Date: 2006-07-08
From: Kid Gore shelter

To: Straton Pond shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: 0

Looks like another day in paradise with the sun on the rise at 4:45am.We were on the trail by 6:20 and ready for a 15er today. I can only hope the feet will cooperate. We made good progress when we got to Story Spring shelter by 9. I thought that maybe some late starters would be there, but I guess everyone is taking advantage of the great weather. The register tells me that Lokey, from the Jukebox Girls is out in front of us. She¢s a very strong hiker.        We tanked up then headed for the road just before Stratton Mtn. It was a pleasant walk threw the pine forest and before we knew it, we were at Kelly Stand Rd. At about 50ft from the road we encountered our first Trail Magic with a cooler full of soda and beer. We both grabbed a pop and then signed the register. It sure was good timing because it is very warm already.        As we walked the road to the trailhead we ran into a group of Long Trail hikers that we met a the Seth Warner shelter. They are a very nice group of young people, and at the shelter that night, one of the leaders came over with a huge pot of cooked rice mix for everyone. He said they overcooked just a little. Well, all of us had just finished eating, but the Jukebox Girls and a few other hikers didn¢t want to disappoint the young man. My picture says it best.        We topped the mountain at 2 and took a short break. Many people were doing the same. We met two caretakers, one of which is a women who hung around and chatted with us for a little while. Then I decided to climb the fire tower to get some pictures. It was an amazing view of Stratton Pond, where we were headed, and a view of Mtn Washington and the Presidential Range was also visible. I could see where we came from, and where we were headed too.        As we were leaving we noticed a large group of scouts, and they were also going to Stratton Pond for the night. Chances are, they would find the tenting sites to stay at. Scouts are usually quite. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!        We got to the shelter at 3:30 and no one else was there yet. It¢s a huge shelter that can hold twenty hikers, and even the table is under the same roof. There¢s only one problem, the mosquitoes were terrible.         When Two Step and I were down at the pond getting cleaned up and cooled off, the group of scouts came in and planned to spend the night at the shelter, but the young women caretaker named Robin told them they had to stay at the campsites. Thank You Robin. Only two other hikers stayed with us.        Just around the time it was getting dark, Robin came back to collect the 5 dollars for staying there for the night. The money also covers two other shelters if we chose to stay there.        After eating dinner, and I took care of my feet, we turned on for the night. This is definitely a time for a head net, or a body net. I really think they should have paid us for staying there for the night and being tortured by the black flies and mosquitoes. This was a lesson learned. Stay in a tent.        Well it¢s a short day tomorrow into VT 11 . Only 10 miles to go. It¢s been a very interesting day, and a nice one at that.