Date: 2008-03-19
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter (3720')

To: Fontana Dam Shelter (1775')
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: moderate rain

Last night I found a mouse in my pack. I heard him rustling around and he was right on top when I looked in my pack. I tried to swipe him out but ended up knocking him to the bottom of my pack. I then had to turn my pack upside down and shake him out. This made a lot of noise but I would rather not have him hanging out in my pack until morning. In the morning I ate 2 packs of oatmeal but this time I just ate them straight from the bag with hot water. This way I didn't have to clean my pot which was nice. I was out around 8:30 and it started to rain around 10:30 as I was stopped talking to some trail mountainers. The rest of the way was really wet but I had the iPod shuffle in so I was cruising. I reached the marina where you call the shuttle from and headed to the general store/post office. I ran into a couple other hilkers at the laundromat and they inspired me to get some ice cream. I got an oreo eclair bar and a milky way dark chocolate bar and checked out the food selection which was pretty good. I picked up 4 oatmeal packs from the hiker box and then went to the post office. They didn't have the maps my dad mailed but the front desk at the lodge might have it. In the meantime, I lost my milky way within a 50 ft walk between the general store, post office, and my stuff. I actually dug through the trash to look for it. I couldn't find it and headed up to the lodge for my package. They didn't have it either. There was a pay phone I used to call my Dad and Esra. I also talked to Aunt Laurie who said she would meet me in Hot Springs which is cool. I also tried calling my mom, Bob, and Richard, but got voicemail. There was a computer as well which I used for email but I couldn't check weather or money because the general store, post office, and shuttle were about to close. I had the post office forward my mail to Hot Springs and I mailed Esra my full camera memory card and my journal pages. I got enough food at the general store for the night, morning and to get me to Hot Springs as well as a pint of cookies and cream ice cream, which I ate on the shuttle back to the marina. It had stopped raining by now so the 1 mi walk to the shelter was nice. I filled out my backpacker's permit and put it in the box before I left and its a $5000 fine if you don't have it. I got to the shelter hung up some stuff to dry and built a fire and intended on cooking my dinner over the fire. It started to rain though but the fire was still going so I decided to go for it. I was cooking Mac and cheese from the box which requires 6 cups of water to be boiled in addition to 7-8 min of cooking afterwards which would be entirely impractical with my stove considering I just filled up on fuel and needed it for the 8 days to Hot Springs. There was a game of kings going on while I was waiting with Greg, Scout, Time Traveller, and Tyler playing. My dinner was eventually ready and I added the cheese pack and some dehydrated milk someone had which was perfect. I also added tuna. This meal would have been so impractical due to the energy required to heat the water and macaroni as well as the draining of the water after its boiled. It was really good though. I hung out a little more and was feeling a little dehydrated and I had boiled/drained all my water for the mac and cheese. Tyler lent me some water. There was also a dog staying in the shelter which looked like a black version of Calvin.