In my failed attempt to hike Vermont’s 270 mile Long Trail this
fall I learned a couple important lessons. First, you can’t plan around
the weather. I learned this hiking the AT, yet when Hurricane Joaquin
was threatening to hit New England I decided to wait and see what would
happen. It never came, but the days got shorter and colder, and I
caught a cold from my nieces. Second, any kind of weather is possible
in October in Vermont. Third, a stove is a necessity if water sources
are frozen. Fourth, boots are much better than running shoes in snow,
even with YakTrax. Fifth, it’s bad luck not including my bicycle on an
adventure.
