"It was a clear day, with a brisk breeze blowing..."

"...North and south, sharp peaks etched the horizon.  I felt as if atop the world, wih a sort of planetary feeling.  I seemed to perceive peaks far southward, hidden by old Earth's curvature.  Would a footpath some day reach them from where I was then perched?  Little did I dream..."
-Benton MacKaye, relating his climb to the summit of Stratton Mountain, VT, summer of 1900

August 2, 2001

On my fiftieth day I have done my first 10 by 10 and 12 by 12 (10 miles by 10 am and 12 miles by 12 noon).

Actually, 13.7 miles to Stratton Mountain by noon.

Stratton Pond at the bottom of Stratton Mountain

Salamander in Stratton Pond

Stratton is where [Benton] MacKaye supposedly thought of the AT.

Up on top of Stratton Mountain is an old fire tower.  I climbed up top to get a good view around and a picture looking back down at the ground:

The fire tower top is original 1950's.

Today, I did my first over 20-mile day, 21.1 miles.  I feel pretty good too.

I met this guy from Virginia named "Dig" coming off Stratton.  He's the only other Virginian I've met.  I told him how hungry I was today and he gave me a Snickers!

That Snickers was very encouraging...I can't explain well enough how valuable a Snicker bar is on the Appalachian Trail.  Considering supply and demand, it has to be close to the value of a bar of gold!