Date: 2005-06-25
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelters
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Started @ Deer Lick SheltersDestination: Quarry Gap SheltersMiles today: 15.8Total Miles 1069.8Stayed in tentDay 106I was on the trail by 6:45 this morning and at the next shelter a little over 3 miles up the trail in an hour or so. There was a young couple there that had just started a 10 day hike from north of there yesterday. She was telling me I would have some nasty rocks to go up today and I envisioned the rocks I went over yesterday. When I got to them all it entailed were rocks used as water bars or just there somewhere in the trail sticking up out of the ground. I thought maybe what she was talking about was further up the trail but I never did encounter anything like we had to come over yesterday. If she thought the ones she was telling me about were bad she is probably thinking differently now.At the next set of shelters, Tumbling Run Shelters, I stopped to take a break and sign the shelter register like I did at the previous shelter because I forgot to sign the one at Deer Lick Shelters, where I stayed last night. Turbo Joe was still sleeping in the shelter but I woke him up when I picked up the register which was beside him. There were several people tenting nearby but none of them were thru-hikers. The shelters had a sign on each--one said "Non-Snorers" and the other said "Snorers". Up the trail from there I took a short side trail to Chimney Rocks. I left my pack below and climbed the rocks to see the view. For the first time in a while the view did not have a town or farmland in it but was all mountains. It was a bit hazy but I tried to get a good picture. One part of the trail today was up and over huge rock formations. It seemed to me that it was a detour just to take the trail over the rocks and down again. That was about as bad as it got today. Rocks on the trail are now only relative to what is worse or better. At 1:30pm I finally came to Caledonia State Park where there was a concession stand. I had a large lemonade, large fries, a cheeseburger and a hot dog. The cheeseburger and hot dog were not the best but it was food. I had to go under a shade tree to cool off and rest before I could even go up and order the food because the window where I had to order was directly in the hot sun. After I got my food I took it back to the shade and ate it and then lay down. I had taken off my shoes and socks and did not leave to finish the last 2 miles until 3:30. I filled up my water bag before leaving but had to filter more water when I got to the shelter because I had sweat so much I could not drink enough water. The temperature must be in the 90's.The park has an olympic sized swimming pool and it was very crowded (it is Saturday). It would have felt good to get into the water but I am afraid it would have only made the hike up the shelter even seem hotter after getting cooled off so much. I actually got cool in the shade.Several other hikers shared the shade with me--Turbo Joe and Freeze-Dried. Toto and I had met Freeze-Dried back in Georgia or N.C., I can't remember where. Turbo Joe is from Long Island but lives currently in N.C. He is having his 21st birthday July 5th. Two other hikers out for 3 days were there. Chief Lotsa Hair is hiking with a young high school boy that is a friend of the family. The boy, Tyler, is doing his senior project on the AT. They are both from Pennsylvania and Chief Lotsa Hair has hiked this section before and knows a lot about the terrain, parks, etc. After I left the park it was a rocky and steep climb for the first part and then it got more gradual. But it was so hot that it seemed like 4 miles instead of 2. At the shelter was the "Innkeeper" of the Quarry Gap Shelters. He was doing some painting and he had hung a pot of flowers on a corner of the shelter and had some over near the spring. There was a nice fire pit and even a bench away from the shelter to sit on. There were a couple of tent platforms and because of the mosquitoes I decided to tent.This definitely is one of the nicest shelters and Jim, the "Innkeeper", takes great pride in it. Even the privy is clean and he has an air freshener in it.   Turbo Joe and Freeze-Dried went on another 7 miles to the next shelter. The only ones here are Skylark and LoJack who are in the shelters, and Chief Lotsa Hair and Tyler are tenting. Oh, I forgot, another couple came in and they tented in one of the tent areas. They are just out for a day or so, I think, and they brought in hot dogs and buns and invited us over for some. It had been around 5 hours since I had eaten so I ate 1 hotdog. It feels good to have my own space and I am ready for sleep. I don't have to worry about any bugs tonight. There are no mice here because the "Innkeeper says they are not allowed in this shelter. HA!