Date: 2005-07-03
From: Summit Glastenbury Mountain

To: Summit Stratton Mountain
Miles today: 16.0

start: Summit Glastenbury Mountainfinish: Summit Stratton Mountain miles: 16.0day: 118Last night on the firetower was great!  I was warm enough under the quilt, but with all the wind I wish it was just a wee bit wider for tucking under.  The sky was clear and full of stars, and I could just make out the tops of the fir trees way below.Around midnight my body started to complain.  Nausea.  Not sure why, but within 1/2 hour I was sick to my stomach, shivering, and feeling miserable.  I got back to sleep, but kept waking with queasiness.In the morning around 6:00 I was just packing up and Senator and OPa came thundering up the stairs.  They didn't stay too long - it was cold and they didn't want to catch what I've got.  I started hiking at 6:15, but felt horrible.  I was moving really slow and it took almost 6 hours to do 12.6 miles.  I had nothing in my belly most of the way, but eventually I took some electrolyte salts with a bit of water, and ate half a Snickers.  That stayed down, and by the time I reached the road at noon I was feeling pretty good.  Hungry, in fact.Which was good, as I was meeting Stumpknocker, who was stopping by to say hey on his way to Maine and the start of his fourth thru-hike.  He had all kinds of stuff that Mrs. Moosie made up, as he was at my house in Connecticut last night.  Between the two of them, I'm being pampered.  Homemade double cheeseburgers, strawberry shortcake, sauteed zucchini and garlic, cans of cold soda, potato salad, and probably more stuff that I forgot.  I ate all kinds of stuff, and packed out zucchini, root beer and strawberry shortcake.  And also a cheeseburger Mrs. Moosie had made for Tea Break, but he was behind, and passed me without my seeing him, so I ate it tonight for dinner.  A bunch of other hikers were at the right place and time and also got fed: Search, Rescue, their dad Mark (aka Cripple), Senator and OPa.Today was a good day after I started feeling better.  I heard a white-throated sparrow and saw moose poop, both for the first time on this trip.  These are both signs of the north country, as is the constant smell of balsam fir.  I also spooked a mama grouse and her babies.  The little ones flushed right next to me, and didn't fly very far - it was more like fast running.  I don't think they can fly yet.  There must have been 10 of them, and mama ran right next to the trail, very close to me, holding one wing down as if broken, and making whining noises to attract me.  But I know better.  The little grouse were easy to catch.  They tasted just like chicken.  Just kidding.I summited Stratton early, around 3:30.  This was as far as I had planned to go today, as I can easily get to Manchester tomorrow, and mountain tops are nice.  But there's no camping allowed up here, and thereKs a caretaker, so I must be stealthy.I took the 3/4 mile side trail to Stratton's north summit, where the ski area is.  They let thru-hikers ride down and back up for free.  So I went for a ride.  I like anything that moves me faster than I can walk.  It's such a treat.  And, there's an ice cream store at the bottom!  I placed my order and a guy walks up behind me and comments on my light pack.  My first reaction is to treat this as a bit of an intrusion because the area is humming with weekend strollers and gawkers.  But this guy has "the look".  Turns out his name is Coyote and he thru-hiked in 2003.  Well, we start talking and the girl behind the counter interrupts and says she's giving me the ice cream for free.  I ask why and she says because she thru-hiked before, in 2002.  She told me, but I can't remember her name.  Then she says she also hiked 700 miles this year, to Daleville, with a guy named Montreal.  Now I remember.  I met both of them in Neel's Gap, and again at Trail Days!  Wow, I'm sure glad I came down for a bit of ice cream.Back at the AT I hang out unobtrusively, having already found my stealth spot for the evening.  I'd like to camp in the tower, but I'd surely get caught.  I meet another thru-hiker for the first time - Chairman - although I saw him in Dalton but didn't have a chance to speak with him then.  He is so named because he carries a 1/2 lb. folding chair tied to his pack in such a way that he just flips it around and it opens for sitting without being untied from the pack.I went up the firetower finally.  Earlier there were way too many people around.  Now it was later and quieter.  The gondola had stopped running for the day.  I came down and quietly made my way down the trail to my spot, went into the woods about 50 feet, and set up my tarp.  There are lots of black flies in it, but they never bite in a tent - they just stay at the top trying to get out.  Stupid bugs.Now it's getting dark.  I could get used to these low mileage days.  It's very relaxing.  I'll probably get up early in the morning and just miss the sunrise from the firetower.  That'll be nice, and I'll be able to do the 14 into Manchester Center by lunch.