Date: 2008-08-25
From: Stony Brook shelter

To: Cloudland shelter
Miles today: 19.7

Awoke to mosquitos first thing in the morning. Glad to have the mesh of the tent providing protection overnight, otherwise it may have been an ugly, sleepless night. Today the goal was to get to Thistle Hill shelter, but there were just too many "hidden" climbs, and too many blackberries to make it. The blackberries are really out in abundance right now. The red-raspberries seem pretty much finished, but it's still easy to continue meeting my goal of "fresh berries every day since the Shenandoahs". I also did my first "face-plant" today. I've fallen a few times before, but usually backwards or to the side. Today I tripped on a root while thinking about Mom (this being the 3rd anniversary of her passing away), and went down on my face. BAM! Knocked the wind right out of me. Recovered my breath and ego after a few moments of just lying there in the dirt, and got up to hike on. I've been really lucky in not falling a lot, so I can't feel to bad about this. Still meeting small groups of southbounders every day, but I feel that we're probably close to the end of them. I've heard from a few of them that their dropout rate was really high in the White Mountains due to the brutal onslaught of bad weather they received. The southbound experience seems to be so different from the norhtbound experience for many reasons: solitude, no wildflowers, completing the most spectacular sections first instead of last, dwindling trail magic, etc. Maybe less of the typical "trail culture" that has been a big part of this experience for us northbounders. On the subject of Trail magic, received some lovely trail magic today too. At a gravel road intersection, there was a bucket full of freshly picked organic veggies set out as trail magic. Got to get red and yellow swiss chard, cucumbers, and zucchini to add to the evening's Lipton noodle side dinner. Made a big, delicious, and healthy improvement. A second bit of Trail magic came at Cloudland Rd. It had gotten late by the time we got to this intersection. I had to stop on the hill before Cloudland Road to eat something, as my body basically said "You will eat somthing NOW, or you will not go up this hill!". Ate a few spoonfulls of peanut butter and a handful of trail mix to make the climb. When I did get down to the road, Mas was waiting and eating something too. It was 6:30, close to "quitting time", and Thistle Hill shelter was another 2.4 miles up another hill. I really wanted a soda, REALLY! Then who walks up but Butterfly Moon (with her beautiful white German Shephard, Luna), and Firesocks. Told them of our debate about making the shelter, and the desire for a soda. And what do you know, but Butterfly Moon turns around and says "look in this pocket", and lo and behold, a Coke was there. What a kind gift. They also told us about the Cloudland shelter. Not listed in the book, but a shelter on the private Cloudland Farm. There were wo ways to get there. One via a shortcut, and another via the AT. They were going to it via the shortcut. Since I've vowed not to skip any of the AT, we went via the AT. WAlked to the shelter turnoff, followed the signs downly a barely beaten trail, and then followed the loop back to where we left them. Somehow we had missed the shelter, and never saw thjem enroute either. Turned around, and backtracked, and found the last turn to the shelter obscured by a huge fallen tree. MAde it to the shelter, but no Butterfly Moon, Firessocks, and Luna..... Guess they got lost too. Enjoyed the organic veggies, and glad to be in a shelter on this chilly night.