Date: 2014-06-14
From: Lewis Mtn Camp

To: Byrds Nest #3 Hut
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Halfway through the Shenandoahs. Hit mile 900 yesterday. Yeah I've been going a bit slow the past 2 weeks but I have my excuses Also the past 4 days have shown me the most rain I have encountered throughout my whole hike. No need to waste water on a shower... Section hikers greatly outnumber the thru hikers right now. People give me horrified looks when they inquire about how far I'm backpacking through the SNP. I'd rather they give me their food and beer haha Update: so last night I awoke we around midnight. Did not know why at the time but I was aware there was a reason and it wasn't just by chance. Couldn't figure out what the stir up was about so I went back to sleep. Fading away back into a sleep... Deeper and deeper but wait, there's a noise. A noise that does not belong but why does that matter? I'm half asleep. Half heartedly listening to the noise which seemed so devious and intermittently random. It wasn't happening anymore so I was giving back into my sleep. *gnaw* *gnaw* Damit there's a mouse! I sat up and hit my head against the bunk which caused te noise to stop. Grabbing my headlamp in the dark and reaching towards my pack on the floor I heard the culprit scurry away. This was a sneaky mouse that knew how to sit still and patiently avoid the humans. I then spotted cookie crumbles all over the floor of the cabin wit my headlamp and checked my pack - a hole was chewed in my mesh hip pocket where I had forgotten about a wrapped granola bar. The wrapped had been chewed on but not penetrated. At his point Racewalker woke up on the other side of the cabin so I explained, "we're under attack by strategic minded extraordinary mini ninja mice." Not exactly the most effective way to communicate to someone you just roused from a deep sleep. He soon understood the situation though but did nothing more than glance around with his headlamp. I hung my pack up on a nail and moved my food bag to a safer place before going back to sleep. By morning time, Racewalker discovered he had lost his breakfast to the infidel intruders. As for the hiking, it was better than usual! Clear skies with a good breeze allllll day. A bit chilly which is perfect for dragging around heavy packs. Have not had this cool weather in a long time. The only downer I had with hiking today was going an extra 2 miles I did not need to do in order to have lunch at an SNP wayside. I basically overshot the best side trail to take towards finding myself a nice burger. Later on, Firewalker and Teaba caught up to me while I was filtering water. This is where the most beautiful woman I have ever seen casually walked by and I sat there for another 5 minutes like O_O A few minutes later up the trail we walked right into a huge pack of tourists on a nature walk led by a park ranger. We were not aware we were going to give a presentation today so unfortunately we had left our PowerPoint in a hiker box. The ranger explained what we were up to then volunteered us for any questions te group had. It was like a press conference. I was shirtless, freshly shaved, and with a buzzed head dripping with sweat. Teabag is 19 years old rocking the shaggy/dirty hiker look. Firewalker is heavily bearded and rocking stylish Aviator sunglasses, a fresh gas station trucker hat, and his impeccably white dress-shirt he's been hiking in since the start. I think we gave a well diversified representation of what kind of people hike the AT and how differently we all do it.