Tough days.

Day 99 - 7/28/10
I had a strange dream last night. I was with a very random collection
of past and present friends, and we were making a stew. I think I was
cooking it, and all the friends were going to eat it. The stew had
potatoes, cabbage, beets, and probably other vegetables I'm not
remembering. Someone complained that it tasted like PCT roast beef
(whatever that means...?) and I clearly remember boasting how I had
doused it with salt and it shouldn't taste that way. Maybe there was
something in that Guiness stew that made me dream about making my own,
or it was just that good. Reading this it might not sound like a
strange dream, but for me it felt peculiar.

I had a late start, not leaving until 9:00. I didn't really get back
to the AT until even later because I had to take a steep sidetrail up
from the Inn. For the first few miles it was downhill, not bad at all.
As I was passing across Thundering Brook Rd. I met 4 day hikers. I
only stopped for a second to answer some of their questions, and I got
an orange out of it! Oranges are a great fruit to have on the trail,
something about that burst of citrus that's just really satisfying. By
the time I was crossing the boardwalk over Ottauqueechee River (sweet
name, right?) I had caught up to iTrod. We ended up hiking up Quimby
Mt. together, a super steep climb of 1100 feet in 1.3 miles. It was
nice hiking with someone for a while, I hadn't done it in a long time,
and we talked about all sorts of stuff, from jobs to school to reasons
for being on the trail and so on. We stuck together right up to Stony
Brook Shelter where we took a break at around 1:30.

We met two SOBOers there, Coyote (younger kid from Boston) and Hobbit
(older guy from Maine). They were both cool guys and we ended up
exchanging a lot of trail advice, places to stop, the best hostels,
and so on. Always good to get that info. When I left around two I soon
met Rainer and Dewlap at a watering hole, I think Stony Brook. They
had gone past me last night since I had gone down to the Inn, but when
I met them today we stuck together for a few hours. Actually we caught
up to iTrod soon, and then became a group of 4. I think that's the
biggest group I've hiked in for that period of time, close to 3 hours.
It was nice to have some external conversation for once instead of all
the stuff going on in my head.

We made it to Chateauguay Rd. and took a break, and that's where we
all parted ways. It was only 5.4 to the shelter from there so I really
wanted to make it asap. Rain looked as if it was on the horizon and I
was hoping to dodge it if I could. Those 5 miles were the easiest of
the day, but far from easy. Today was actually very strenuous, one of
the hardest I've had in a long time. Lots of steep ups, and then no
rewarding view at the top either. I made it in to the shelter before
seven, so I was happy because that had been my goal. A few others were
here, 3 NOBOs I'd never met, all very friendly. I parked my stuff in
the shelter, wasn't going to risk a wet tent tonight, and soon Rainer
& Dewlap showed up. Then iTrod pulled in, and even Fireball a little
after, so the shelter got full quick. It rained for a few minutes here
and there while I did my cooking, but not any sort of hard soaking
rain. I hope it does in the middle of the night, I don't want to have
slept in a crowded shelter for nothing.

Getting really excited for Hanover on Friday, can't wait to see my Mom
and sis! And I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I'm now under 500
miles to go! Whoa! Goodnight!

Total miles: 1711.1