Date: 2008-05-09
From: Chestnut Knob shelter

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

"Its not really raining. Its just fast fog," Yazzie quipped from his sleeping platform across the room. I had been snoozing off and on since daylight, catching a fog bound glimpse out the plexiglass window now and then. Rain skittered across the tin roof intermittently, as if wearing out from the night's deluge. The stone shelter was painted white inside, which helped cast light around, but even so, it was quite dark from the clouds.    V8 was not up and about at first light, as is her usual way. She and I agreed that we would not start out in rain today, so we both enjoyed a much slower start.I had a bunk platform about 40" x 7'. It allowed me space to organize my stuff, read, cook and sleep. Unprecedented autonomy in a shelter!I cooked dinner on my little stove last night, and ate while wrapped in my sleeping bag. This morning I just sat up, reached for the water and after getting the food bag off the mouse hanger, fixed breakfast. Easy.Today's goal was just to get to the next shelter, Jenkins, about 10 miles north. The profiles looked pretty good, a few ups and downs the first 5 miles, then mostly down. By 10am the rain had let up. Fog still obscured the white blaze at the end of the field, but we knew this was our window to take off. V8 and I saddled up, did not bother with raincoats as when hiking they just get clammy unless its a downpour. Turtle was leaving soon after us, and Mike and Yaz after lunch. Once we got to the trail, visibility improved. The woods were wet from last night's storms, and the rocks which are sometimes covered with lichen, were slippery. In crossing a slanted boulder on a slope, I lost my footing and fell forwards, hard. I was lying slightly below the trail, looking up at V8, wondering how I was going to get myself back up, when I realized all I had to do was unclasp my pack belt and wiggle out of the straps. V8 reached down and worked the thing off my back, which felt like having a sea turtle in a death grip loosened and removed. All systems seemed fine, a little scratch on the knee, but no damage otherwise. It must have been all those prayers for safety and good health that folks have been sending up, as that sure could have been a bad fall. Thank you.It was cloudy and we had some more "fast fog" this afternoon, but later the sun struggled out. I finally got out my little iPod shuffle, and listened to a few songs [Uncle] Tom recorded for me. Alison Krauss, Bob Dylan, a Zydeco group... it was piercingly lovely. But the rain began again, so I tucked it away for another time. We got to Jenkins shelter around 4pm, and decided to call it a day. It is an old stick built shelter in a lovely pine and oak setting, with lots of open areas for tents.No one else was here, and Turtle had decided to move on, so we had the site to ourselves. We set up tents, as this shelter is not the palace that Chestnut Knob was. Soon, distance hikers Edge and Footloose came in. Edge thru hiked last year, and had a Tarptent called the Contrail. He graciously demonstrated how he sets it up, even though he will sleep in the shelter tonight. I am very interested in this tent, so appreciated the chance to see it put up and adjusted. Later, Mike came in and soon after, Yazzie. They are talking quietly with Edge and Footloose, while the birds who had been quiet during the fog and rain, make up for lost time by singing their little hearts out.The water here is a short walk to the side of the shelter, so I have a chance to go clean the salt off my legs and arms and feet. Its a healthy little stream, what we all hope for but seldom find at the camping spots.Tomorrow, a hike to the trail head where we can hopefully get a ride into Bland to resupply. Whether we stay in town or not will depend on weather, energy, and how the Trail treats us that day. The pileated woodpecker calls out goodnight!Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame