Date: 2016-05-05
From: Shelter

To: Hemlock Hollow Hostel
Miles today: 6.0

5/5 Day Thirty OneMy journal entry last night was cut short. The wind really was blowing and the rain was pelting hard. The rain continued all night until it turned into sleet and snow. To say it got cold outside is an understatement.The worst part was I had to set up my tent quick and I was in a slight slope. A slight slope really sucks as you will slide to one side of the tent as the night progresses.But sliding to one side of my tent was the least of my problems. The rain was coming down hard and I received a text from Justin he stopped at a firetower so now I was worried about him. But not too worried that I fell asleep and woke up to an ice and sleet covered tent. Warning, shameless gear plug coming up....my Henry Shires Double Rainbow TarpTent held up very nice and I woke warm and dry. I would recommend this tent to anyone not wanting to freeze to death.Now back to out program. It was cold in the morning. You know that wet cold that cuts through whatever you had not sent home? Yup.. That kind of cold. When I finally emerged out of my ice encrusted tent some tenters were already gone. The shelter dwellers were still nestled in and I discovered that the brothers (Holy Diver and Ghost) were deep inside trying to stay warm with whatever they each carried in their ultra light rucksacks. The Rock was there two, but he was moving out with his loaded down military backpack that makes one wonder if he is carrying "the doomsday device" in there. Mayfly and I used the vacated shelter to organize our stuff. We moved slow. At some point we heard there was shelter about 7 miles up the trail and the weather was going to get WORSE. We decided to go for the hostel.Mayfly and I trudged through a very slick and muddy 7 miles and finally to Hemlock Hollow Inn Hostel. As we walked we asked all southbounders to look out for Justin and to please tell him we would be at the hostel.When we got to the hostel it started to rain. The deluge reinforced our decision to take a short day and seek cover. Plus to sweeten the deal, there was trout stream on the property.We were concerned that the place would be booked, but when we walked in there was only Rock and J. So we each bought a bed in the bunk room and sorted through our wet gear.All day I was worried about Justin and kept thinking they would find him at the fire tower looking like Jack Nicolson at the end of The Shining.At 6pm James (the hostel ramrod) ran us to the local beer/pizza/cigarette store for dinner. Here we were able to buy dinner and observe some of the "local flavor". As we shopped Justin called me from the hostel. He was alive. Evidently he spent the cold part of the morning sitting Indian style in some southbounders tent learning how to cook trail fondue in a titanium skillet. Evidently he found a new friend and they plan to meet at Trail Days. Bromance.So we finally made it back to the hostel and despite the continual rains, Mayfly broke out his fly rod and we went to the pool of Paint Creek that ran by the hostel. We took turns casting and we caught some small Rainbow Trout and Creek Chubs. As darkness fell and the rain intensified we retreated back to the cabin where we played cards with Rock, J and Justin until we all went to bed.