Date: 2012-05-23
From: Campsite by the Pond

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

It continued to rain all night. I woke up several time to hear Snake Charmer Coughing and Mega Mind snore. I suppose they had to hear me as well, so sorry guys. I was up at 5:15, ate, packed up everything under my tarp, and then stuffed my tarp in the outside stuff pocket of my pack. I left camp at 7:30.   Except for its relatively low weight carrying capacity. I really love my new Osprey Exos 46 pack. Hip belt pockets, Big water bottle pockets (can carry 2 liter coke bottles), stuff pocket, pocket between stuff pocket and inside of pack, light weight, good frame, and great pack stability. In its defense, it isn't supposed to carry the load I put on it in Hot Springs. So I only have myself to blame.   It was relatively warm, 60 degrees or so, and I was sweltering in my rain gear until I took it off when the rain stopped. Even with all the pit zips wide open and the front zipper open, I just couldn't get enough ventilation. It makes me wonder about all the "Breathability" factor built in. Must only work out west or something. The Humid east seems to cause issues.   I quickly descended into Tanyard Gap. Norbert and Chris were tenting there just past the road. I heard them talking and said good morning. I told them my planned destination of Little Laurel Shelter, but they didn't seem in any hurry to get up, so I moved on.   About 2 miles further, I ran into two men packing up in the rain. One of them turned out to be from Hoover, AL. I will need to look him up and see if he wants to come on my Fall hike. He looked familiar, like maybe a scout leader I have run into.   With little reason to stop in the rain and heavy mist until 2 pm, I kept moving until I reached Spring Mt Shelter about 11am. This shelter looked like a frat house the day after a big spring Frat Party. Cans, packaging, actual food in containers, a fire pit with burnt food pieces, it had it all. It was a real dump. I suppose I should have taken some of it with me, but for various reasons, I didn't. To make it better, the wind was blowing into the shelter and it was obviously not a place to linger. I ate lunch a bit early, and left as soon as I could at 11:30.   I soon passed and passed up the Rich Mountain Fire Tower as with the mists, there was not going to be a view. The Sun came out about 2pm about 30 minutes before I made Allan Gap. It is amazing just how much better the sun makes the day. Unfortunately it also made it very warm and very humid as i descended into the Gap. I really found it remarkable just how much the elevation altered the temperature and humidity.    The climb out of Allan Gap to Little Laurel Shelter wasn't very steep, but it seemed to take forever. When the Thunderstorm hit me about 4:45 until 5:15, it was scary. Dark, Windy, lightning hitting close by, Thunder continuously booming, some small hail and heavy sheets of rain that obscured the trail further than 50 feet ahead.   Shortly after it passed, I arrived at Little Laurel Shelter. Tony and Len from I think Raleigh, NC. Retired, hiking shelter to shelter, and enjoying the trail. I hope I will be able to do as much when I am their age. Even better, they liked my songs.   Since everything was wet, I decided to stay in the shelter. Tony was in his tent, so I warned Len about what Matt had said about me. He told me not to worry. He had lots of experience with that sort of thing. And I needed to know he snored as well. Cooked, ate, cleaned up, did my Bible study and crashed.