Date: 2006-04-11
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter, NC
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: 0

Cell none.Wildlife: Rabbit and heard an owl.Another beautiful day for hiking. We took it easy and only attempted 9+ miles.The ups and downs were more gradual today, so we didn¢t have much trouble negotiating them. We¢ve decided to hike to goals that are more realistic to our age. The younger crowd moved on and left an older group here. We have John and Henry who are section hiking, they are also caretakers of two shelters in Maryland. Hopefully we¢ll stop by their shelters when we get there. Then there is Neffa, Bob, Die Hard, and me. A nice group and nice conversation.I asked Die Hard how he chose his name today. He told me he was thinking of the battery at Sears - it never quits and starts every time.Today's song in my head was ¢New York state of mind¢ by Billy Joel. Some folks like to get away from the neighborhood. Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood. But I¢m taking the Grayhound on the Hudson River Line. For I¢m in a New York State of mind.One time the song changed as I rounded a hill and I heard music, probably from a truck on a forest road. The thought was ¢The hills are alive with the sound of music.¢ The music was short lived and my New York thoughts came back.The wind is picking up right now, but the forecast doesn¢t call for anything tomorrow. I guess when you¢re in the mountains anything can happen. Right now I¢m safely sitting in my tent, my home away from home. I probably mentioned this, but I prefer the tent. It¢s quieter, and when the mosquitoes come out I have a screen around me, plus I can have my stuff safely in it with me. My sleeping pad is warm and comfortable too.It¢s funny the weekend in town jumbled up all of the hiking groups. Some dashed into town Friday and left Sunday, others, like Die Hard and me, went in on Saturday and left Monday. Now that we¢re back on the trail the youngsters are pushing big miles while we take it easy. We¢ll end up with a new group in a day or two. Then we¢ll reach Erwin and it will happen again. We¢re one big happy family and we¢ll move in and out of groups all the way to Maine.Old GoatSue's Note: Some gear information. Old Goat has a Camelback water bladder that fits inside his pack. He's been using water tablets to treat his water, but found it to be a real pain to have to unpack his pack to get the Camelback out to fill it and treat the water. From time to time he borrowed Snowhoe's filter (when Showhoe was with him). So he decided to buy a quick change connection that let him disconnect the Camelback drinking end and hook on a hose that can connect to a pump. With that connection, he can leave the Camelback in the pack and refill it directly from the pump. Once he determines how many pumps fill the Camelback, it will be easy to replenish.Sleeping bag - Old Goat and "Red" are using the exact same sleeping bag. "Red" talked about how hot it is and Old Goat was surprised because he needed the silk liner to keep warm in it. No two people are the same, so what works very well for one person may not work so well for the next.I asked how they keep track of others along the AT. It's as I suspected - through the shelter journals and from others who went ahead then took a 0 day somewhere. When you catch up to them, they fill you in on who came by, who went on, etc. What a wonderful community.