle involves stories of Sasquatch. I think I might have metioned this before on a previous post. But I finally decided to investigate. If you are interested in "unsolved mysteries," read on. :) By the way, I found out that it is in fact called the "Bennington Triangle" instead of the Glastenbury Triangle. And that the "seventeen" dissapearances were in fact closer to 5.....but regardless, it's still fun stuff.


The Bennington Triangle is an area of southwestern Vermont surrounding Glastenbury Mountain which is said by some to be a "window" area for paranormal phenomena.

The term "Bennington Triangle" was coined by New England author Joseph A. Citro during a public radio broadcast in 1992 to denote an area of southwestern Vermont within which a number of persons went missing between 1945 and 1950. This was further popularized in his later books, Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls, and Unsolved Mysteries (1994), and Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors (1997), in which he devoted chapters to discussion of these disappearances and various folklore surrounding the area.

Precisely what area is encompassed in this hypothetical "mystery triangle" is not clear, but it centers around Glastenbury Mountain and would include some or most of the area of the towns immediately surrounding it, especially Bennington, Woodford, Shaftsbury, and Somerset. Glastenbury and its neighboring township Somerset were both once moderately thriving logging and industrial towns, but began declining toward the late 19th century and are now essentially ghost towns, unincorporated by an act of the state legislature in 1937.

According to Citro's books, stories of strange happenings had been told about Glastenbury and the surrounding area for many years prior to the disappearances in the 1940's, and other sources do seem to corroborate that such folklore does appear to date back as far as the late 19th century and perhaps even earlier. This includes the local folk belief that Native Americans regarded Glastenbury as "cursed" and avoided it, as well as tales of hairy "wild men" and other strange beasts in the woods.

It is known for certain that at least five persons from this area went missing, some of them on Glastenbury Mountain itself, between 1945 and 1950. These include 74 year old Middie Rivers, 68 year-old James Tedford, 8 year-old Paul Jepson, 18-year-old Paula Welden, and 53-year-old Frieda Langer. Of these, remains of only one was found, that of Frieda Langer. Most sources on the subject view the circumstances as mysterious, as her body turned up in some tall grasses in an area that had been searched extensively a number of times in the seven months between her disappearance and the discovery of the corpse. Some sources also included rumored instances of the disappearance of "three hunters" in 1948 and of "Melvin Hills" in 1942, but little is known of these cases. Because of the wide ranges of age and sex of the missing persons, it is thought that the possibility of them being victims of a serial killer is unlikely. This, combined with a lack of any evidence to offer support for any more prosaic explanation, has lead many to speculate on possible paranormal causes, including abduction by UFO occupants, "interdimensional trapdoors", or attack by the "Bennington Monster."

This area has been discussed in paranormal-themed literature and popular works since at least 1957, and in the last few years, under the "Bennington Triangle" label has been an item of increasing interest, spawning numerous web articles and even an entire discussion group devoted to it on Yahoo, as well as being featured in a segment on the Travel Channel.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennington_Triangle

Monday, June 19, 2006

struggling

"When I get where I'm going
On the far side of the sky
The first thing that I'm gonna do
I spread my wings and fly
I'm gonna land beside a lion
And run my fingers through his mane
Or I might find out what it's like
To ride a drop of rain

Yeah, when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah, when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here....

So much pain and so much darkness
In this world we stumble through
All these questions I can't answer
So much work to do
But when I get where I'm going
And I see my Maker's face
I'll stand forever in the light
Of His amazing grace
Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
Hallelujah
I will love and have no fear
When I get where I'm going
Yeah, when I get where I'm going."


-Brad Paisley

I have definitely become a closet country listener.

Right now, I'm in Stratton, ME, about 180+ miles from the top of Katahdin, and let me tell you, I can taste the end. And I'm becoming very emotional. And the hiking seems to get harder and harder mentally. In other words, I'm ok...but I'm struggling.

I thought I'd come out here and have some things figured out, but I feel that maybe I am more confused now than when I started. But, I think it's ok. I am where I am, and I'm learning so much. So much.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Pics

View from "The Pinnacle" in PA.





PA Superfund site (they had some zinc factory here or something that ruined the plant life. It was pretty crazy).





Sunset






One of my fav views in CT






Crazy rock piles that we ran into a few weeks ago. Really weird.







