Date: 2003-07-21
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: broken clouds

Slept much better last night and I was actually a little warm. I made it out of camp by 8:20 today thanks to Daisies wake up call. Every morning when she gets up she comes by Molasses¢ and my tents to make sure we are up and moving. It has definitely helped me out a lot. Within the first few miles the trail goes through Rausch Gap, which was at one time a village of 1000+ people in the late 1800¢s and early 1900¢s. Took several short breaks, the first one being right after I crossed under I-81. Foxie and I sat under a nice big shade tree while we snacked and watched busloads of soldiers go by. Looking at my map, this National Guard base is pretty big and I guess that would explain why we¢ve been able to hear their gunfire for the last 2 days. Plus it felt like we were walking around the edge of the base. Passed a group of 6 Amish folks that are out for a week. When I ran into the first two guys, not knowing they were Amish, I thought it was strange that they were wearing a type of dress shirts and pants. But then I ran into the next two guys and talked with them for a few minutes and that¢s when I figured it out. The last two were women and I am amazed at the type of clothing they were hiking in (long skirts and long sleeves, some kind of thick material). I¢m in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt and am sweating like mad. I can¢t imagine being dressed the way they were. It makes me sweat just thinking about it. Daisies, Foxie, and I met up at the shelter 4 miles south of here for a break and to get water and that¢s when Double A and Littlest Hobo caught up to us. Little Hobo amazes me. He leaves camp well after I do, stops and takes a nap, and then gets into camp not much after me. Rocks! I hate them! Today was awful with the rocks. Three times it took us through huge boulder fields and the rest of the trail has every sized rock on it. My feet hurt extremely bad. PA would be great if it wasn¢t for the rocks. During the last two miles I got a little worried because the wind picked up pretty good. Things were falling out of the trees, which was a little nerve wracking, but the worst was coming over the rocks. I just kept praying that the rain would hold off until I reached the shelter. Met up with Daisies at the road and we walked in together. What a great place. The shelter is in the caretaker¢s yard. It¢s a large room with two doors, a skylight, several windows, a long table with chairs and 12 bunks. There is also a privy and a cold-water shower. We used one of the guy¢s cell phones and ordered some pizzas and spaghetti. Right after we made the call it started storming pretty good. Had hoped it would let up some when Blue Stool, Double A, and Daisies went down to the road to meet the delivery guy but it didn¢t. They are my heroes for braving the weather to get our food. We were all sitting around eating when Viking walked in. Surprised to see him here since he¢s already done this section up to Port Clinton. Not sure what he was thinking when he decided that because you couldn¢t pay me enough to re-walk these rocks. Spent the evening sitting around talking with everyone, thankful not to be out in this storm. There are 14 of us in here tonight staying dry. Off to dreamland I must go. Ah, the sound of rain on a tin roof.