Date: 2005-05-28
From: Tumbling Run Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelters
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

I had set my watch alarm for six so I could get an early start. I was hiking about 20 till seven. I did not want to be late getting to the post office. I made great time, there was just one big up at the beginning of the morning and then just very small ups and downs. The weather was very comfortable. A lot of small rocks gave my feet a beating but nothing too bad to complain about. About a mile before the road, I found a cooler with trail magic, but left it for others since I was on my way into town anyway. It was right around 10 o'clock when I reached the road, I had plenty of time, as long as I got a hitch. It was a very busy road, and after ten minutes, a guy named Shane in a pickup truck drove me to the post office. I picked up my package and was sitting outside thinking of what to do next, when I asked a lady where the Wendy's was, since I had seen a billboard for it. She said she would take me there! She was very nice, and although I had to endure a speech about politics and whatnot, I was glad to have a ride since it was another 3 or 4 miles past the post office. I would worry about getting back to the trail after I had a full stomach.Well, I didn't have to worry for long. As I was eating, I talked to a lady sitting next to me about my hike and she offered to take me back to the trail. So I packed up my foodbag as quickly as I could and she took me all the way back to the trail. So I had pretty much gotten three rides, all within an hour of each other with practically no trouble at all. Talk about some trail magic. Either that or good karma for me leaving that trail magic for others earlier. It was around noon when I made it back to the trail, which went straight through Caldonia State Park. There was a copious amount of picknickers and bar-b-ques going on, it was yogi heaven. Too bad I had just had about three Wendy's burgers. The trail went straight up out of the park. Hiking on a full stomach is not much fun, and to make matters worse, it started raining. I passed a family out for the day and finally made it to the shelter to wait out the now torrential downpour. Here, I found Snail, Buckwheat, Coredump and Stick, who had passed me while I was in town. The first three went on, but Stick and I decided to stay. The rain had really chilled me. Before I go on, I have to tell you about Coredump. He is a quite interesting character. He is from Alaska, like Whitee. For some unknown reason to us, he likes to carry a heavy pack. I'm not talking about 40 or 50 pounds. It is more like 70 pounds. This is not an exaggeration. He has an old external frame pack that sticks over his head about two feet. To him, Stick and I are "fast and lights". This is all just perspective though, I still think my pack is heavy as crap. His food bag must weigh 30 pounds alone; he only goes in to town to resupply every two weeks or so. But if this is how he likes to hike, then more power to him. The blow-downs must be hell though.This shelter, as we would soon find out, is inhabited by black snakes. Luckily they live underneath the shelter, not in it. Since it was raining and we didn't have much to do, we watched a snake climb 50 feet up a tree. Now that I know that snakes can climb trees, not only will I have to watch my feet, but my head as well.A bit later, two section hikers came in by the names of Bee and Woodpecker who we shared the shelter with. Unfortunately, not far behind them were five loud, obnoxious weekend warriors who were planning on spending the night here. The rain had stopped, but it was still misty. For over an hour, they debated whether to stay here or go on into town to get a hotel room. After some persuading from Stick and myself (since I had the number for the hotel in my guidebook) they decided to go on. Not that I would have minded sharing the shelter with five weekend warriors, ha. Stick and I are going to try to get up early and night hike to the midpoint marker tomorrow, since it is still a good sixteen miles away.