Date: 2005-04-29
From: Allen Gap

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 4.9
Weather: light rain

Since I started my northbound hike at Springer with Northern Harrier in Feb. 2004, this is my 12th overnight backpack trip, ranging from 3 days to 2 1/2 weeks. I've hiked in all 4 seasons and experienced the gamut of weather - blistering heat and humidity, winter's cold, rain, fog, high winds, snow, sleet, gorgeous blue skies, everything. But in every instance, my first day was free of precipitation and often sunny. Until now. I guess I'm due for less-than-ideal conditions to start. And so when Wolf dropped me off at Allen Gap to begin a NOBO section hike to Damascus, the rain which had made its presence known yesterday and early today began in earnest. Not a deluge, but a steady drizzle with the promise of more to come. At least all the section hiking I've done this year has conditioned me such that today's first-off-the-bat ascent wasn't bad at all. Despite a muddy footpath no doubt exacerbated by the heavy rains of the last two days, I made good progress. And wouldn't you know it, after about an hour, the sun and blue skies appeared. Knowing this wouldn't last, I moved rapidly and atop a knob, encountered my first Trail acquaintance: Turbo Joe whose first words to me were: "You want a piece of dried cantaloupe?" "Sure, thanks" It was tasty. "Are you sure I'm eligible? I'm only a section hiker and I just started today." "Give it back" he teased. We started ahead together, then he motioned me to go ahead. At the top of another knob, the shelter awaited. Less than 2 hours to cover 4.9 miles. Not bad and it's starting to sprinkle. Lucky again! As I returned from fetching water, Turbo Joe arrived, followed in the next hour or two by a blizzard of other hikers. Some names I got, some, I missed but most of them stopped briefly before moving on for more mileage. Turbo Joe was staying. Shortly we were joined by Walt and his (allegedly) 75 pound pack. I soon discovered what others knew about Walt - he was a very quick wit and had us in stitches. He's also staying tonight but tenting. Others who passed through: Noodle, NewHeart (trail name resulting from his 9 bypasses), Uncle Kodak (SOBOer who used to live in Silver Spring, Preying Mantis, Wilderness Bob, Fancy Pants & Goosebumps. Others who stayed at the shelter: Crazy Horse and Diesel & Walks with Grace along with their dog Harley). My early (1:25) arrival and my feeling strong normally meant I'd have moved on too. But the forecast's calling for heavy rains put a damper on that. And sure enough, by 2:30 the rain accelerated and by 3:00, thunder and lightening ensued. At the tender age of 20, Turbo Joe has already managed 3 pizza parlors. Told him I had just begun making my own pizza dough. He recommended whole wheat which accords with my practice. He offered me a clove of garlic for my dinner. Meanwhile Crazy Horse, a vegetarian, cooked a dinner of black beans and spices he had pre-prepared himself. So despite my trail name, we have some real cooks here tonight. And speaking of trail name, Walt's christening me with all sorts of variations on mine: Crookedhiker, Crookedcooker, Cookerhooker, etc, which morphed into Hookerhiker. And thus a concept was born: the story (legend) of the hookerhiker. Joe being the creative genius he is, a story about the hookerhiker will appear in all subsequent trail registers. Diesel and Walks with Grace are hiking until they travel to Venezuela for a church project, then fly to Maine and begin SOBO from Katahdin. So I may see them when I tackle Maine in August. Diesel is my age and also recently retired. Despite the wet atmosphere, Crazy Horse was determined to build a fire. "I haven't failed yet" he averred after each struck match flamed out in the damp kindling. Finally I offered my fuel paste and that did the trick. Meanwhile, Turbo Joe produced what's likely unique for all this year's (or all time) thruhikers: soap bubbles. "Why not" He figures they'll last until Trail Days. I find something endearing about an AT hiker who blows bubbles. Joe's a bundle of energy and a joy to be around. The rain had dissipated by the time we finished dinner. Tomorrow's allegedly going to clear by afternoon. Right. We'll believe it when we see it.