The rain lasted all night, but I stayed dry and cozy in my tent.

The first order of the day was climbing Stratton Mountain….a special spot where the Long Trail was just a sparkle in some dude’s eye…which really led to the whole long distance trail thing in the U.S….thank you James Taylor!

The rain actually held off most of the day; from the forecast I had been expecting it all day, but was definitely willing to take less than that.

It was a green and dripping hike. I had an occasional view of a bog or pond, but it was primarily an exercise in walking the green tunnel today.

Mid-afternoon I popped out at a gravel road to find some trail magic. 2020 was a 2019 sobo (he is in the market for a new trail name… 2020 isn’t something he wants to carry around anymore). I had a cold root beer (!!) and a donut, and met another sobo. Ducky had only started a few days after me, but somehow I was just meeting him for the first time. Funny how that happens.

The afternoon was mellow and uneventful and I reached my destination (a shelter with a RARE view) fairly early. I set my tent up on a bunch of roots (which wouldn’t become truly uncomfortable until later) and chatted with some nobos that had rolled in. I guess I will be surrounded by nobos for the whole two months I am out here…a truly astonishing number of people all striving for big K.

After a lackluster dinner (a Knorr side…again) I dove into a new book, this one a post-apocalyptic tale told from the point of view of a first nation’s tribe in Canada. It makes me want to start prepping in earnest.

Rain lulls me to sleep.