(Daily Mi: 10.4) Last one out of the shelter this a.m. Up over Old Speck (4160 ft) and down 2500' feet or so into Grafton Notch. Bumped into the shuttle driver from Gorham while taking a break at the road through the notch.

Had a decent walk up and over the windy open, summit of Baldpate (3812 ft) Hit the ten mile shelter at 2 pm and just more or less crapped out. Dawdled until it was too late to make another ten miles by dark.

Still feeling unaccountably blue. Didn't have especially big ambitions, but honestly I am running out of food and should be at least 10 miles further than I am today.

Everyone else was headed to Andover ME tonight. It's only another 4 miles to the roadhead, but a 14 mile hitch into town from there. I had planned to skip it and keep hiking to my bounce box in Rangely ME which is still 40 miles away. Only two full days of food left. So that's a problem at the speed I am moving.

End up sharing the shelter with a thru hiker named Brawny who comes in around six. This is her second long distance trail, having done the PCT in two sections, and she has her own line of ultralight gear which she is carrying as a demo. She tells me she is getting sick of the Trail and just cannot wait to finish.

I have heard similar sentiments from a couple of northbounders recently. I understand the feeling, but cannot completely sympathize.