Date: 2012-04-16
From: Chatfield Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

barely got sleep last night¢¦ mom ended up setting the tent up on a slant and needless to say we were pressed against each other by gravity and only thing holding us up the hill is the tent walls. It was cold outside last night and we woke up to frost on the inside of the tent and one of the water bottles frozen. Mom kicked me out of the tent into the cold weather so she could take the tent down¢¦to mom surprise I went and curled up in a pile of leaves under the shelter. Mom ended up doing the cold weather changing dance, were you try to keep moving to keep warm while changing your close without giving everyone a view. As soon as mom finished her morning routine of changing, eating, and packing we took off at a nice clip up the mountain to get warm. For some reason on the cold days one doesn¢t like to stop hiking due to getting cold, and when she is cold she like to hike to get warm¢¦.We made it to Partnership Shelter to find a little bit of trail magic otherwise known as thru hiker left over¢s from the night before Mom decided not to partake in enjoying the magic due to hitching into town for a short resupply. We headed to the road where we stood for a little while trying to get a ride when finally a nice man pulled over and gave us a ride to Pizza hut where mom tied me up outside (once again) and went in to consume a all you can eat pizza hut buffet. Most hikers spend 10-20 dollars ordering pizza from nasty pizza plus and have it delivered to the shelter....I don¢t see why the hikers don¢t take the 50 cent shuttle (not dog friendly) into town and only pay $6.99 for all you can eat pizza. You get a variety of pizza, and as much as you want for less than you would for bad one kind pizza. Only difference is that you need to time it due to pizza hut buffet is only for lunch¢¦but there is other AYCE in town. The grocery store had Easter Candy on sale and needless to say mom splurged and bought a few bags of candy. I couldn¢t complain since she also came out with a can of Lamb and rice dog food, in which I consumed in a heartbeat and was hoping for more. We didn¢t¢ have to hitch out of Marion as mom yogi a ride for us, which is easy for her due to being a solo female. After making it back up to the trail we headed back over to the shelter were we ran into a few hikers. We ran into ¢The Dude¢ leaving the shelter and then once again back at home after our hike.We decided to take a mid day food break at a random campsite next to the trail where mo had a famous yard sale pack explosion. Right after the whole pack was exploded across from the trail she saw a fellow NoBo walking down the trail; needless to say she had to once again have to recollect her things quickly so he could pass. When he got close enough she lobe a Reese peanut butter egg at him as she bought a whole bag of them in town. He said thank you, conversated for a short bit then kept hiking¢¦just to soon be hiking south to inform mom that she shouldn¢t eat too much due to food less than a mile in front of us. Once making it to the road and magic we were surprised to find 3 coolers one for water, one for juices and soda, and the last filled with little Debbie¢s peanut butter and jelly fixings. One top of that there was also a huge yellow tent set up near the trail magic (soon to learn that it was the 3brothers? Camping out for the night) After taking a short break we continued through nice fields and onto the shelter¢¦just to find the shelter and the area filled (20-30) hikers planning on camping for the night. I couldn¢t believe the amount of hikers I just walked into and needless to say surprised to only find 5 of them planning on sleeping in the shelter (the shelter sleeps 10.) Mom got their permission for us to sleep in the shelter, she always ask if it is ok if we could due to me being a four leg. Some of the guys made a fire in the fireplace of the shelter which was really helpful due to the cold weather outside. Thank You hikers!