Date: 2013-05-20
From: camp 548.5

To: chestnut knob shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: thunderstorm with light rain

5.20.13 - day 50Mile 548.5 camp - Chestnut Knob Shelter16.7 miles - 10 hours Woken up by whipperwill bird calling across the forest from above our tents. Super loud & annoying, especially before 6am. Not uncommon to hear their calls but first time this close. Packed up wet tent, put on rain gear & hiked up 46 minutes then down to street, class of 2006 thru hiker Lumberjack left trail magic Dr. Thunder & pbj sandwich, thanks! Fancy Feet walked right by the cooler not seeing it so i called out & let her know it was there. I was not able to sign the register since it was sopping wet but i did see that Rainbow Bright was there on 5.11.13, the girl who was struck by the car at trail days, our thoughts & prayers are with her, we wish for speedy recovery & return to trail. Through cow pastures, fields & forest, public & private land up & down 8 or so ladders over barbed wire fences. Those things are dangerous, especially when wet, makes me wonder how many have slipped & fallen onto wire, or gotten injured from it. One ladder was 7 feet tall & steep. Nonstop rain, have lunch at 1st shelter while rains outside. Sawgrass & gf Achilles in there, Acorn leaving. G money & Cisco kid have lunch then continue on. Weather clears, uphill on slippery mud. In forest then climbed into grassy ridge, at times can see parallel ridges to left & right through the trees. We approach chestnut orchard shelter, Earth Balance passes us on way down to get water, says shelter is full but large open field for camping. Shelter is 4 sided concrete with door situated atop grassy ridge. Dorothy waves as she sees us approach. Acorn is in shelter with some section hikers, outside in tents is Fancy Feet, Cisco Kid & Side Show. I can see Wolf in the woods, talking on his cell phone there as not to disturb anyone.I hang clothes & tent to dry for a while. Through clearing in the trees is cool view of farm valley below backed by green hills. As i unpack my bag, Dorothy is leading a circle of about 8 in yoga on the grass, she taught yoga classes even before the trail. The sun is setting behind them so all i see is sillouettes of positions that change upon her command. Dinner table is inside shelter. I cook a ramen with tuna pack, after that i eat the biryani i was supposed to eat last night. Someone on a bunk complains a mouse just ran from under sleeping bag, glad i will be tenting tonight. As i eat, Earth Balance writes in journal next to me, he notices Hawkeye & Roadrunner are not hiking with me today. We also disagree as to whether the the trail half way marker is truly accurate each year since the total mileage changes. Turns out we were both incorrect. He argued that the halfway sign is moved every year to the accurate halfway spot. I argued that the spot is fixed and if a mile of trail is added in the South, then a mile has to be added in the North. This year, there is no signage at the true halfway point. The sign you see is about 1.5 miles further to the north. The sign does move but not every year. Shelter occupants prepare for bed as i leave for my tent. To the left i see the same view of valley but now with stars, moonlight & farmhouse lights. Off to bed, wind flaps sides of my tent. Listen to Hank Williams on headphones.