Date: 2005-07-05
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

Started @ Eagle's Nest ShelterDestination: Windsor Furnace ShelterMiles today: 14.7Total Miles: 1208.0Stayed in shelterDay 116Today I was excited to go into Port Clinton. I was planning to have a short day into town and stay tonight at the pavilion (the town lets hikers stay there). When I got there the town did not look like much. I went to the outfitter to get a few things but they had nothing I asked for. I went to the post office to pick up a package mailed to me and then walked to the Port Clinton Hotel for lunch. The food there was good and plentiful. A large order of fries filled a large platter and it looked like it was for 4 people instead of one. And the prices were reasonable. Maybe it was because we were hikers or did not smell like we had just got out of the shower but the waitress was not the friendliest. When I was finished eating she asked, "Are you finished?" instead of, "Would you like anything else?" I said I was and she brought the check and said when I was ready I could pay at the bar. Mouth had ordered and was still eating so I sat there for a bit with him. After a while she came back and said she would take my debit card (which I had placed on the check) in the bar. I thought it was a sign she wanted me to leave. I paid and went back to sit down with Mouth. After he finished I noticed that more people were coming in so I did get up and leave. I had decided to hike on to the next shelter. Spending the night in this town's pavilion next to a busy highway did not sound appealing to me and I did not want to spend money on a motel. It had started raining while we were eating but it had stopped by the time I left the hotel. As I started up the trail it started raining lightly. Only when I got to the shelter did it start pouring for a half hour or so. The climb up from town was not too bad but it was so humid I was almost completely soaked from sweat by the time it started raining. Chuckles and Gotta Go went out of town to the Microtel as did Mr. Clean, Jr. Mouth was going to stay at the pavilion but came hiking into the shelter an hour or so after I did. He is hiking fewer miles while waiting for Ox, who took some time off for the holiday weekend.In the shelter tonight is Doc Narly, Blotter, Mouth, Dandylion, Corporal, Ramblin Man, and myself. Guideless and Spitfire are tenting. Doc Narly thru-hiked last year and is a quiet sort of man. He is from Florida and is very kind and respectful. Blotter is a thru-hiker from Texas I had not met before and he is a very nice young man. Toto and I had met Mouth early in the hike but I have just recently met up with him again. I did not recognize him because in the beginning he had blue hair and it was long--now he has it quite short. Ramblin Man thru-hiked last year also. Only this year he has his 19 year-old son with him. If you like to hear someone talk about their opinion of government, politics, the war in Iraq, any religion or cult, or anything else for that matter then you would like to be around him. Dandylion is a 19 year-old young man from England and he has lately been hiking with Ramblin Man and his son. He seems to carry on conversations without any trouble with Ramblin Man. They both bought radios at Cabelo's and then they talked about what they were listening to on the radio to each other last night. I am glad to be here and not in Port Clinton! Now tomorrow can be my short day into Eckville shelter.