Catching sunrise we all awoke early in our little paradise. Earthling took out to the trail first while Flailing and I picked up the rear. We spent our morning in our normal conversation. I was sore and stiff and not getting any better, no massages, stretching or being careful was helping. The two of us climbed the mountainside enjoying the quiet of the day. My frustration level was getting up there, I was tired of being hurt and tired of falling down. The bumps and bruises were adding up and it was getting to be a pain in the ass being sore all the time.

By the time we reached the first shelter Flailing attitude had me in a better mood for the most part. Being with him has kept me even keeled so far but my frustration with the trail conditions and my injury was rising, eventually it would boil over and when we left the shelter it did just that. I was officially perturbed and in a bad mood. I started to hike with a fury as I plunged my poles into the ground as I walked. Each step was a release of a bit of tension for me. I pushed the next 8 mIles up to Stratton mountain. Passing hikers left and right I kept the music playing as I hiked in the zone.

Upon reaching the top I felt great, I was on top of the world as I climbed the tower and took pictures. I was still irritated but my frustration was fueling my hike. The trail maintainer asked if I needed anything and I politely declined for the moment. Setting my stuff down and getting ready for lunch I realized had no water and walked over to the maintainer. An elderly gentleman well into and probably past his sixties was with his other coworkers of the same age. Asking them for a liter of water the man told me to hike done the trail .2 for a small spring or go 3.2 to the pond for all the water I could drink.

That as the final straw, I had had enough. Are you kidding me, you are suppose to maintain the trail, yo aren’t doing that at all.  You sit up here in your cabin enjoying your vacation anx taking to tourists offering them coffee and such, you can’t spare a liter of water. I was furious, what an asshat, in an instant I packed up my stuff and hiked down the trail.

Anger would quench my thirst over the next sixteen miles. I was on fire, I felt no pain as I climbed down the pond. Quickly passing it I stopped for nothing, no water source no rest. Passing two shelters I came to a view, here I sat and called home. Kim had been having a rough week and the two of us commiserated for an hour or so. Hiking out to the last shelter I was accompanied by my companions a few hours later. Each having a equally different day than the other.