Date: 2004-08-15
From: Kid Gore Shelter 

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Once I filled the low spot by the door of my tent with everything in my tent, the blood quit rushing to my head and I slept wonderfully. I still awoke at the usual 5:30 and was packing up by 6:00. We learned this morning that the hurricane took a turn easterly which explains why the forecasted rain didn't fall overnight. I'm so delighted I decided to tent. The privacy is preferred and the night air circulates more. In addition, I had a room with a view! I looked out of my tent over a valley of trees with mountains in the distance.What an exhilarating day I've had. Being on the trail by 7:15 means we usually have eight or ten miles completed by lunch break. Blue and Ursa Minor made the mistake of allowing me to lead the way for a short period of time. It never fails: momentum takes control and I end up far ahead. Even when I desperately attempt to shorten my stride and slow my pace, I fail miserably. There's a rush of exuberance and a feeling of freedom to see the trail laid out before me as a ribbon. When it curves out of view I experience a wave of anticipation wondering what I'll see in my path. There are so many moments when the forest shows itself to me as scenery perfect for a photo, a jigsaw puzzle picture, and I catch my breath in awe, pausing in an attempt to memorize the view. All this fills me with endless energy until I'm fairly bouncing down the trail. Today was one of those energetic days.Entering Vermont we entered a new type of woods. The ground foliage has changed; the mountain streams are much more numerous and appear to be cleaner. I waited for my trail sisters at Black Brook but ended up bounding ahead yet again.Stratton Mountain was the highlight of the day. At 12:30 I started my climb and reached the summit 3.4 miles later at 1:50. I was trucking! At 3936 feet, the mountain stands as the highest in southern Vermont. It was from this spot that Benton MacKaye conceived the idea of a footpath connecting all the scenic ridges of the Appalachian Mountain range and thus the AT was born. Atop the summit stand a firetower and a caretaker's 1928 vintage cabin, both of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. As seems to be my luck lately, the views were blocked by thick fog. On a clear day one can see over 100 miles to the Whites in New Hampshire. But not today. That didn't deter Swan from climbing to the top anyway!I enjoyed visiting with Jean and Hugh, caretakers, fire marshals, and trail maintainers since 1970. Their knowledge of the Green Mountains and the trail was shared with enthusiasm, as were their tales of thru-hikers past and present. To have had hours to spend in their company would have been glorious. But alas, there was more trail northward, so after Ursa and Blue's arrival, lunch and a few photos, we said our farewells and thank yous.This time I took the rear position in our little procession and we've ended our day together at Stratton Pond Shelter. Tent sites are half a mile around this beautiful pond so I've resigned myself to sleeping quasi-indoors tonight. However, it's not all bad. The three of us have the large loft area all to ourselves and all is well.Supper was earlier tonight and I was famished. I doubled my meal, enjoying mango-salsa cous-cous, followed by a large serving of garlic marinara spaghetti, followed by Ursa's remaining Lipton noodle meal, followed by a Pro-Flex bar and a partial pop-tart. Had there been more without having to cook, I'd have eaten more. All that remains is trail mix and I need that for tomorrow.Sun is setting earlier nowadays so the daylight is extinguished by 8:15. Fine with me ~~ I'm ready for a great night's sleep. It's been a marvelous day.