Date: 2016-07-28
From: Kelley Stand Rd

To: Manchester Center
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: light rain

I rose at first light, 5:30 am. I thought I might best the 3 brothers camping near me by rising first. I crawled out from my bivy, shimmied thru the opening in my tarp tent and found I was wrong. The 3 brothers from New Hampshire were up, dressed and starting to break down their camp. When you plan to hike 20 miles or more thru the mountains, you have to get started early. We all went about our business in silence. When they were packed and walking out of camp, the youngest brother offered a simple hiker's refrain, "Good hike." We shook hands and they were gone.I managed to get myself underway at a respectable 7:30 am. I had 14 miles to hike myself today. So I started up Stratton Mtn. It was 3.4 miles to the top.I was alone for most of that first 3.4 miles. Then towards the top of the mountain the path really steepened. I struggled up over the rocks with my pack load. Then I heard a rustling behind me. I turned and saw another hiker slowly overtaking me. I hiked on, but soon had to step aside an let the other hiker pass.Darned if it wasn't a woman who passed me up! And a pretty skinny little woman at that - carrying a pack as big as mine. I knew she had to be a thru-hiker. Still hurt my manly pride for just a moment, but only a moment. There are a lot of women out there on the AT. And I've been buzzed by more than one in my time on that trail. No way a section hiker like me can keep up with anyone who's hiked over 1,600 miles in the past few months.I stopped at the top of the mountain just after she did. There was a fire tower atop the mtn, built in the 1930s by the CCC. She had gone up for the view and I joined her. We chatted - or should I say she chatted. Said her trail name was Task Master and her given name was Sara. She had started the trail in GA with her father. He was forced to drop out after 600 miles with painful shin splints. Task Master shared more details of her hike, family and friends for a while. I just listened.Loneliness is another reality of a solo hike on the AT. Yes, there are friendships made along the way with other hikers. But those friendships are more often transitory. Hikers get separated for various reasons - a need for resupply at a town or medical attention, a family matter, or one hiker just wants to move on a few more miles while there's daylight, or stop to take a nap at a shelter. Loneliness is a reason some thru-hikers just give up, too. They get to thinking about a loved one and can't abide the separation any longer. So they just quit the trail.After our brief exchange, Task Master and I parted ways. She was a nice person. With a waive and a "Have a good hike" we went back to the challenge of the trail. In a flash she was way beyond me.I made good time after coming down off that mountain. Trail was much more reasonable in general. Water was becoming an issue. Very dry. Springs were just barley a trickle. Had to get water from one hole that may not have been moving. Took my chance and purified it, then moved on. The trick is to carry only enough water to get you to the next water hole. Water = weight, and less weight on your back is preferred.Got in to Manchester Center at a respectable 4:15 pm. Not bad with regular stops for rest, water and food. Checked into my motel, only to find my food package had not arrived. After some investigation by JoAnn, she found it at the post office in Manchester Center. Would have to pick it up the next day during business hours. Used that problem and my sore legs to declare the next day a zero (miles on trail) day. So, I booked an extra night, cleaned up and went out for a fine dinner up the road. Sure beat freeze dried...