Date: 2005-05-17
From: Hard - Core

To: Campsite
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

At 8 AM Free, Bassline, Thunder, and I loaded into Funkee Monkee's car. He thru hiked in a previous year and was down for Trail Days and Hard-Core. We headed north toward Atkins where we had to get back on the trail. We passed through Damascus and had to stop for breakfast, one last time, at the Dairy King. They were the staple breakfast place during Trail Days. Thunder, Free and I got off in Atkins. Bassline was going a little further north and he had convinced Funkee Monkee to stay the night with us at the shelter we were going to end up at that night. We said goodbye and they headed off. Thunder took off first but Free and I took our time. We were to meet Serenity at the first shelter, a couple of miles up the trail. This was a good thing because Free had Serenity's pack. They had traded so Serenity's could get fixed at Trail Days. Problem was, hers is smaller than Free's so all her stuff would not fit. That meant she had to carry her 15 pound food bag in her hands for the two or so miles. We headed out. It was warm and a little humid but it was fun to be walking again. First part of the walk was through pastures. I love walking through pastures. They are so open compared to the rest of the trail. I was behind Free and I could tell she was not having fun carrying the food bag. She finally stopped and turned. I could see the little storm clouds swirling around her head when she said, "Are you sure we didn't pass it"?Me, "Pass what? The shelter".Free, "Yeah, back at that blue blaze".Me, "No, We haven't gone 2.6 yet".Free, in a testy voice, "2.6! I thought you said 2.4".Me, thinking this was spiralling out of control and becoming my fault!, "Let me check the book". I consulted the guide and told her we had not passed it.Free, "How much more"?Me, "About a half mile". I then added a cushion for protection just in case, "to a mile".Free, lightning starting to spark around her head, "That far"!Me, "Yeah". And then knowing darn well what the answer would be, "Gimme the food bag".Free shot a couple of daggers from her eyes, for which I was prepared because I knew she was stubborn as hell, and turned back up the trail. Here is where I almost committed assisted suicide. I came darm close to asking her if she needed a Nutella break. I knew that, if I did, I would probably be wearing that food bag upside my head. Discretion is the better part of valor. We did make it to the shelter but Serenity was not there yet so we waited. She finally made it as well as Gypsy, Touk, and Sunshine. It looked like we were adding to our group. I took off saying that I would meet them all at the shelter. About two miles before the shelter I heard my name. It was Scholar. She had gotten a 24 hour bug and did not get back on the trail until today also. She was staying at the base of the hill and it looked so inviting I decided to stay also. Thunder and Sunshine came by and they decided to stay too. A little while later Gypsy and Touk came by and they joined us. Funny, everyone was planning on the shelter and we never made it. Free and Serenity never made it. At least, not before I went to bed. They will either come in late or they set up camp in a different spot. Tomorrow we cross the 1/4 completion mark on the trail!