Day 152
Start: Cooper Lodge
End: Rutland, VT
Miles Hiked: 6.3
Miles on AT: 1708.2
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I swear today was just going to be an in-and-out town day, but sometimes plans change. But, before I get to that, I woke up early for a very special reason: sunrise! If you know anything about me, you know that I’m not really a morning person. I prefer to stay up late and sleep late rather than sleep early and wake up early. But, I figured I was practically at the top of a mountain already, so I should make the effort to wake up early and catch sunrise. And I’m glad I did!
I woke up early in the first place because someone had arrived in the middle of the night and set up their tent next to mine. Then, I heard that person talking to someone who had passed by before 6 am. Looking at the clock, I really didn’t want to get out of bed, but I was already awake, plus I knew I could make the quick 5 mins trip up the mountain to see a beautiful vista. So I did.
As I got out of my tent, I saw that the person who had camped next to me was already up and it was BC, the guy with the parakeet. After saying hi, I took off on my sunrise mission. I only had a few minutes to spare, but when I got to the ski resort area at the top, I knew I had made the right decision.
The sky was starting to come to life. Purples, oranges, grays, and pinks danced across the sky. Every moment brought out a new color combination that somehow seemed more profound and captivating than the next. I kept moving around the ski resort, trying to find the best angle but they were all awesome.
I took a few minutes to set up my stove and drink a hot breakfast essentials drink up there while I continued to watch the sky wake up.
When it was over, I headed back down to my tent, packed my things up while chatting with BC, and headed down trail. My goal was to head into Rutland, get a free shower and laundry at the Yellow Deli, resupply, and get back on trail. I didn’t want to only do 6 miles for the day, so I had to make my resupply quick.
The thing about the Yellow Deli Hiker Hostel, though, is that it is run by the 12 Tribes Communities, which is basically a cult. So, I had to be on guard while there. To get into Rutland, I was lucky enough to catch the free bus right from the trailhead. It took dropped me off only a few minutes walk from the hostel.
Once there, I was impressed with how nice everything was. I got my shower and laundry and went to eat while my clothes dried. However, by the time I came back, I was feeling pretty tired. I figured, maybe I’ll just take a nap and then leave. After one of the best naps I’d had on trail, I woke up and found that a bunch of hikers I hadn’t seen in a long time were there. Plus, it was already pretty late in the afternoon and I still hadn’t done my resupply. Welp, it looked like I was going to get vortexed and stay the night, which I could do for free.
And after I completed my resupply, I did have a good time catching up with the other hikers. Even Jingles and Mountain Momma walked through door! What a surprise!
Overall, my stay was great. The community members didn’t push their ideology on you unless you asked. And even though there was propaganda material around the common room, the place overall felt pretty neutral. Plus, it was a comfy and clean hostel.
I slept well that night with the knowledge that I wouldn’t be kidnapped into a cult anytime soon.
And that’s day 152.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.