Date: 2004-10-22
From: Tom Floyd Wayside

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a visit from a neighbor last night. Literally! He lives just off the AT and works at the 4H which is also just off the trail. He says that he " just checks in " every few days to see if anyone is here. Normally I would be a little suspicious ¢ product of an urban upbringing ¢ but he seemed like a nice friendly guy and I didn¢t get any bad vibes.   Got a good cell signal and spoke with KT, all is well at home. ¢Rained¢ all night long from the fog, and was wet cold and ¢rainy¢ this morning. The food bags got realy very wet, and the foil bags that contain my freeze-dried food are beginning to look a little the worse for wear. Packed them into yet more zip-lock bags!   It is nice in the morning before the sun rises. I brew up a big cup of coffee and sip on it while munching cheese and pop tarts. It is completely dark at first and you can see your breath in the light of the headlamp. The sky slowly begins to lighten and you can gradually make out the shapes of the trees. There is no real ¢sunrise¢ at first, just increasing light in the east. By that stage I have finished my coffee, and packed the bag, and am on my way to catch the first beams of sunlight from the true dawn as I step out onto the trail for the day.   Today was like yesterday ¢ wet, misty, cold, damp and slippery. The trail started down to road VA 602 and then on to Chester Gap US 522 and the road to Front Royal. Then it was a hike around the National Zoological Park, no exotic animals to be seen ¢ properly smarter than I am and are having breakfast in their barns - which, by the way look better than most of the shelters on the AT.      Passed Jim and Molly Denton Shelter, did not visit, and at that point was soon at Manassas Gap and the road to Linden, where my drop box still presumably awaits! The trail passes under I66 and there I met three trail maintainers whose job it is to maintain the 2.2 miles to this shelter. We chatted for a while and I complemented them of all of the good work in maintaining the trail. They said that the Potomac AT Club draws a lot of volunteers, because it covers such a wide area and so many large centers of population.   Arrived here at the shelter in fine form, and after I had gotten water and changed, was joined by Malt and Hops, who section hike one week each year. They will end this section tomorrow at Front Royal.      Earlier in the day I met Storm, a young thru hiker, and the first person to recognize me from my shelter register entries. He is also spending the night here. He is only 15 years old and is currently hiking alone. He started out with his entire family ¢ Mom, Dad, brother and sister ¢ from Mane. Then they flip-flopped at Duncannon and now he is hiking back. Only he and his Dad are still hiking, and he tells me that his Dad is well ahead of him. They started out in August and he is now averaging 20+ miles a day. His mother made both his sleeping bag and his backpack and despite his age he impressed me as a very self-sufficient and resourceful guy, at ease on the trail.   So I have company for the night. Supposedly there are snakes around ¢ and in ¢ this shelter, but this is not the weather for them to be out and about. Thought ¢             Life is all about choices ¢ not making a choice is, in and of itself, a choice.            When in doubt, do nothing? Or fire a broadside?