Appalachian Trail (day 72) - Rock Garden to Churchill Scott Shelter / mile 1706

Good day with big climbs and yummy food.

After a quiet and comfortable night on the pine needle forest floor, I've started the day refreshed and in good spirits. Trail was weaving itself up and down through Vermont, it was drier and the mud wasn't an issue anymore.

Before midday I went to Stone's Throw Farmstead, it was half a mile off trail but I've read good things about it and decided to detour to see their offer myself. It was a simple farm shop set up in a shed with dairy products from local creameries, home made sourdough bread and fresh vegetables. I've bought a bottle of chocolate milk, cheese curds and a small loaf of bread, it costed 15$. Sourdough bread was exceptional and so was chocolate milk advertised as "best in Vermont" it definitely lived up to it, so much so that I've bought a second bottle! Cheese curds were ok, there was a lot of them and they only costed 5$

Half an hour later I was back on trail, energized and ready for the big climb to Killington Peak. Here I've met Iceman with whom I stayed at the hostel in Manchester. He was doing good progress and hiked in a similar "slow and steady" fashion to me. We spent rest of the day hiking back and forth. Iceman lived in Georgia, he was staying with his parents and working at local restaurants. He confirmed that as a waiter he would get paid 2$ an hour wage, rest he would have to make up from the tips! Iceman did not enjoy thru hiking very much and was looking forward to the end of the trail and going back home.

We ascended Killington Peak at 5 PM and pushed additional five miles to the Churchill Scott Shelter, the weather held up very well despite the forecast announcing rain, hopefully this trend would continue.

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