Date: 2008-10-30
From: Hurricane shelter

To: Uber campsite
Miles today: 13.7

Laid back day, talked to a black powder hunter early in the morning than into the Grace Highlands. We stopped for lunch and an excellent view of what was to come. We saw a guy pass with a cool looking backpack and thought about following him on a blue blaze that we thought may link up to the AT. You never know so we went back to the trail and followed it a stupid way with no view and bad terrain to the same place the scenic trail we considered following ended up. There we met the guy with the cool backpack. MYOG (make your own gear) had made the backpack and all the rest of his gear as well. Trekking poles made out of kite rods and fishing pole cork handles. He showed us lots of gear he had made and gave us some extra food he had. We headed separate ways and ran into him at the next shelter. He had his gear laid out and the new tent he told us about was pitched. Chev and I checked the water source, Chev filled at a barley existent spring and I headed back down the trail to a large stream. I treated it with iodine since I was well aware of the feral ponys in the park. (I learned 3 days later I had thrown out the iodine bottle and kept the neutralizer pills...intending to do the opposite.) We decided to hike 7 or more miles and said bye to MYOG, we didn't make it more than a mile further though. We came across a large tree which totally blocked the trail and relocated it best we could. Than came across ideal camping, dropped our packs and started eying lines up the big rocks above us. At the top we discovered there was even better camping on the other side. We headed down the mountain Chev was ahead and I stayed to pick up the fire wood laying around. MYOG came up behind me and said he had also decided to camp somewhere else. I informed him of the uber camping on the other side and that he was welcome to join us and headed after Chevy. Chev had picked out a nice flat spot with a fire pit and a natural log bench. We were doing a fast pitch and setup because there was so much climbing around that we wanted to partake in. MYOG appeared again with a bag and asked if we wanted the rest of the food, "ya I'm going back to my car its just in the parking lot a mile away...I do this all the time, my wifes gonna make fun of me again, I load up for a few days come out here and am back the same night." Haha I understood though he wanted to test out his gear...but MYOG you shouldn't have passed up that amazing camping spot! We thanked him for the food and I was complementing the food bag he made and he said "here have it." I asked for his e-mail and he said "no no thats not necessary." I insisted and asked how I was to send a review of the product. He replied, "oh ok and I could make you guys some warm weather things and ship them out to you." Free gear? our eyes bulged, I love the people out here! We exchanged info and he set off to his car and us for the climbing. Chevy had just peaked the peak we were climbing as I was looking for a route when he gave a loud howl. 5 seconds later a pack of coyotes responded from the north, than Chev pointed down trail saying "hey someones coming." We headed back to the grassy field and met Godzilla, the same one I had met in NY with Paddy-O. We told him of our uber tentsite and told him to join, "oh man that'd be great I didn't want to go to that next shelter anyways its pretty far still." We accented the large rock summit once again to watch the sunset. It was amazing as the sun was just sinking below the mountains we could see the sliver of the moon climbing up. It stayed at the same point then descended out of sight, anyone have an explanation for this? We gathered wood and had a fire with dinner Godzilla told us he'd been on our tales for weeks. We climbed into our tents while Godzilla played his harmonica...a perfect end to an amazing day.