Date: 2009-09-27
From: Orbeton Stream

To: Poplar Ridge Leanto
Miles today: 2.7

I woke up before 5. There were no raindrops yet. I ate and packed up and was on trail at 6:15 by headlamp for 10 minutes or so as the day got brighter. The trail went very steeply down to the stream crossing. I back-climbed down some of it and was glad I wasn't doing it in real darkness. When I was crossing the stream it started to rain. I stopped and made sure everything was thoroughly rainproofed. Everything important to keep dry was behind about 4 layers of plastic/raincovers. The raincoat I drapped from my head with enough loose to cover my shoulders. Even on a cool morning I would sweat going up hill and I didn't want to swealter inside the raincoat. The rain completely convinced me that I was going no further than the next shelter today. I have just barely enough food to stretch this section out for a day. (actually 3/4 of a day as I had planned to get to the road by 10:00 tomorrow.) About half way to the shelter I met Chef. He was heading to the southbound shelter. He said the weather report was for heavy rain this afternoon and he had slipped on the rocks on Saddleback when they were dry. OK. That confirms I am just going to the next shelter and hole up there for the rest of the day. It will throw my schedule off but I think my children and grandchildren would prefer I actually return from this hike instead of killing myself. Then I met Jungli, Tully, Buttchins, Ramble On. It was grand central station. I found out 15 hikers were at the shelter or tenting nearby last night. Sally, Mark and Karen, came by. They were an older three Mainers out for a week. I got to the shelter just as Bottom Bunk and Spice Rack were leaving and then I had it to myself. So, what was the first thing I did when I unpacked? Yep, I took a half bath. Don't laugh, at least not too hard. After two days and no bathing, I reeked. And I was going to have to live with myself in the shelter all day. I had extra fuel so I actually heated water and washed the top half of me and my feet in warm water. It felt really good as the temp was 47. Then I pumped 3 liters of water, climbed into my jammies and all my clothes and snuggled in my sleeping bag to stay warm. Oh, by the way, a word about this shelter. The sleeping shelf is not made of flat boards but of baseball bat size logs. Glad I have a thermorest even if it is a short one. So, I spent the rest of the day mostly horizontal except for writing this journal. It is hard to stay warm when not hiking any other way than in sleeping bag. And besides, the rest felt good. I got up to eat and water the bushes and that was that. I did listen to some radio stations on my MP3. I also called Bob at Gull Pond and he will pick me up tomorrow at the road at 6:30. Now all I have to do is get there. At about 5 in the afternoon Stromboli came in having braved coming up Saddleback in the rain. He was very talkative and good company. He was also encouraging to me about tomorrow. He has a cough so I gave him some of my meds since I don't need them any more. Close to 7 PM Night Train, a SOBO section hiker from Bainbridge Island near Seattle sloshed in. He is an older gentleman who hikes twice as fast as I do (doesn't everybody?) and has also section hiked the PCT and CDT On a cloudy day it starts to get dark even earlier. I certainly rested on my Sabbath Day. And although it is still raining I am dry and warm and life is good.