Date: 2005-03-19
From: Tesnatee Mountain

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: overcast clouds

The towhees were up early with us, singing their "drink-your-tea-hee-hee" song. We stayed warm last night in our identical sleeping bags, and we added Alex's tarp between the tent and the raingaurd to block the mountain wind. Up on our ridge, just the birds, the tent, us and the morning sun. Okay ... and the town boys who are camping a few hundred yards through the bushes. They woke up in good spirits, singing. I really want to yodal back; it's just that sort of setting ... mountains on all sides!   There are trail-angels waiting for us just down the trail in the gap below. Bruce and Myrtle Eure come to Hog Pen Gap in the morning every now and again this time of year to meet the hikers on their way through. They have fresh fruit, pecan-twirls, cookies, soda, and water. Yay! a second breakfast. I can't pass up the apples or cookies. And, the water is most welcome. We are completely out and there is no place to get any for a few miles ahead. We would have had to backtrack to a spring.   Today is a lo-ong hiking day of 11.6 miles. Which at first does not sound like much, just a long hike. BUT, our packs take huge consideration; they're heavy! Very heavy, by the end of the day. And, even when we don't have one looming mountain before us that we fear only because it is named and noted in our databook ... even when we don't have a mountain to cross, the path undulates like a bellydancer's torso gone bad. We went up and down and careened left and skidded right...   We had lunch at Low Gap Shelter: PB and crackers, craisens, and peanuts. There was no privy! So, for the first time, I had to ____ in the woods. Like a two-year old, I was so proud of myself.   The trail begrudgingly had to give way to an old logging road for a few miles, and wasn't very happy about it. For a few miles of "flat," we walked gently uphill on a nice wide old logging road with dripping rocks making miniture waterfalls to our left. To our right, if we happened to stumble off, we'd have tumbled for quite aways down a leaf laden mountainside, unless we hit one of the evenly dispursed trees ... or a rock outcrop.   We actually came to a campsite a mile or so before Blue Mountain Shelter. I tossed my pack thankfully aside and blessed the ground by laying flat out on my back, laughing at how much my shoulders hurt. But, as the delerius passed and we looked around... the campsite was Le poo-poo. All the level ground was gnarled by roots or looked barenly hard. With the practiced eye of seasoned backpackers (wink), we decided we would press on (and up!) to the shelter.   It was when we passed a second, nicer campsite AND we still pressed on to the shelter, that I got promised a milkshake for my efforts. Mmm-mmm, milkshake!    The reason shelters are desireable is that they are highly social. And, we stealth camped last night, so some friendly banter would be nice.   THE SHELTER. Blue Mountain Shelter turned out to be a good choice. There were 5 people there when we crawled into camp. The shelter slept 7; it was to be our first night shelter sleeping/ mice battling. WE met the delightful 5: Sunshine, recently named Rabbit, Mike, and his brother Steve ... and Greybeard, who did in fact have a grey beard.   Sunshine has hiked the trail before and is a friend of Chestnut's. She is named for her ever-ready smile that once out-lasted a snow storm. Rabbit aparently is the leader of his tribe in that they can't catch him! They felt like greyhounds all day, watching him always up ahead. And, Mike is a character! ... continuously reminding us "...and my brother Steve," who happend to be visiting for a few days of hiking. Steve wore a wry grin through it all.   Mike started a lovely bonfire for us and Steve provided an array of grand treats from his pack to include steak! and marshmellows! I was a bit weary of the steak, not knowing how long it had gone unrefidgerated ... But, in the long run ... oh, well! Roasted, the one piece I tried was delish! And I roasted marchmellows until I couldn't find anyone to give them to.   And, guess who also showed up! Bearbait! He had to tent.   I almost forgot! The bird of the day (even though I didn't see it!) is the Eastern Phoebe.