Hatteras Jack, Pa Bert, and Bleach in a shelter






Woody Crow and Hatteras Hack on Killington Peak









A couple shelters (Mom wanted to see some). By the way, the small one is just an emergency shelter. I liked it because someone wrote "Holiday Inn" on it. :)











Great privy for a poop






Franconia Ridge (absolutely astounding....a real experience above treeline. This pic doesn't really do it justice)






Me, on a mountain in Maine today


Updates

Yes, I am in Maine. the last of 14 states. It definitely feels bitter sweet. I have decided that I kind of have a love/hate relationship with the trail. On the one hand, I am really sick of climbing up and down and up and down (and let me tell you, it is ALL up and down in NH, and so far, in ME, too.....and not just gradual ups and downs, but STRAIGHT up and STRAIGHT down), and at moments, even as far as I am, I would really like to quit. So, that's the hate part. But then there's the other part, the part where I get on top of a mountain and get to see beauty for miles, the part where I don't want to stop hiking at Katahdin, the part where I get to meet the most amazing people and see the most amazing things. The adventure. That's the part that I love. So, I am in battle with the trail right now, because I love it, but I hate it, and I don't really know what to do with those emotions except probably cry a lot over the next couple weeks, and then ball my eyes out at Katahdin. I don't know.

But anyway, I made it through the Whites, and let me tell you, it was definitely a challenge. No more 25 mile days for Do-Rag. If I did 15 miles, I was doing good. There was one day, the day I summited Mt. Washington, where I only went 7 miles from one hut to the next hut (yeah, they have SWEET huts in the Whites) because it was raining, cold, and I fell on the way. It's just really hard to go from busting out huge miles to barely being able to do 14 or 15. I find myself getting really frustrated. I'll be going along and then all of a sudden it's like "where does the trail go?" and then I look and realize it goes straight down. Or straight up. Yes, a lot of rock climbing over the past few days, and I know it doesn't end here. I have decided that, though different and challenging, I am not a rock climber, at least not with a big pack on. I think I can do one or the other. Climbing rocks might be cool if I didn't have 40 lbs strapped on my back. And backpacking is cool when I'm not climbing rock walls. So, I'm sure you can get a sense of my frustration over the past few days, especially since it rained through most of the Whites, and the weather is just now finally clearning up. Rock/water combo is not cool. That probably explains why today I had fall #41. And you should see my poor leggies! When I took a shower today, I noticed all the bruises I have everywhere, and lots of scrapes and scabs and things on my legs, especially my shins. Ah, but this is the price I pay for the beauty of the trail. :)

So, at least I am through the Whites. It was definitely a challenge for me. But the huts that I mentioned earlier were fantastic. The huts are all through the Whites and are staffed with people who fix dinner and breakfast for you. Because it is expensive to stay (approx. $80), they let thru-hikers work-for-stay. So, I stayed at 4 of the huts I believe, and worked at all of them, doing stuff from picking up trash to dishes. And the food was fantabulous. Not only do they do dinner and breakfast, but they also have all-you-can-eat baked goods for $1 during the day. Let me tell you......I ate SO much in the Whites. I decided I must have gained 10 lbs. It was definitely the baked goods that did me in. Wow. So delicious.

Yesterday, I did the infamous "Mahoosuc Notch," which is known on the trail as possibly the most difficult section of the entire trail. I think I can attest for that. It took me about 2 hours to go 1 mile. I wish someone was there to take my picture, because it was ridiculous. I was straddling rocks, crawling through rock tunnels, squeezing, jumping, over, under....it was sort of an "anything goes" rock scramble. It was fun at first, but I was defintely glad for it to be over. Oh, and not to mention the ICE that forms in between the rock crevases in the notch. :P

Oh, I got a wonderful package from TJ and his parents. Thank you so much!!!!! Congrats to TJ for making it into grad school in Cinci!!!! :)

OK, this is getting pretty long. I better go. As of now, my finish date is set at July 2nd to summit Katahdin, and then I'll be cruising around with my parents and little sister, so I'll be home early July sometime.

Alright, I'll post a few pics before I go. By the way, I'm in Andover, ME right now at quite possibly the coolest hostel yet. "The Cabin."

Love you all.

Monday, June 05, 2006

Dun dun dun!!!.....the WHITES

Wow, internet access again so soon. This is very unusual, but nice. A couple updates since I was last on here.

