Date: 2018-05-07
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Rocky Mountain shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke to the sounds of joyful birds including the long song of a whippoorwill. My shelter mate confirmed his sleepless night as a result of my noisy sleeping pad but wasn't overly sensitive about it. In his words he could choose snoring or sleeping pads in the shelter each night it's going to be one of them. I felt badly so I decided not to tell him about his sleep talking. At least it was incoherent, so I don't know anything I shouldn't!I cooked an oatmeal breakfast at the covered table, chocolate coconut and enjoyed a cup of coffee with it. Once Cool Cats cleared their laundry from the line and packed up I tossed my t-shirt over the line to dry. There wasn't enough sun there yet so I eventually gave up and hiked out late in a wet shirt, tired of waiting. Oh well, my body heat would dry it. A left out of camp northbound on the trail offered a nice steep morning climb of a mile up to Chimney Rocks. Fresh legs were a bonus. I met a few day hikers enjoying the view and spent a few minutes there in awe. My baby toes were really painful so I took a seat on a rock and began the process of trying to get more comfortable. Different socks, locklacing my shoes, nothing helped and I took 2 Advil to see if that would lessen it. As I was headed back out to the trail Ambassador arrived to take in the view.  I moseyed along with a hobble very frustrated with my feet. Ambassador soon caught up to me and knew I was in pain because she never passes me. I hike slightly faster than she does. As I told her I was about to fish around in my pack for a hack saw and rid myself of the 2 little beasts on the side of the trail she laughed and begged me not to, Instead offering me a pair of Crocks, some powder and tape. Crocks scare me, no joke. Those things look like slippery sweaty feet asking for a broken ankle, so I passed on them and took her up on the tape and powder. I re-bandaged and felt like a new woman. Thank you Ambassador!The forest floor then rolled out in front of me like a red carpet, thick and spongy and absolutely luxurious. I bounced down the trail and the miles rolled on by. There was a small climb just before the shelter and then a .3 mike blue blaze trail leading to Rocky Mountain shelter, sharply down hill. From there it was another tenth of a mile to the tent sites and at least a half mile to water on the side of Route 30. The bear box and privy were way up hill by the shelter and I resigned myself to the fact I wouldn't be using those tonight! I grabbed the site next to a picnic table. Ambassador camped up by the privy and stopped in at my site on the way to water so we enjoyed the trek together and conversation. I didn't want to make that trip more than once so I filled up 3 liters and a gallon bag. I needed to do laundry. My shirt smelled which meant I must smell too. I also needed to carry water out in the morning based on the location of the next water source. Back at my site I did my laundry and had a date with a Ziploc bag and Dr Bronner in my tent. The soap that is. It's nice to have the privacy of my tent for such festivities. There's no reason to be dirty and terribly stinky on the trail if you're willing to spend the time and energy. I have a bandana I use in the shower and in camp for bird baths I use little compressed wash clothes and wipes that are the size of nickels. Just drop them in water and they expand and unfold, add a few drops of Dr Bronner to it. In the morning I boil a little more water than I need so I can drop a wash cloth in the pot after my breakfast as wash with warm water. Cool water is only refreshing after a hike, not at 7 am! I made my dinner of chicken vindaloo which was surprisingly delicious as the sites around me filled up. Four 50-60 year old men out for a section hike and 2 young men thru hiking. It sounded like the shelter up above was filling up too. I was very hungry so I devoured some oatmeal for dessert with a package of raspberry jam squeezed on top. I know it sounds strange but I was hungry and it was darn good! I hung my bear bag retired early to my tent so I could text my hubby as well as updated my journal. I drifted nicely off to sleep by 9. Sleep doesn't come as easy as the 2"x6" white blazes do. I was awakened at 1am by the sounds of violent wretching echoed thru the forest. This would happen twice more within the hour. Poor guy! I did fall back asleep until 3:30 when my bladder became my alarm clock. Darn! I went back to sleep again after dealing with that. I can't wait to have chicken vindaloo again! It must be time to go make my dinner!