Miles: 9.5
Early start today up Mt. Mousilake. Steep climb up slippery rock, but had wooden steps and rebar for assistance - nice. Beautiful waterfall on the right - Beaver Brook. Saw Medicine Man, Sunshine and Cadence at Beaver Brook shelter... joyful reunion. Laughed, chilled for a bit and then went on to tackle Mt. Mousilake (moose - ih - lah - kee). Kept a good pace up the rest of the mountain. Last time we're above treeline - sort of sad to be walking out of the tall mountains. Made it to the summit - cloudy - caught up with Cadence, who had shot off.
Flat walk across top of mountain. Looked like pasturelands on top, instead of rocky like others.
Walk down was smooth and gradual. Wow! What a difference from the other side! It was the best graded part of the Trail we had ever walked on. Glorious pine needles softening our steps. Made great time to bottom. Crossed through our first pasture. Was pretty neat to be in the lowlands. Saw a farmhouse, crossed a road (I think that will get to be more frequent). Walked to Glencliff, flying down the Trail. Sunshine's luck didn't hold out and she took a bad fall from a slippery rock.
Got into Glencliff by 2:30. Went to Hiker's Welcome - best hostel we've been to yet (run by a former thru-hiker, Packrat). Saw Cheat and Chong - hee-hee. I guess they caught up to us when we were chilling in North Woodstock. Went to only restaurant in town (6 miles away) and had a fabulous burger. Picked up items at market and waited for Packrat to show back up. Waited. And waited. Finally called, but got no confirmation that he was headed over. So, we waited a bit more and hitched back. Got to Hiker's Welcome and Packrat had just left to pick us up. Oh well.
Finished the night off with beer and movies - Monty Python and Super Troopers. Back to back classics. Slept outside in tents he had set up. Upstairs bunkhouse was full. Slept well. No rain.