Date: 2012-04-25
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Long day today. It's amazing what 5 extra miles will do to the body when tacked onto those first 14. Today started in the rain and fog after a night of showers off and on. My tent was soaked but did what it was suppose to do and all the wetness was on the outside while I and all my stuff was nice and dry. I've found that leaving my bug netting unzipped just a little bit allows the tent to breath more and prevents condensation from building up. But I don't know how long I'll be able to keep that up as we get into the buggy season. The first half of the day can best be described as routine. Get up, pack up, eat, put one foot in front of the other and just keep walking. No spectacular views novelties, trail annoyances or special moments to write about. just very much of the same. It reminds me of what Certain said when she told me that trail life just becomes your normal life. We did have a big climb today up to 4500 feet in elevation which ended in a big meadow with a pond off to the side so weird to see one at the top of a mountain. The shelter here is fully enclosed in stone with an actual door. My guidebook said it could hold 8 which I guess would be the case if you only slept on the built bunks but you could fit more like 25 hikers in there. I was tempted to stay here but it was only 1:00 pm and the elevation profile for the next 10 miles looked pretty flat. What it didn't show is that for some reason whoever mapped out this section of trail decided not to run us through the flat, less rocky, wooded section of the ridge line, but instead went 100 yards over. For the next 6 miles I went up and down over rocky, ankle torturing, boulder strewn PUDs. Ugh so angry. There you are slowed down by the terrain and having to place feet carefully, all the while glancing to your left you see this nice smooth flat section just over there. Why can't I be just over there? Up, down, up, down, climb rock, up , down. Whine, moan, complain.Finally made it down to the shelter toward the end of the day dropping down 2500 ft in elevation where it is warmer and the canopy is a bit more full. A good close by water source after a pretty dry day. The shelter was already full and while everyone there very kindly offered me a spot, I could tell it was already at it's capacity point and would be too crowded so I'm tenting again. The big surprise of the day is our privy. Or outdoor throne. It's basically a seat set up on a platform. No walls, no roof. I've heard about this place for weeks now and have been looking forward to using it for a long time now! ha it certainly changed shelter etiquette here as we all announce loudly we are going to use the privy since pretty much you'd be putting on a show for the world otherwise. Unfortunately it started raining just as I sat down for my moment of exposed privy nature commune.   This is when I discovered that I enjoy roofs. As I write this, the rain is pounding on my tent. Torrential rain. Big loud thunder that's shaking the ground. I love this weather even though I know what misery it will bring tomorrow. No tent will be able to stand up against the storm currently raging around me. For now I'm enjoying the bright flashes of light and loud crashing of clouds doing battle in the sky. Happy times enjoying the moment.