Date: 2015-07-05
From: stealth spot

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up this morning to someone calling my name. D.No and C.Shell had camped a mere 50 feet from me, right over a little hill, but it was dark when I pitched my tent so I didn't see them. After about 400 miles or so of hiking alone, we live to hike together again! Giddy- happy- yay! They helped me clean the cut on my hand, which bled all over my sleeping bag last night, and they butterflied it with duct tape. Then we hiked out together. It was fun to catch up and talk about all of our adventures, comparing notes on places we had been. The time went by quickly. Experiences are enhanced when they are shared and I am happy to be with my hiking friends again. The terrain was very easy today. Not many hills in the beginning of the day and the trail went through many different scenery changes. We started in the woods with rocks, and then we went next to corn fields, wheat fields, we walked down roads and over bridges, under highways. It was interesting and easy and we chatted the whole long day. Raspberries were ripe and we stopped often to relieve the bushes of their plump and sweet little treasures. Around 10:30 am, we reached the quaint little trail town of Boiling Springs. We passed a lake that was really overpopulated with fat geese, and no wonder, kids were feeding them Cheerios and corn puffs. Geese and children were thrilled.The town of Boiling Springs has many old and beautiful homes, some boasted signs saying that they had been part of the Underground Railroad. So much history in the towns along this trail.The tavern was closed since it is a Sunday, but we enjoyed breakfast instead of burgers at a little cafe. A hiker named Chance told D.No about his latest string instrument, a 3 string dulcimer he bought from a guy who gave him a ride. It was small and beautiful and he was very proud of it. He hiked off with the neck of it sticking out of his pack. After breakfast we hiked on and the trail became very muddy. Thick oozy sticky mud. It clung to our boots and we tried to avoid it without much success. All of the rain has made the trail a mess! We still continued to hike in and out of woods and through fields. At some point, we saw Chance's little dulcimer leaning against a tree. Nobody was around so D.No picked it up and carried it, thinking it must have been accidentally left behind and we could catch Chance and give it to him. We reached the Scott Farm Trail ATC crew Headquarters- an old barn, a house, and a bunk house- and we stopped for water and to sit at the picnic table. A bunch of people were loading kayaks on their roof and D.No yelled over- hey! Do you have a beer we could buy? Ha ha! That made me laugh! And the guys brought over a beer. They had one. they wouldn't take any money. They took off and then Flat, a ridge runner, walked up after a while and asked us if we liked beer. Um- yes! He gave us each one and while we were chatting with him, the original guys drove back and unloaded a cooler. They had sodas, beer, cake, and cheese. They asked lots of questions about our hike and it was fun! Chance and pals hiked in and told us that their packs had been raided by kids. They had hidden them by a road so they could thumb into town for food. When they got back, important things were gone (the two beers each they had stashed In the side pockets). He was thrilled to see that D.No had recovered his dulcimer! We cooked dinner at the table and hung out, then we hiked 4 more miles to the shelter. It was a great day, it was good to hike with friends, and I am feeling more enthusiastic than I have in a while.