Date: 2018-05-30
From: Dickey Gap

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: light rain

I woke up at the Sufi Lodge around 6am.  The owners overslept so breakfast was late.  No big deal, it was raining anyway.  Breakfast was pancakes with blueberries and walnuts.  They tasted good, just like last nights dinner. I had some Earl Grey hot tea to drink.  The rain had stopped by the time we loaded up in the shuttle. We were back on trail by 8:45am. The trail started UP in the Raccoon Branch Wilderness.  Yes yes yes!  I love the name!  And as it turns out I love the trail!  Much fewer rocks or at least smaller rocks, and lots of pine needles. I had more tunnels of rhododendrons and Mountain Laurel. It was beautiful. As I was hiking past some very old trees I was thinking about the pioneers and mountain men before me who may have touched the very same trees. Did Daniel Boone or Davey Crocket walk this trail, or touch these trees? I don¢t know, but it¢s certainly possible.   I had managed to get pretty far ahead of the others. I mostly hike alone anyway, but today it was a good thing! My low belly started rumbling. It was cramping, and I knew... that food I liked didn¢t like me!  I was on a ridge and there really isn¢t anywhere to go!  I couldn¢t help it.  I dropped my pack right on the trail and ran the two whole trees over that I could. Nearly messed my own pants as I was trying to get them down. I will never eat Syrian food again!  After that excitement I got back on trail and was enjoying the nice terrain.  There was no rain my whole hike, and at 11:45am the sun came out! It was only there for a few minutes before cloud cover took over, but it was nice. There were gentle breezes all day and I just couldn¢t be happier.  Soon I came to the trail for Trimpi Shelter which was our lunch meeting place. As I approached the clearing there were 3 hikers there. Two of them had to step over my backpack on the trail as I was taking care of emergent business. Of course they asked why my pack was just there in the middle of the trail.  After a good laugh, they told me they were glad it turned out ok.  I skipped lunch...The afternoon trail was equally as nice.  I hiked through another pasture.  There were no cows.  I thought I was face to face with a bull the other day, but I learned girl cows can grow horns too.  I had no idea.  During the last few miles of my hike I saw a sign from God.  It¢s today¢s photo. I know I¢m on the right path. I just enjoyed the gentle breezes all the way to Partnership Shelter.  We are sleeping upstairs.  It¢s a bit of a pain climbing the ladder, but we don¢t have to hang our bear bags!   I took a cold shower before Hugs and Big Kahuna arrived.  I couldn¢t believe they offer a shower!  I didn¢t even care it¢s cold water only.  The rest of the tramily set up their sleeping bags and we walked up to a visitor center to order pizza.  Just our luck,  no answer at the pizza place, then an answer and a hang up.  We had been dreaming of pizza all day knowing there was delivery at our shelter. It¢s never happened before that we were close enough to town to get delivery.  It wasn¢t in the cards for us today either.  We hopped on someone else¢s shuttle and rode into town.  It¢s all you can eat buffet at Pizza Hut today!  JACKPOT!  Now our bellies are full and our eyelids are heavy.  Waiting for a return shuttle.   Until Next Time Blue Raccoon (2018)Where¢s your faith?