Spaulding Mountain Lean-to to Stratton---June 30th

Glad I pushed on to Spaulding yesterday since it means today's mileage will be much reduced.  A good track running between evergreens until the descent from Sugarloaf Mountain.  It was slow going on the steep climb down, requiring some scrambling, a few spots looking as if there had been some slide damage in the not too distant past.  When I finally reached the Carrabassett River crossing, the worst of it was over.
Climbing to the heights of Crocker South, I had my nose in the rocks most of the time.  That's how steep it was.  A wonderful feeling though when the trail finally starts to even out and you know you're not far from the top, then you see the signpost saying "You've made it!".  Too bad the weather is blocking out the views.  I'm thinking that in Maine, a partly cloudy forecast simply means no rain!? 
A five-mile descent deposited me on the roadside of Maine 27, where I took my position along the road and extended my thumb.  Ten minutes is all it took for a kind gentleman in a NAPA auto parts truck to give me a lift into Stratton, the last hitch I'd need.  Sweet!  He dropped me of at the Stratton Motel and Hostel, easily recognizable by the bear family greeting visitors outside.
Checking in, I was given the tour of the facilities, which included a fully functional kitchen, a common room with TV and VCR, and upstairs, individual beds not bunks as I had supposed.  First town stop was the library, which was a short walk back up the road.  A quick check of the 10-day extended forecast indicated that I should have favourable weather for the remainder of my time on trail.  Wow, that's a bonus.  Back at the hostel, I crossed the road to the general store just opposite, resupplied, and loaded up on food for today's lunch and dinner, plus tomorrow's breakfast.  Two boxes of Raisin Bran, chicken pot pies, Breyer's strawberry cheesecake ice-cream, etc.  Obviously, I was going to stuff my face.
Kicked back in a comfy chair, I spent the majority of the late afternoon and evening watching one of my favorite westerns, Tombstone.  Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holiday is classic.  Afterwards I vegged out to a strange film with a lot of star power, Magnolia.  Sue, the proprietor, was kind enough to allow me use of her phone to call home and check in.  Tomorrow's the first of July and there are less than 200 miles to go.  Oh Yeah!