Date: 2015-08-09
From: Stealth spot south of the summit of Little Pons Mt

To: Stratton/Arlington Rd campsite
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Got up today a little tired. I have not been sleeping all that well. Its a weird phenomonem that when hikers roll over on their sleep pads-we wake up. Just for a moment. Its a beautiful thing when you can fall right back to sleep- but that doesnt happen for me. Between the animals playing ring around the rosy around my tent last night and the sleep pad stuff, I started out in the morning a little sleepy. I beat D.No and C.Shell out again by a couple of minutes- my personal goal each morning -and I don't know why- and started with a climb to Little Pond Mountain. The book says (wooded). Translation; no view. Fortunately, the next climb up Glastenbury Mt leads to a lookout tower. I set my pack down and trudged up, a little grumpy about having to climb even more steps, and man made at that, for a view I unreasonably thought I was entitled to. I forgot about my mini tantrum when I reached the top. 360, clear sky, encyclopedia picture perfect views. Wow. That perked me up. I enjoyed the view for a bit, then hiked out. I CAN'T WAIT to get above tree line!Today's hike was easy after the initial climb. Vermont is so beautiful, so peaceful. The trail is kind, not too rocky but just enough roots and rocks to remind me that I am actually hiking. The famous Vermont mud started showing up in patches. I have been crazy and overly fastidious about cleaning my boots and making them look new each night. I use my filtered water on this task if i am not near a stream.Eating cold sucks. I hate it. I miss my tea and my Katwalks. We tried rehydrating a katwalk today while hiking and it worked! The ghost chili and dahl. We scooped it on burritos and it was good. We stopped at Kid Gore shelter and enjoyed those meals and I put the leftovers in my food bag for dinner. Leaving the shelter, I tripped on a root and fell flat on my stomach. No harm done. Then I went to get water. I bent over to get it in a crystal clear spring and my iphone fell out of my hiking bra and landed in the creek. SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! I yelled, as though I lost an appendage. It was protected by the case, but the case seems to be leaking. D.No and C.Shell looked at me like my head had twisted around and I was vomiting pea soup. The first step is admitting I have a problem. I cradled my iphone in my hands and begged it to stay with me. Stay away from the light, little conduit to the world, little informer that Donald Trump might be our next president, little caprturer of all of my AT memories, little texting fairy that lets me talk to my clan.I could not be consoled or convinced that all would be well and I hiked out listening to a little ipod mini my husband sent me. I can handle the Karen Carpenter, I just laughed at Rock The Kadsbah, I was even OK with the Marine Corp running cadence-but when the bagpipe instrumental came on, I stopped hiking and yelled WHY??? My oldest daughter had contributed to this music medly so the 70 and 80s hits were dotted with profane raps. It was interesting.I stopped to rest at what I think was South Alder Brook- a lake or pond actually, and set my phone in the sun. There were delicious wild blueberries everywhere, the view was terrific, and I enjoyed soaking up the sun. My phone seemd to be working fine. D.No and C.Shell joined me and we chatted and enjoyed some time with passing hikers. The sky did not fall after all.We hiked on to a campsite at the base of Stratton Mountain. The gang was all there, plus a few new hikers. One of them was getting picked up for a rest day with his cousin and had sodas delivered for us. That was awesome! My leftover Katwalk had leaked from the plastic bag and all over my backpack and tent. If I am mauled by a bear in my sleep tonight, it is because they must like dahl.