Date: 2013-03-18
From: Springer Mtn Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: light rain

I have a trail name!After finishing my journal last night, I couldn¢t keep myself away from the campfire guitar. I grabbed my Auchentoshan Irish whiskey, what with it being St. Paddy¢s Day, and made my way to the campfire. After several shots and a few more PBRs, I was feeling quite good¢good enough, in fact, to bust a move! Apparently it was contagious, because soon other hikers joined in. Then they played my favorite song, ¢The Greatest Love of All¢ by Whitney Houston. Mind you, I¢d had a flask of whiskey, which was just enough to break the social norms, and I thought it was a good idea to dance nude. And that, my friends, is how I got the name Woodstock.Okay, none of that is true. I was out like a light after finishing my journal. But my trail name really is Woodstock. Read on to find out the real reason.CookIn was kind enough to retrieve my food bag since he was the first to rise. The night brought light rain, and the morning rays struggled to pierce through the thick fog. Breakfast bars filled my stomach, and I broke camp quickly. CookIn beat me out by 12 minutes, but the shelter crew was just waking up.Once on the trail, lots of folks were coming up Springer from the parking lot. I wore my bright yellow rain jacket and black rain pants. I passed a hiker at the bottom, and she exclaimed that I¢d never get lost in the woods and said my trail name should be Tweety Bird. ¢No thanks,¢ I thought.The trail continued downhill for several miles. The hike was easy despite the light, steady rain. I met CookIn at Stover Shelter, and there were already two people there for the night. Rumor was the forecast called for steady rain, wind, and a 20-degree night!A few hours later, the same woman, who had introduced herself as Diet Coke, passed me again. She was slack-packing. She was very polite and upbeat and said she had been thinking about me and that my name should be Woodstock (the bird) or Chiquita. ¢Woodstock,¢ I said, ¢Would be a contender.¢ A few miles down the trail, the name grew on me. I like wood, I¢m stocky, and I also like trees and the forest. Charles Schulz, the Peanuts guy, is also from St. Paul. So I took the name.I made it to Hawk Mountain by 2:30 p.m. but decided to spend the night, given the crummy forecast. I managed to snag a spot in the 12-person shelter and, all afternoon, watched person after person arrive in camp. There are definitely more people in camp tonight than last night, perhaps 45 or 50! I spent the afternoon socializing and periodically gathering around the fire between downpours.Around dinner, Sparks brought a 12-pack of Yuengling beer and Cosmic Brownies! My second beer of the trail--I¢m getting spoiled.We¢ll see how restful the sleep is tonight. We are definitely packed in here like sardines. Also, the updated NWS forecast calls for storms through midnight, showers through the morning, and a low of 42 degrees--much better than expected! The clear sailing the next three days!I just counted 22 tents (most 2-persons) and 1 hammock¢because of college spring break groups.Addendum: Other items worth noting.1. I found a newt under a log while gathering firewood. I immediately felt sorry for the guy and decided to give him his home back.2. While talking about hiking boots with Some Peach (pronounced in a Southern drawl so it sounds naughty), I ended a statement with, ¢Ya know.¢ He immediately cocked his eye and asked where I was from. I said, ¢Minnesota,¢ and he said, ¢Ya sure, you betcha.¢ Gosh darn it if I don¢t talk like a true Minnesotan. My cats, Uffda and Hotdish, would be proud!3. I broke a Sawyer Squeeze water bladder by dropping it from waist height.