Date: 2008-07-06
From: Stealth site 1 mile from Stratton Mtn. summit, VT

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

Gosh, crappy nite's sleep. How light of a sleeper am I? Everytime Highlife (who was in his Hubba about 10 feet away), moved or snored, I woke up. Not any fault of his, I just wake up all of the time. Then I woke @ 1:45 a.m. and could NOT go back to sleep, and I almost considered just getting up and hiking,but finally fell back asleep. I did lay there and was in awe of the silence again. I just haven't heard silence like this (Highlife didn't snore for too long), probably since hiking by myself in the Smokies. I can't imagine how the White and 100 mile wilderness will be in this aspect.So I woke up and made sure Highlife was awake. He asked me to check on him. Man, he was up and out of there by 6:45 a.m., I was still sitting on my hammock in my camp clothes eating breakfast. It was 59 cool degrees when I got up.I was off a bit later, not sure why, it was 7:42 a.m. For wanting to camp in the alpiney-like area, I stopped at a good time, about 3 more switchbacks down and the elevation change brought back the "everyday" looking trees and plants, so I was happy.A few miles later I came upon the most exquisit Stratton Pond. Wow folks, this is a gorgeous pond. Clear water where you can see perch swimming around. A guy was sitting on a bench, and it was Jeremy, the new caretaker. This guy was very cool. We talked for awhile, and I finally moved on.The trail follows the shore for just a bit and the branches off and up. Next nice place was crossing over Winhall River. I just love water. I could look @ it forever.I knew there was a blueblaze you can follow for like 4 miles down some dirt road into town, but I preferred to just hike the miles and get to VT 11 and try to hitch the 5.5 miles into town. I can't see hiking miles that don't count as trail miles, and I'm not an OCD purist at all, I just genuinely want to see the whole trail you know?You do follow a dirt road for a bit then tur and climb back ino the woods @ Prospect Rock. Even though I knew toay was very easy terrain-wise, I was impatient to get to VT 11, but as usual, my feet were killig me, so I had to stop and take about 3 breaks. It's weird how some days they hurt on shorter distances.There were several really pretty streams between Prospect Rock and VT 11. I talked to a couple of young weekenders where one guy was about to rinse out his Mountainhouse bag IN the small stream, but hs buddy told him to stop. I was glad his friend was a little more informed. I always think about showing people like this my bandana I got @ Neel's Gap, where it shows the LNT ethics...but then I figure it would be horribly rude since that bandana as been my pee rag since Neel's Gap, GA! LOLI did try calling Sutton's Place to let them know I was coming and reserve a room if needed, but I got voicemail, so I left a message and was crossing my fingers a room was available.Finally @ 1:45 p.m. I was @ VT 11, so I walked out and tried to hitch. Man..no freakin luck at all. So I decided to walk down to the trilhead and see if anything was posted on the board about rides. When I got down there, a man was coming out and walked to his truck. I walked up to him ad said, "Hey, can I give you a few bucks to give me a ride into Manchester Center?" He goes, "How about I do it for free." I was like SA-CORE!His trailname is Doat, a man who has hiked parts of this trail for years, and his wife (My Way) reads trail journals, so if you are one of my readers...hey there to My Way!Doat gave me an Arizona Tea and we sat on the tailgate of his truck for an hour just shooting the shit. He had lots of advice and insight for what is to come for me, as he did from NJ-Katahdin. I loved his enthusiasm as he said, "Oh man, you have no idea what is ahead of you, it gets better and better every single day!" Man, that's exciting to me. I thought he was going to say it in a cautionary tone as in how hard it is.We headed into town and he dropped me off @ Sutton's Place, which to my surprise is a house, not a sleezy trail-town motel. I still didn't know if I had a place, but when I walked up to the door, a chalkboard was out there saying:Sunday. Welcome. Room 2 Michele, and he had a happy face and signed his name---Frank. YIPPY!I rang the bell and Highlife answered and showed me where to put my pack out on a side porch. We sat there and talked while I got some stuff sorted, and we decided to do our laundry together. But first...I had to shower, which is always my priority. Frank was gone, but did show up ad said hi. He was rushing back to watch the Wimbeldon finals.I showered, and my room is awesome with 2 beds and a small couch and box fan. He knew I preferred a private room, which is nice that he understands some of us need that privacy.After getting clean, Highlife and I took off for the laundromat. This is a cool town, but is a big tourist\shopping town with tons of outlet stores, restaurants and little shops. I like it and am excited to explore it. Oh..I haven't told you all, I made an executive decision. My birthday present to myself (tomorrow I turn 35), is 2 WHOLE days off, I'm going to go see a movie and stuff my face with fajitas and feel like a human being again for more than 1 day in a town. The only other thing I'd want more is to see Karen, but she's still out of the country, so 2 zeros is the next best thing in my book.Highlife and I made it to the laundromat and I needed to change into my raingear so I could wash my shorts and tanktop Well, there was no public restroom, so I did te unthinkable. I wet to the back of this place behind a huge column and just changed there! LOL I'm not overly modest by nature, but trail life really makes you not modest. I don't think anyone saw me at all.We did our disgusting laundry, and then it was time for FOOD! There's a mexican place called Canadola's that I had already scoped out. We walked there and joked that it was like we were out on a date. I of course had to then say, "Oh, so this means you're paying since you're the guy right?" He knew I was totally joking, being the feminist that I am.We both got frozen margaritas and beef fajitas, I ordered extra chips (3 baskets we tore thru) and extra guacamole, then I ordered some coffee icecream. Oh man, it was INCREDIBLE!! I actually ate more than him! We expected this whole thing to be about $40.00 each (this town is a bit pricey), but then our server informs s he forgot to tell us it was fajita fiesta nite, so there was a special for 2 orders of fajitas and 2 margaritas for only $25.00. SCORE AGAIN! We had a great dinner conversation about all sorts of things. So nice to have a "real" conversation.Highlife is heading out in the a.m. He's doing the 93 remaining miles of VT in 4 days. Well...nice knowing you man, I'l never see you again out here.We walked back and are chilling in the hiker living room watching none other than Deadliest Catch, when in walks Lizard and Eldon! They knocked out a 20 miler to get into town, and they are staying the same aount of time as me, so I told them they should join me for a birthday dinner tomorrow nite.I'm totally exhausted, and am usually asleep by now..it's 11:00 p.m. I'm waiting for Karen to call, she's on a totally different timezone, so talking has been hard. I'm glad to be in town if not just to be able to talk for longer than 5 minutes.So yup, you all know how much I love town stops, but I do have some thoughts to share about trail culture, probably tomorrow. Off to bed, no mosquitoes (which by the way ave subsided significantly here in VT), no peeing in the dark woods, no smelly self.Oh, I weighed myself here, and I've lost 22 lbs! No wonder I can't keep my pants up. There's 2 (yes TWO) outfitters here in town...oh darn, guess I'll have to go check them out tomorrow. hee hee Since starting this hike last year, I've lost a total of 50 lbs folks! I feel great.Last time I was in this shape was in the Marine Corps. It's staying ff this time though!~Certain