Date: 2010-04-27
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: moderate rain

Not as cold as I thought it would be last night...once I was in my bag, I was dry and toasty. Rained most of the night, but had stopped when we woke up. No one wanted to get out of their bags though...we knew it was going to be another wet, cold day...it's rare when no one is out before 7. Also not fun to put on all your wet, cold clothes again...bbrrrr! If you don't though, there goes those dry clothes at the end of the day. Lot of dawdling this morning in camp even though we should be hitting the trail to get in as much dry hiking as possible. Stretch took off and I believe I was second out (a record) at 9. The rain started promptly at 9:17. The plan was to get to the next shelter, Flint Mountain, for a dry lunch and then go to the next shelter for the night...basically another 15 mile day. It's warmer when you are walking, so might as well make some miles. The only problem you can run into on rainy days, is that the shelters fill up quickly as no one wants to set up their tents in the rain. Pretty easy walk to Flint Mountain shelter, but it rained (sometimes poured) and sleeted the whole way (I might be making up some words with sleety and sleeted, but I think you get the drift). Not as bad when you are out in it...harder to start in it or get back out in it...as you might be able to tell from my destination header and miles walked! Stretch had already made it to the Flint shelter and was in his sleeping bag warming up. Catfish, Logos, and Earthling had stayed the night before at Flint and were waiting in their bags for the rain to stop before leaving. Anyway, talked to them for a while as I ate lunch...and it got colder...and colder. When you stop walking, you cool down fast when it's wet, windy, and cold. They all looked so comfy in their bags and I had heard the forecast for the day: some morning showers (all morning!), more showers in the afternoon, and thunderstorms in the evening. Enough said...I was in my dry clothes and in my sleeping bag in nothing flat. Brought back memories of Woody Gap when Todd & Mike made me kept walking on a cold, rainy day as they picked up two other hikers and took them to a warm hostel for the day...they weren't around this time! Right after I got in my bag; Hedgehog, Hollywood, Sticks, and Bobalu showed up...I thought maybe they all stayed in our last shelter because I hadn't seen them yet. Of course, as they showed up, the rain stopped and the sun showed itself for the first time. They decided to keep going and I was doubting my decision...wussy boy! Earthling said the sun wouldn't last long...she was right. About 15 minutes later, it clouded up and started raining again. Bismark showed up and made the decision to set the pack down for the day as well...just as the hail started. It rained/hailed/snowed the rest of the day. I got a great 1 1/2 hour nap in...been a while since one of those...woke up to a good hail storm...justification feels almost as good as my warm sleeping bag. Supposed to be a very cold night (20s) and then sunny and 65-70 tomorrow. Need to figure out my new plan for mileage as I only packed enough food for 5 days...I usually pack and extra day, but it was already pretty heavy...nice move, smarty pants. Cheers.