DF: Seventeen miles. Steep climbs up rock steps to a fire tower (Glastenbury Mountain). Boardwalks through bogs. Beaver ponds. Long mountain vistas.

This was our most challenging day yet, and it may end up being the longest of the trip. We were trying to catch up a bit from our late start on Friday. More important, we were trying to make a shorter day tomorrow, since we’ll make the huge climb over Stratton Mountain first thing.

The shelter isn’t anything special, but its spring and tent sites are gorgeous. This is our first tent site that’s level and doesn’t have lots of roots and rocks to work around. It’s also not crowded. Our only company is two thru hikers, Lunch and Long Haul Trucker. Both are really nice guys. We’ve enjoyed talking with them.

BC: Long day, slow and tiring, with a long climb up Glastonbury Mountain, but the Goddard shelter is lovely and has a great view – nice spot for lunch. Climbed the tower about half way until the high winds hit me. Kid Gore shelter had nice views and a great tent site, but we had to settle for a short break there and head to Story Spring for the night. Arrived after 7pm, which is late for us, but got a terrific tent site behind the shelter and the spring is beautiful.

Saw a Blackburnian warbler. Met two very cool AT thru-hikers, Long Haul Trucker and Lunch.