Date: 2004-04-26
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: moderate rain

Hawk Mountain ShelterStart: Hawk Mountain Shelter @ 0810Finish: Gooch Gap Shelter @ 1230Miles: 7.1Weather: DOWNPOUR! It was raining cats and dogs all night and into the afternoon. Rain has stopped and the sun is starting to come out. Mid 40's. Sun came out in the evening.Breakfast: Chocolate Frosted Poptarts, Water, TrailmixLunch: Trailmix, Orange GatoradeDinner: Arroz Con Queso, Fudge Round, Snickers, Oat n' Honey Bar, WaterTrail Conditions: Trail was steep going up and down. Lots of rocks and roots at various places. The trail turned into a literal river with all the rain.Animals: MillipedesPeople: Loren, Gums, Andy (from England), Andy (from Virginia), a married couple, a dating couple.Well, the bear never came last night...what a wuss. It rained steadily all last night and continued into the morning. I bagged up my gear, threw the pack cover on, dawned my little yellow rain coat, and headed out. It was my first time hiking in the a rainstorm...it was wet.Depending on the elevation the intensity of the rain varied, from a steady drizzle to torrential downpour. It was beautiful walking, however, as many flowers were blooming and the clouds gave the forest an etheral quality. The last two miles of the hike were insane. It rained so hard the trail turned into a literal river with water ankle deep at times! I contemplated using my bed roll as a boogie board and rafting the downhills. I think it could have worked. Climb up Sassafras MountainThe trail was quite steep, however, my slow walking pace made it bearable, and prevented sore muscles and joints. As I trudged up the mountains I found myself singing aloud, whistling, and making other random grunting noises. I even invented a new dance, "The Rowboat." You take your trekking poles and row them like oars, while doing a quasi highsteep-moonwalk backwards. Its cool...really. I like to think I am a master of self-entertainment, but probably just a dork.We have a full shelter tonight, 10 people in all. Some are section hikers, others are hoping to do the whole deal. It is a lot of fun shooting the breeze though. After demonstrating my dance for the crew I was dubbed with the trail name Rowboat. It sounds okay to me, and it is certaintly different from others. Gooch Gap ShelterI am going to do some readings from the bible now, say a few prayers, and catch some shut eye. Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. I am very fortunate.One Year ReflectionI really learned what it meant to be caught in rain that day. I had never before hiked in rain and admittedly wasn't too excited about it either. There is something nonsensical about leaving a dry shelter. However, I easily survived and hiking in rain was something I quickly became accustomed to.Again I just poked along on the trail babying my foot. I was soaked through in about 5 minutes. The big climb of the day was Sassafras Mountain. At that point it was the most severe climb I had ever done. It seemed so ridiculously steep at the time.Despite all the rain it was beautiful hiking through the woods. Wisps of cloud passed through the forest, and beads of water refracted light off the leaves. The forest had an etheral feel, like something out of a fantasy.The rain was so intense the trail was severely flooded in places with water coming up to my shins. The trail was more like a river as water poured downhill along the trail. To make the day more fun I just started kicking up mud and water and subsequently invented "The Rowboat."Because it was my 2nd day on the trail, and first time hiking in the rain, it was anything but a disappointing experience. Later on my hike rain became increasingly difficult and demoralizing to walk through.The shelter really filled up that night. Of all the people I stayed with that night only Jorma (slimer) and Andy (Shaggy Sticks) would finish the trail. Both of those people I would only see my first week, and not see them again until July and September. Gums was at the shelter again, and as hard as I tried to strategically place myself in the shelter, he slept next to me and kept me up all night with his snoring. Goofy Gums.