1. I saw another bear. Pretty sweet. It crossed the trail right in front of me the day before yesterday. It really must have been 20-30 feet from me.

2. When I was walking thru Hanover to the grocery store, a lady stopped and offered me a shower. I told her I already had a shower, but asked her if she knew a place where I could stay in town for the night. Naturally, she was more than happy to offer me their guest bedroom, and since I was hard-up for a place to stay, I accepted. That's some major trail magic right there. I didn't want to leave town, but there was no hostel or anything, so I was probably going to have to hike out to the next shelter (it was rainy and yucky) if she hadn't offered. Awesome. It was a great stay.

3. Woody Crow's brother attends Dartmouth, and so he took us out to dinner at Molly's and I ate like a queen. He even paid. Yesssss. More trail magic. I'm telling you, I don't think I could do this trip without all the help I've had from people. It's been amazing. Trail angels, they call them out here. :)

4. I am at a hostel just off the trail, ready to hit the Whites today. I'm a little scared.....everyone makes the Whites sound hard, and I think they are pretty challenging. Lots of large climbs up and down, big mountains, above tree-line stuff. I will probably hit snow again at some points. Ew. And the rocks are still going to be wet from all the rain...and I think it's supposed to rain some more. :( Let's just say I'll be glad to see Maine come around, though once the weather clears up, I'm sure the Whites will be amazing.

OK, I better go. Bleach and Woody Crow are here, and I think we are all antsy to get started. Our day starts with fording a possible "dangerous river" when water levels are high (and we've had a lot of rain)......yes, this is my life. Crossing streams and climbing mountains. Isn't it great?? I know you wish you were out here. :)

OK, White Mountains, I am coming to conquer you.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Hello My Loves

Things are going so fantastic out here! I can't type much as always because I have already exceeded the 1 hour limit here at the library, but I will try to give some updates.

Hatteras Jack, Woody Crow, and I had a dog follow us for about 16 miles to the road into Rutland. It was hilarious, because of all of us, Woody Crow probably liked the dog the least, and so that's who the dog decided to befriend. :) And it was muddy and rainy, and so the dog would run through the mud and yuck and then shake off on Woody. haha It was pretty funny. Woody really started to get mad at it. And it ate poop, too. We found some people off of rte 4 with a phone and called the owner, and then those people took us and the dog to Rutland to meet the owner and then drop us off. Well, the dog puked in the car....twice. lol It was quite the experience.

I stayed at an amazing hostel in Rutland, VT, where I finally saw a movie at a theater and ate at my first all-you-can-eat buffet. It was an amazing night. And the next day, the hostel people (who run a beautiful organic restaurant next door) fed us oatmeal with raisins and coconut, and I put Vermont maple syrup on top. Soooo good. And then, after doing some work for them cutting up veggies, they sent us off with homemade loaves of bread and homemade granola. Wow. They were super nice. I'll have to check into what they are all about....it was some kind of community living situation by a religious group called "Twelve Tribes".......The word "cult" definitely came up in conversation among us hikers, but I have no idea. I've done no research on them yet. They certainly were lovely people, though. Glenn.....maybe you know some more about them....???

Anyway, it was a great stay in Rutland, but good to get back on the trail. Since then, I've been hiking with Woody Crow (Hatteras had to go back to Colorado for a job.....I was so sad), and it's just been some pretty typical hiking. No seriously hilarious things happening lately. Ran into Bleach again yesterday, who is now already ahead again, since Woody and I are crashing in Hanover, NH. Yep, that's right. I'm now in NH, with 442 miles to go. Whew. That just blows my mind. I've hiked 1733 miles. Wow. And the next time I am on the internet, I will hopefully be able to tell you about my AMAZING experience through the White Mountains, which are coming up shortly.

But anyway, I should probably go, so Woody and I can get to the grocery, so I can set up my tent just north of the soccer field here in town, and so we can go out to eat at one of these high-class, ethnic, college restaurants. oh yeah....if you didn't know, Hanover is a college town, so I feel right at home. It's the home of Dartmouth, and believe it or not, Woody's brother goes here, so we got hooked up with free laundry and free shower. Ah, so nice. :)

OK, love you all so much! Thanks again for all the phone messages and things! I love love love to hear from you. Anytime.

*hugs*