Date: 2017-06-19
From: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter, CT

To: Limestone Spring Shelter, CT
Miles today: 19.7

6/19/17, Limestone Spring Shelter, CTMiles hiked: 1178.1, Miles to go: 1011.7The weather reports have been predicting Big Rain for today for the past several days - up to two inches, with flash flooding possible. Our plan was to make for the next shelter, 10 miles away, and assess weather conditions before deciding wether to push on. Our ultimate goal is Salisbury, CT, on Tuesday. We have a room for the night and the earlier we arrive, the more time we will have in town. Our hike started out under gray skies and totally still air. It wasn't raining yet; but, rain would have been preferable to this high humidity and oppressive air. After hiking only a short while, our clothes were literally dripping with sweat. We actually stopped a couple of times at streams and rinsed out our clothes. They were soaking wet anyway, and dripping with clean water was better than dripping with sweat. As we hiked, the sun actually began to peak out and a breeze began to blow - how pleasant! After hiking all morning, we arrived at the Pine Swamp Brook Shelter just in time for lunch. Pretty soon, we had a pretty big crowd: Pa John, Spaz, Haiku & Wick (and their dog Baby Bear), Sauce, Snooze, Keller, Mantis, and Denise. Pa John and Spaz had already decided they were stopping for the night; but, everyone else planned to push on to the next shelter, which was 11 miles away. 1st Sgt and I finished lunch and had decided to push on also when the skies turned dark, the wind picked up, and the thunder began rolling. The younger hikers all headed out to try to get as far along the trail as possible before the skies opened up. They didn't make it far. Pa John, Spaz, 1st Sgt, and I took cover in the shelter as the Heavens were ripped asunder. A fierce maelstrom raged for close to an hour. Pretty soon everyone around me was snoozing peacefully. I tried to nap too; but, lightening storms tend to energize me. I think it has something to do with all the positive ions generated by the lightening. Soon the storm passed and the sun came back out. I decided we should push on; but, 1st Sgt felt that it was getting too late in the day to push on to the next shelter and more bands of thunderstorms were on their way, so we should just stay put and hike it in to Salisbury tomorrow. I decided to go ahead and push on and meet up with him in Salisbury. I just haven't been feeling the Love on the trail the past couple of days and really needed some town time. I headed out under sunny skies and pleasant breezes. It lasted all of thirty minutes. Pretty soon another maelstrom was upon us. Thunder crashed, lightening flashed, and trees swayed crazily in the wind. I got soaked; however, since I've been wet, either from sweat or rain, for the past three days it really didn't matter. And, like I said, thunderstorms have always energized me, so I really enjoyed the hike. In a short while, the thunderstorm passed and the rain settled into a steady drizzle. The trail was a creek; but, my feet were so soaked it didn't matter. I stomped down through the middle of the puddles. The sensible thing would have been to stay safe, warm, and dry in the shelter and let the storms blow over; but, I am thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. Sensible went out the window months ago.Of course, 11 miles in the pouring rain did start to get a bit long; but, at this point I was committed. You are only allowed to camp at established campsites in CT. So, it was on to the shelter. I arrived at the blue blazed trail that led to the shelter around 7:30 PM as it was getting dark and the fog was setting in. Of course, this shelter just had to sit 0.5 miles off the trail in a hollow down a steep and treacherous side trail. After what seemed like miles, I finally arrived. The shelter is full and there are about six tents in the tenting area, so I am set up in my hammock. Of course, everything is now soaked and my feet and hands look like prunes. That's OK though because tomorrow is a town day, so I can dry everything out, get clean, and recharge my batteries (both actual and metaphorical). Hopefully, I can get my feet healed up and get my mojo back. We are getting ready to head into Massachusetts and will be facing real mountains again.