7/04/06 Tuesday: Melville Nauheim Shelter to Stratton Pond Shelter (28.0mi)

PICTURES:
1. 1124: Views of Stratton Mtn
2. 1654: A reminder that we were sharing the AT with Vermont's Long Trail...
3. 1930: From the Summit of Stratton Mtn. Overcast w/ T/storms...

I was first up for another big day... I wanted to check out the Stratton Pond Shelter, a newer one with a caretaker... I was on my way by 0730 with relatively nice weather, just a light rain occationally throughout the day... There were plenty of fine water sources along this stretch of the trail...some of the best spring water ever... But the mosquitoes and black flies RULED... Only short stops for water gathering were possible during the day. This was another "green tunnel" type day with no real vistas... I raced thru the day not stopping to cook for lunch, just snacking on extra Cliff bars... I did stop for a few minutes to chat with a family of 3 "Southbounders", my first contact with hikers starting at Mt Katahdin,Me and traveling south to Springer, GA. Unfortunately the buggs were too much for us all and we soon pushed on each in our own direction... I arrived at the Story Spring Shelter at about 1500 to find a couple of hikers had started a fire. The bug situation was tolerable and I made dinner while chatting with my new friends... By 1615 I resolved to continue my trek, another 11.5mi... the terrain was good except for the ascent then descent of Stratton Mtn to get to the shelter by the pond... I arrived at the summit at 1945, pretty good time for an old guy. I treated some water I had picked up at a spring near the summit, and great water it was too... I chatted for a while with the two caretakers who reside at the summit. By 2000 though, I had to excuse myself, wanting to get down the 3.2mi to the shelter before dark... A storm seemed to be brewing in the distance also, with thunder heard approaching... So I wasted no time and was at the shelter by 2045... There were 2 other hikers there, one a southbounder who said he had already quit the trail...too much rain and bugs for him... The other hiker was heading for Katahdin but admittedly slowing a bit with all the rain... The buggs had invaded this shelter so I pitched my freestanding tent inside this 16 man shelter so I'd have the netting to keep them off me... I had a pleasant nights sleep... with the exception of the other thru hiker getting up at 0300 and for an hour making quite a bit of racket...