Date: 2016-06-12
From: Kid Gore Shelter 

To: Green Mountain House, Manchester, VT
Miles today: 25.7
Weather: few clouds

I felt people moving around at about 5:15 this morning and took a peek out. The fog had cleared from yesterday and the sunrise was spectacular. The shelter has a view facing directly east over a few small mountain ridges, and it was nice to watch the sky turn golden and blue in front of me. Then I went to back to sleep, thank you very much. I was still up way earlier than usual. P-Stout was long gone, and Hair Bear left as I was packing my sleeping bag. As I ate breakfast, though, olive Oyl made the discovery that Hair Bear had left his sleeping pad behind. And given that I walk much faster than them, even though they were on the cusp of leaving, I got the job of running it up the trail. So I tried to hurry out. I was on the trail by 6:40, powering over the pretty easy miles to try and catch Hair Bear. Fortunately, I found him sitting down at Story Spring Shelter, scrambling and rummaging through his things looking for his sleeping pad. He was overjoyed that I had it, and was glad that it had just been at the shelter, not fallen off in some stream. I moved on ahead of him towards the trailhead for Stratton. I felt great climbing up and over Stratton, and did not really stop the whole time. I was hoping for a nice view at the top, but it began to drizzle right as I got to the fire tower, and the wind was whipping and cold. Not wanting to freeze, I just moved on. I decided that I felt good enough and was early enough to just make it to town today. I called up Jeff and he said that was just fine. I moved quickly down to Stratton Pond Shelter, where id called it a day last year, and began the 10.6 miles to VT 11. I paused to make a sign at 1641.8 miles, which is 3/4 of the way up the whole trail!! I listened to music the whole way to keep me going. I nearly caught up with P-Stout on the roadwalk near Prospect Rock, but then I paused to put my pack cover on and he got ahead of me. I also stopped into Spruce Peak Shelter, which might be the nicest shelter on the whole trail, with a sliding door and a wood stove, and space for probably 14 people. I then powered over the last couple miles to the road. I found P-stout trying to hitch in; he'd been there about 15 minutes. I starting hitching with him and we were picked up within 5 and on our way into town. Our ride was a kind New Yorker from around Saratoga headed back home. She dropped us off in the main part of town with a grocery and an outfitter. P-stout headed to a donut shop and said he was going to look for a motel rather than stay at the hostel. I did just a little grocery shopping before heading up the hill to Cilantro Burritos, which did not disappoint. At around 5, I called up Jeff for a pickup to the hostel, and was there around 5:30. I met Magoo, a flip-flopper, Flash, a section hiker and NOWA, a Nobo from springer who began March 14 and managed to pass me. I showered and threw all my stuff in the laundry before descending to eat my take out burrito as well as some of the delicious meatloaf and biscuits that Flash had kindly cooked up! Hair Bear showed up, too, and we all and Jeff had a lovely evening. I went off to watch Game of Thrones, which I was grateful not to have to stream at a shelter, as I have been known to do. Planning a later morning, I went to bed around 11.