Date: 2012-05-28
From: Mason Dixson Line

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: overcast clouds

May 28.  To Quarry Gap shelter.  20 miles.     5/28/12   "Today we hiked 20 miles. It felt great to back down the miles. We woke up early and ate breakfast at Uncle Bob's and Aunt Karen's house! They gave us Lebanon Baloney(a PA summer sausage. Best thing EVER invented!) sandwiches & beef sticks! It was AWESOME!! They drove us to the trail. Then we hurried to camp. We got here to the shelter at 4:00 and we ate. We are now relaxing and chit-chatting."                  ¢Sunshine:-)  This is the Shangri-la  of shelters!  Someone has put a lot of love into it.  There is a little man made stream diverted from a spring running through camp.  There is park bench and potted flowers, hanging baskets with decorative gravel around the whole grounds.  It is amazing how much volunteers are willing to do for and area they love.  With out people like that, a trail this maintained and facilitated would never exist.  The ATC does a great job organizing labor, but you can really see the personal touches of individuals.  Thank you!  We have officially kicked down our pace for now.  We plan on averaging 20 miles a day in PA.  Uncle Bob and Aunt Karen dropped us off at 8:30am and we still made it to camp by 4:00pm.  We didn't  really walk that fast, kind of dillydallying most of the day.  I don't even remember the last time if ever, that we've been to camp this early.  We don't know what to do with ourselves.  Sunshine said it feels like a near-0.  It rained hard last night while at the house so the temps were much cooler with less humidity today.  It's a beautiful evening tonight.  The trail was great, with some rocks, but not bad.  I'm very excited about the half gallon challenge tomorrow!  I'm thinking I'll go with classic vanilla to avoid filling up too fast.  Sunshine thinks she'll just enjoy a big cone. We are right on schedule for an early August finish.  Many have asked why the rush?  Well, no rush really.  We do have till September, however there are some outside influences to complete sooner.  #1. Mother Teresa and Butterfly are driving out in July to meet us and are leaving early August for the start of the school year(she's an elementary teacher).  We would like to ride home with them and visit my family in Wisconsin on the way home.  Sunshine would like to visit cousins she rarely sees.#2. We could avoid some of the bugs and heat along the way.#3. I turn 40 (I know, hard to believe right?) on August 2nd.  It would be awesome to be on Mt. Katadin for my birthday.  I can't think of a better gift.  I promised myself when I was 30, that I would complete the PCT by 40.  It would be awesome to have completed the PCT twice and the AT once by 40.  Just think, this would be my Triple Crown if I hadn't redone the PCT for Sunshine.  Sunshine always dreamed of Thru-hiking the PCT and I found her goals more important than my own.  That's what parenting is all about.  We thought she only had one Thru hike, and she wanted it to be the PCT. I tried to talk her into the AT last year so I could pursue my Triple Crown.  I'm so glad I listened to her because after the epic PCT adventure, she wanted to triple crown too!  I'd rather share this with her than gain personal glory.  She knows she can back out of the CDT if she wants, but she is determined to finish what she started.  Plus, she loves Thru-hiking.#4. We both want to be back in Oregon when the PCT Thru's arrive so we can support them.  We want to set up at Windigo Pass for 2 weeks giving out hotdogs and drinks, and rides to town.  Also, we especially want to help the 3 families with kids through Oregon and Washington. If anyone knows Contact info for Chili, Sierra, or Barracuda, please let us know.  We want to help them if possible.