Date: 2014-05-29
From: Black Bear Resort

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

I woke up at 6:00, took care of breakfast, blisters and was hiking by 7:00. I had about a half mile walk down the road to the trail. One farmer had about 5 acres of potatoes growing by the road. I wondered if that was something that you could grow and the animals didn't wipe you out. I stopped at the parking lot and talked to a couple from Montana using two vehicles to slackpack. I saw them yesterday and he told me every time he helped his wife across a stream or log they kissed. They are going to need some chapstick out here. I finally made it into the woods about 7:30 and followed a nice stream for awhile.There were lots of rocky clifffs where the water probably carved them out. I crossed the stream, went up a big canyon and dropped down into Laurel Falls. They were marvelous! I ran into Sleepy down there and I took plenty of pictures. I didn't see any skinny dippers, I heard that last year a father and son drowned there swimming. I had an 1800 foot climb after that, it took me a couple of hours. I met Pops and Owl hiking back down and then Radio and Stumbler. Owl carried mail for over 40 years in Minnesota. Pops sectioned hike the trail about two states at a time, it took him about 7 years and now he was doing a through hike. I stopped at Shook Branch Recreation Area and took about an hour break. I let my wet clothes dry out in the sun, made phone calls, and filled my water bottles from a hydrant. I watched the people swimming on the beach and watched the ducks and geese there. Paperboy was there taking a break and Sleepy showed up a little later. Hiked around the lake to the shelter where the bears have been visiting. There were several entries in the register talking about bears. The first half mile of hiking after leaving the shelter I saw three piles of bear scat on the trail so I think there are a few of them around. Hiking up around the dam I saw a bald eagle and talked to some guys fishing in a boat. They said the water is 200 feet deep in places. I got some pictures of a chameleon and did some trail art by the road. You will have to check out some of my creations in the picture section of my journal. I hiked across the Wilbur Dam road, I was going to check out the visitors center for a soda but it was rumbling in the sky. I got pretty wet the last hour of the day and stopped at Vavdeventer Shelter to take refuge from the rain. It was only 5:30 but it was looking like a wet evening so I set up my slereping bag in the shelter. I haven't slept in a tent in almost a week. Babs Bunny came in late and set up her tent. Some people do not like shelters. Sleepy also came in late but slept in the shelter like me. A couple that was already there had set up their tent for the night. The Hog From Hell and Goldilocks had through hiked in 89' and they had their dog Butter with them on this short hike. I told them of my intentions of eating at the Blue Blaze Cafe in Damascus and they said that their daughter worked there. They had some interesting stories about their thru hike. I got some pictures of a rainbow and some nice pictures behind the shelter looking down on the lake.