2 Miles (78 Total)
Little Rock Pond Shelter to Rutland Yellow Deli Hostel
43.60651, -72.97881
We took a side trail out towards Route 7 to get back to Rutland. My foot didn’t look any better in the morning, just slightly worse. The laceration yesterday was able to close on its own without applying any pressure, but it was a different story this morning.
I reapplied bandages and then shoved my foot in my shoe. Walking on it didn’t really hurt too bad, so this was reassuring. Perhaps here was hope for me.
She asked, “Do you guys just go out hiking everyday? Is that what you do?”
We looked at each other; smiled: “Yup, pretty much.”
The doctor inspected the cut and took X-rays of my foot to make sure no foreign bodies were stuck in there. A nurse then came and cleaned the wound.
“This is really clean!” She said, excited. “Very clean. Who did it?”
I nodded.
“I’m impressed!”
The doctor came in and examined it again before bandaging it. The good news was that I didn’t need any stitches. The cut wasn’t too deep, after all. But the bad news was that it would take about a week to heal.
“I would try and avoid walking for at least 48 hours,” she told me.
“Do you think I could go back out hiking after that?” I asked.
“It’s possible. I’ll prescribe a full 7 day dose of antibiotics. Try and keep it as clean as possible if you go back out.
“Wear the most comfortable shoes you have.”
“Well, these are the only shoes I got. They are pretty comfortable.” I looked at my beat up, muddy trail running shoes.
“We’re hiking the Long Trail,” Carolyn said after the doctor gave us confused looks. Certainly people have more than just one pair of shoes.”Everything we have is in our packs. We had to hitch hike here.”
The doctor started laughing. She didn’t stop laughing, and it soon became kind of awkward. Apparently she never had met anyone who had hitch hiked before, certainly not to Urgent Care. Which is strange because the Urgent Care is right by the trail. I’m sure we aren’t the only people getting hurt out here.
“Good luck!” She said before exiting the exam room.
Back outside, the humidity and heat nearly suffocated us. We had been in the confines of a nicely air conditioned building for several hours. It also looked like it had rained. The ground was wet and puddles shimmered on the pavement from the hot sun trying to emerge from a mostly overcast sky.
We went across the street to the same McDonalds again, ordered the same things, and proceeded to eat more than our stomachs could hold.
We ventured into town to try and find the Yellow Deli, a restaurant and hiker hostel in Rutland operated by the 12 Tribes of Israel, a religious community that has establishments across the US and the world.
We found the place on a quiet street in Downtown Rutland. It was a cute place, mustard colored exterior with beautiful paintings and decor inside.
“Yeah, if there is room,” I said.
“Yes, absolutely. We are so thankful to have you here. Please, sit here.” He pointed to a table in the corner. “You must be thirsty.”
We sat and put our packs down. Our host came back shortly with the most incredible tasting tea/fruit juice drink.
Soon after, a man named Ashe came and greeted us. He was the hostel manager and brought us to the hostel, which was upstairs from the restaurant. He had a graying beard and long black hair. He was the nicest person I’ve ever met.
He showed us our rooms and gave us a tour of the place.
“You came at such a great time,” he said. “Today is our Sabbath, so we close the Deli early and have a big community dinner and invite the hikers to join us. There is dancing and prayer and music. We would be honored to have you there. It starts at 6.”
“Sounds great,” I said. Who could pass on a home cooked meal?
We did laundry and showered, the first in a week of being outside. It was gross but now I feel clean. We napped for an hour and then went downstairs for dinner.
The whole Rutland 12 Tribes community was there. The women wore dresses and the men wore long shorts and button down shirts. Everyone had the same head band on, a beige circlet a few inches wide. The men all had the same long hair, pulled back in a pony tail and then cut short.
There was a guitar and cello and horn and tambourines, and shortly everyone broke into song. There were people circle dancing to the music, and everyone knew all the words to the the songs. After the singing and dancing, everyone gathered in a circle. Some community members stood and gave a small speech for what they were thankful for the past week.
The homemade bread was fluffy and delicious. And then came a big plate of rice, fish and salad. It was really good.
We sat with Ashe and we got to learn a little about the tribe. There are about 50 members in the Rutland chapter and they all live together in a few houses. They give up everything they own to live in the community and work in the Deli and on the farm. The people don’t even have individual bank accounts. They operate on a ‘what’s mine is yours’ philosophy. Ashe has been in the community for 25 years, and they have communities all over the world. There is even one in San Sebastián, Spain near the Camino, and one in Kyoto, Japan.
It was interesting to observe the night. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. It was like a strange mix between a hippie community and an Amish one, but neither of those. It was its own thing. Religion is a central binding component. They believe in God and Yoshua (the name they call Jesus), and the central component is of love and community; a second Israel; a spiritual Israel.
It certainly isn’t the lifestyle I would choose; I do enjoy having my own money. I don’t think I could live in a fully shared society. It must be hard not to think about yourself. But the community part is nice, and the message is clear. We often are not a part of a larger community outside of our families and close friends, certainly not in this sense. There is a lot of value having that kind of support system, and a lot of comfort. I get it.
It’s still strange, though. Especially when you find this reading material in the bathroom. Maybe not strange, just…different.
