Date: 2012-06-22
From: Black Brook Campsite

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: few clouds

Birdsong woke me early, and I got moving on the day.   I did take the time to make breakfast. I was wanting to get moving since the day was forecast to be hot with storms coming in later but thought I might hike better with a good breakfast in my belly.So it was 6:30 before I finally hit the trail. Soon I passed the road where I had thought to camp last night. I could have stayed there, cutting a mile off today¢s hike, but I think I made the right choice as the campsite by Black Brook was very pleasant.I noticed that the bugs were not nearly as bad today as on the previous two days, thank goodness. The humidity seemed lower as well. Or maybe I¢m just getting used to it?   I had never hiked while listening to music before, but today I decided to try it. The past couple of days had been tough due to the heat, the bugs, and just starting over, so I figured any help I could get going up Stratton would be good. So I used my iPod shuffle and listened to a rock medley Doc Rockett had put together. I wouldn¢t want to hike that way all the time, but the music did help get me up the hill.I paused for water at the spring near the summit. The bugs attacked me while I lingered, but the cold water refreshed me. I drank plenty and poured even more over my head and arms and the back of my neck. Ahhh.It didn¢t take long to reach the top from there. Near the summit the Trail passes a tiny hut. I heard voices from inside, so I called out a greeting. A voice invited me to leave my pack on the stone bench and come in. So I did. There I met Hugh and Jeanne, the caretakers. I also met 3 people involved with a yoga festival down in Stratton: Garth, Catherine and Laurie, I think. Evidently my eating breakfast had delayed me enough that I missed Garth performing on electronic cello there on the mountain top. Hugh and Jeanne were quite enthusiastic about his music. I was sorry to have missed it.The summit hospitality included a hard-cooked egg, two! cups of coffee and a cookie. Yum. Second breakfast! After a while Garth, Catherine and Laurie had to leave, but I lingered for quite a while with Hugh and Jeanne enjoying conversation with them. We discussed many things, from their many summers (since 1968) on Stratton Mountain, to food, to movies, to art. I heard stories of other hikers who had passed this way. I would have loved to have stayed longer, but the weather radio made it clear the bad weather was on its way.   After a few pictures I headed on down.I was hoping to make it further than Stratton Pond, but that would have to depend on the weather. The hike down was easier than I was anticipating, so I made good time. At the side trail for Stratton Pond Shelter I paused to consider.   I decided I would go on. I followed the AT down to the pond itself. There some sunny rocks and a bit of gravely pond beckoned. There were only some puffy clouds to be seen through the hazy sky. Quickly I dropped my pack, stripped off all but that modesty absolutely required, slipped on my Crocs and went in. The water was actually quite warm, there in the shallows, but felt so refreshing. I dunked up and down and sloshed water all around trying to get off some of the sweat and dirt. It felt great. I sat on a warm rock to dry and discovered that I had cell phone service.   I was able to let Doc Rockett know that all was well and sent a few photos.I watched butterflies puddling all around me (and on me) and closed my eyes for a while and listed to the sounds around me. I could feel the tension melting away.   The biting insects weren¢t bad. The temperature was not as high, and I didn¢t smell as bad. Life was good.When I opened my eyes, though, I found that ominous-looking clouds were gathering and heading my way. They were still quite a ways off, but I knew I wouldn¢t make it to the next shelter in time. Hugh and Jeanne had mentioned a site near Winhall River but had said not to stay there with the rain coming. I gather that the spot floods quickly. It didn¢t take much thought for me to pack back up and head for Stratton Pond Shelter.I ¢ve decided to tent more than stay in shelters, but with the storm coming I settled into the shelter. When I arrived there was only one hiker there, Martha, a section hiker. Soon two more hikers, Tom and Kevin (I think) and the dog, Ralph. They stayed only to eat dinner and wait out the first wave of the storm. There was some lightning and thunder, the wind picked up and it rained hard for a while. The storm moved on, and so did the guys and Ralph, heading for the next shelter.Just at dark 3 other hikers came in. Martha and I had already turned in, so there wasn¢t too much conversation. I did hear that they had gotten caught in the storm and were completely soaked. They seemed perfectly happy with the situation, but I found myself glad that I hadn¢t been out in in. Rain is fine, lightning¢¦.not so much.