There were no expectations today but to make it to Stratton before the Post Office closed. To accomplish that we had a long drop off Sugarloaf followed by a long climb over the two peaks of the Crockers. By the time we broke for lunch on top of North Crocker, I was beat. At least from there it was relatively easy 5 downhill miles to the highway. Fortunately, on most climbs Brandon does not share my pain. For the most part he just be-bops along with little regard to how steep or hard the trail is. I am beginning to really envy his stamina.

Whispering Pine's parents were at the road waiting to resupply her when we arrived. Of course they had the usual assortment of cold drinks and whoopee pies. Papa Pine gave us a ride to the PO while they waited for Whispering to arrive.

We picked up our mail and got a couple of beds at the hostel in the Stratton Motel. It turns out that the postmistress also owns the Motel, so there probably wasn't a need to rush. Still, I'm glad we didn't need to test that service. The hostel is a nice one with color TV, full kitchen and beds for six hikers. Also in the hostel tonight are Whispering Pine, Old Crow, Minty Fresh, and Shadow.

Later Lone Wolf and Virginia Creeper showed up and took a room. They'd blue blazed off Sugerloaf looking for more pubs. Pepie and Little Moe, Honeybear and Rareback, and Mister Bo-Jangles also came into town to get out of the rain.

Lone Wolf picked up some charcoal to cook steaks on the grill. So, while at the store picking up supplies not in our mail drop, I got some steaks for Brandon and me, plus the makings of a large salad, and some Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Brandon still has not gotten his hiker appetite. I don't know how he can hike as long and hard as he does and still eat so little. Shadow was the chief beneficiary of the rest of Brandon's steak and ice cream when he couldn't finish.

Waking up today was hard but I knew that I was going into Stratton today. I only had 13 miles to go today so it was a fairly easy day today. The first climb of the day woke me completely up and we were moving fast. The clime up to the Crockers was steep and seemed to go on forever. When we finally reached the top we dropped back down only to go back up again. At the top of the second climb we stopped and ate lunch for desert there was a five-mile down hill hike. We thought we were making bad time until we were there at the road into Stratton. Also at the road was Pines parents who gave us whoopee pies and a drink. They also gave us a ride into town and dropped us off at the Post Office. At the Post Office we got our box and took it to the hostel. The hostel owner wasn’t there so we just went into the hostel and opened our box and got our stuff organized. Minty, Shadow, and Old Crow were there already and soon came part the Pine family. The lady soon came back so we sighed up for two beds in the hostel. Soon everyone arrived, Rareback, Honeybear, Lone Wolf, Creeper, and Mr. Bo-Jangles. For dinner we had steak but I gave most of mine away. We talked ate and drank until it was time to go to bed.