Date: 2004-05-25
From: Jennings Creek woods

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: few clouds

4:30 a.m. Thunderstorms. Had to pull my socks and bandanas off the line, but left my food bags hanging -- out of reach of raccoons and ants. Don't have worries about bears at this particular spot, with a road nearby and campground a mile up the road (though I've heard this doesn't stop them in the Shenandoahs).The humidity cause condensation in my tent, so if a rain drop falls particularly hard, I get an indoor sprinkle, too. May need to have a fire tonight to dry things out.Meanwhile, another hour of sleep wouldn't go amiss.3:45 p.m. Leisurely day so far, despite the endless climbing. Stopped for mocha milk (my non-cook answer to morning coffee: instant milk, instant coffee, cocoa and sweetener) and cereal at the lovely Bryant Ridge Shelter -- three levels, beautifully designed, and with a nice privy -- Dutch half-door and view! Watched butterflies dancing around the picnic table and firepit. Pokey was just leaving as I arrived. Dried out my groundcloth in the breeze, so am carrying less water weight, though my tent is still soaked.It was a long, quiet walk up Floyd Mountain. The nettles are now waist-high beside the trail. Saw some foxgloves and spiderwort, pink and purple multi-flowers above tall grass-like leaves.Hiked with my bra off so that it (and I) can dry off a bit, but made a beeline for the Cornelius Creek Shelter privy to put it back on when I arrived here to find Tree Frog, Adam and the Hamburger Thomas sitting at the picnic table. and again, Pokey was just on her way out as I arrived. Making good time today! Last night's macaroni and beer at Jennings Creek must have been the carbo-load I needed.Used up the last of my Aquamira this morning and had packed my Katadyn Hiker water filter home, so now I'm drinking unfiltered, untreated water -- yikes! Need to remedy that fast. Apparently a Backpacker Magazine survey found no difference in health concerns between hikers who filtered, those who chemically treated, and those who did nothing to their water on the A.T. Rather, those who got sick were careless about their toilet-to-dinner table hygiene. I'm careful about the latter. Still, I don't like to take chances in the G-I department.9:45 p.m. So far, so good. Had garlic in my chicken soup tonight and some parmesan cheese, and ate the rest of my straight-from-town vegetable supply of broccoli and carrots for lunch. My pack is appreciable lighter without them.True to its name, Thunder Hill Shelter was pulsating with thunder as I arrived this evening, but there was very little rain, and my tent did dry out before I had to get into it.I made a modest proposal to Zippy and Switchback when I arrived, that since they are such fast hikers, and arrive so early at our daily destinatino, that they could enjoy more of the charming company of us slower hikers throughout the day if they would provide us with "full service" at each shelter we pass during the day -- have filtered water and sandwiches ready for us, take our packs and rub our feet -- then hightail it to the next shelter before us for a repeat performance. After all, why should strapping lads have to sit around twiddling their thumbs when there are ladies to attend to?? Since then, Riva Queen, Pokey and I have been calling them "the cabana boys," as in, "When we get to the shelter, those cabana boys better have our banana dacquiris ready." Dream on.