The Solstice hike in Vermont took place as usual on the section of the Long Trail/Appalachian Trail between Wallingford and Mt Tabor. This year there were 11 participants in spite of the dubious weather, with a forecast calling for "a couple of morning showers and then some sunshine", which was pretty much what occurred. Rain the previous day meant that the proposed campout at Grout Pond didn't happen, but my friend Dan and I did camp at the Big Branch shelter near the hike's starting point, walking in under a misty drizzle. Because of that rain (and a wet week in general) the trails were muddy and flooded in places, and streams were running full. Nevertheless we were able to get by everywhere, and it was even possible to keep one's feet dry.
There were a few incidents along the way, all favorable. We passed several long-distance hikers, all clothed except one, who all greeted us politely and smiled when we reminded them that it was Nude Hiking Day. The one person we met who was celebrating the day was a woman who was wearing just boots and a bra.
Little Rock Pond is near the end of the usual Solstice hike, and it's a lovely lake with a camping area. Because it's just over 2 miles in from the road over a level trail (but rocky and bumpy!) it gets a fair number of visitors coming in just to camp, and a caretaker lives there in a tent during the summer. He wasn't there when we passed by, but we met him out on the trail with tools to create drainage ditches, and we exchanged a few words with him, nudity not being a topic for argument. Then a short while later we passed two women and some small children, and one of the ladies said to the kids,"That's 8 naked people so far, right?" and to us, "Have fun, everyone". Finally just a few yards from the end, I passed a couple I'd guess to be in their 40s, walking entirely naked with big smiles. Apparently they'd met the first section of our group in the parking lot, a conversation about Naked Hiking Day had occurred, and this couple decided that walking naked would be a fine thing to do!
Most of us finished up at Sal's South restaurant in Wallingford, where we had a meal before heading home. Because of the size of our group, they seated us in the back room, but the waitress didn't accept a suggestion that we should dine nude. Perhaps that could be changed if we asked in advance?
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A couple of pictures of Dan setting up his tent, taken by the light of my headlamp.
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Approaching a stream which isn't usually any kind of problem to cross.
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Today people had some difficulty.
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Dan helped Ed across.
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Unfortunately I didn't capture the moment when Richard's stick broke.
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Then we climbed up to the ridgetop level through a misty forest.
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This is the “Goblin village”, where people have piled up loose rocks.
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Richard finds a map of Vermont!
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There was extensive mud on the trail.
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Ben after he slipped.
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Dan D among footprints.
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In some places we had to be agile.
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Move it, pup!
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Little Rock Pond.
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Walking beside the lake.
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As always, Dan K was first into the water. And I was the only other one who swam!
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On the way out, an encounter with the caretaker, who was on the trail with tools. Nudity wasn't a concern.
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Finally, in Sal's South, a restaurant in Wallingford. They seated us in the room at the back because we were a large group, but the waitress wouldn't let us get naked. We'll have to work on that.
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