Date: 2015-05-17
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Raven Rock Shelter 
Miles today: 13.1

Got really cold last night...at least for me. I was in my 10 degree Western Mountaineering down bag, silk sleeping liner and wool base layer. This is supposed to be my cold weather gear and I need it now. This is not a good sign. Rock Doctor found my sleeping liner laying on the trail this morning on his way to the privy. I must have taken it with me to keep warm when I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I didn't even know I had dropped it and don't have a recollection of taking it with me. This is not a good sign either. Thanks again Rock Doctor!.I encountered my first trail magic today during a rocky section where it was very hot and humid and I was very hungry. Two girls were carrying fudge rounds and cokes for thru-hikers. I don't drink soda but the fudge round was greatly appreciated and took the edge of the hunger. Today was a nice and easy hike until the last mile up to Raven Rock cliffs. It kicked my butt! I was trying to outrun a storm and was feeling hypoglycemic and was out of water. It took everything I had to make it to the shelter which was full. Grasshopper got there the same time as me. I had to lay down on the floor of the shelter and eat a candy bar before I felt better. It only took about ten minutes for the sugar to revive me. The walk to get water was a steep half mile so Bear Biscuit let me borrow enough water to make dinner. Thank goodness! A half mile to get water from a shelter? I hope this is an exception and not common. After eating I felt like a new person. I'm going to need to carry more snack food. My hiker hunger kicked in within a couple days, and I can't seem to get enough food. Most hikers lose their appetite for the first two to three weeks, but not me. The shelter was in a gorgeous setting with plenty of space for camping. The early thru-hikers who started in Georgia are at this point now and are in fast hiking mode. The Arkansas twins who are 18 and seem to have endless energy thought it would be fun to do pull ups inside the shelter. They graciously offered to fetch my water for me My first instinct was to say no thank you and get it myself, but they seemed so eager. Besides, I really wasn't looking forward to it after listening to everyone go on and on about how steep and long it was.Drifter informed us that a tree fell on a boy scout at Dahlgren the day after we were there. He is going to be okay but three ambulances came and took him to the hospital. It was a live tree and no one understands how it happened. A dead tree fell on a backpacker a few months ago and killed him at Ed Garvey Shelter. So very sad. I will be looking out swaying trees. Little Prince said he wants to quit and this is not fun and too hard. He says it is not what he signed up for. It is really funny the way he says it even though he sounds serious. We are trying to convince him it will be easier with less pack weight and to never quit on a bad day. Today was my longest day, and I am looking forward to a good night's sleep. We are all laying pretty close together in the cozy shelter and Grasshopper accidentally bumped into my arm and being very polite he quickly said "excuse me sir, I mean mam". The quiet shelter was filled with hysterical laughter at his slip. I just realized I am the only female in the shelter. So ends my day...