July 22

Woke somewhat rested and ravenously hungry after a night in the shelter. It wasn't the bugs that kept me awake, but it might have been the hard sleeping surface. Due to the way the shelter was constructed, the entrance faced directly east. Seeing a sunrise from a sleeping bag is most epic.

Arrived safely at the William Douglass shelter (1640 / 544) after a pretty neat climb over Stratton mountain. Stratton Mountain was that 4k foot mountain I mentioned yesterday. The views from the top were augmented by a fire tower. Usually fire towers are locked, but this one was open to the public. From the top of the tower I could see perhaps the best view of the mountains to come. The caretaker said one could see Mt. Washington from up there... that's right; the Whites are coming! An amateur radio enthusiast was in the tower using its vantage to enhance his reach. His knowledge of the surrounding area proved to be interesting. I'm sure I annoyed him with "What's that?" and "What about that one?"

My legs feel abused. I'm pretty excited about going into Manchester Center to resupply and get some ice cream. If I'm lucky with showtimes, I probably will see the new Batman movie. Can't think of anything I'd rather do for a few hours - feet up, large diet coke, a ridiculous popcorn, and a great movie.

As I flip ahead in the guide book, I can see some pretty big stuff coming. The next month is going to be extremely challenging; I'll try to stay upbeat. The worst of the climbs clear up right before the start of the hundred mile wilderness. In the words of a wise and good friend, "I got this!"