Date: 2018-07-08
From: Mile 1624.3 brookside campsite

To: Winhall River tent site mile mile 1642
Miles today: 9.8

I slept well and it was actually a relief that I didn't wake up to a bear licking my toes. I got up at 6:15 had breakfast and packed up camp, hitting the trail at 8:15 by myself. I absolutely loved the hike up Stratton Mountain with it's winding switch backs and gradual slope. At the top I met the care takers who were chatting with some other folks by their hut. I then wandered over toward the fire tower and took a seat on a rock in the shade to have a snack and some water. Being Sunday there were lots of people and dogs up here. I immediately thought of bear Mountain in New York, and I knew that there must be a parking area and shorter Trail in close proximity. River and thumper arrived at the summit not long after I did. I signed the log book and I was waiting to climb the fire tower because they only allow 4 people at a time, when a hiker who had gotten the trail log out of the box to sign shouted my nam after reading it in the log. It was Buddha. I have not seen Buddha since New Jersey and I was surprised to see him today. I thought he was miles in front of us. You just never know when you'll run into a hiker who you thought you'd never see again. It was good to catch up with him and when it was our turn Thumper, River and I climbed to the tower and took our photos. Stratton Mountain doesn't have a view from the summit unless you climb the fire tower. Once up there the view was absolutely amazing and 360°. We climbed down, and I left the summit ahead of Thumper and River. a while later while I was at Stratton shelter where I stopped for lunch I received text messages from thumper and River stating that they had both gone off Trail by accident but were back on Trail now and just a little delayed. Apparently they headed out the shorter Trail all the other people and dogs came in on instead of the AT North. I waited for them to arrive at the shelter but only saw Thumper. As I was leaving the shelter I noticed River's backpack outside the privy. I don't know how the girl does it but she has yet to use her trowel and here it was after 2pm. That thing is still shiny new! I Hiked on ahead as they had lunch and stopped briefly at Stratton pond where I met the shelter caretaker John and thanked him for keeping the shelter so well. There were of course some day use hikers at the beach, so I didn't swim. Besides I really wasn't feeling well. I had a massive headache swelling and some other discomfort brewing. I stopped at Winhill River for water, and I was sitting on a rock filling my bottles when I saw Thumper pass by up above on the trail. I shouted to her and she stopped. I had been sitting there for a while and I had noticed a campsite across the water from me and also a single site on the trail near where she stood. I explained that I wasn't feeling well and I was trying to rest to see if I could get another mile and a half to the next stream and hopefully there would be some campsites there. But as we talked more about it it made more sense to camp there for the night given how I was feeling and not risk hiking additional miles to not find a site. I took the single tent site next to the trail for myself and River and Thumper crossed the river and set up camp at a beautiful little spot along the edge. They came across the river to my site and we all had dinner together before retiring early. Today was a very difficult day for me health wise. I'm hoping some extra rest will improve me and tomorrow will be better.