Date: 2005-04-29
From: A Spring on the trail

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

I awoke this morning to a rain soaked day. When you pack up in the rain your gear is always heavier because of the water and it never fits right. It was a miserable morning until as I came to a road and found a note posted on a gate that said basically "Trail Magic ahead, 29 and 30 April". I looked at the watch attached to my back pack straps to see what day it was, it was today. I followed the directions down highway 208 and turned up a concrete driveway. I looked up and over a small hill not knowing what to expect. There were no other back packs on the porch and I was not sure if I was at the right place. The door opened and I was greeted with a warm, "Welcome Home". The home belonged to two former thru-hikers by the trail names of Fal and Hercules (Class of 99). I was the first one to show, a plus for being the first one out of camp that nasty morning. I apologized for being so wet and dirty, they told me they were hikers and new all about it. Hercules lent me a shirt and I dried off with a towel, took off my shoes and went in to their beautiful cabin. I was told I was hiker number 382 for the year.   They also told me that after they completed the trail they wanted to live next to it and bought the cabin I was sitting in. I was feed some outstanding stew, plenty of coffee and a desert that I would have crawled there for if need be. One by one other hikers began to arrive. When I finally left about an hour or so later there was a total of ten hikers there. Just as I was about to leave Hercules told me that he had a daughter in the military that was about to deploy overseas to Iraq. I told him that my son in law Brad was there as well. (He still is there as I write this journal entry today). My thoughts were mixed knowing just what it may cost both our family's in the future. I had then and still have now, friends deployed there as well. Just before I started this trip I lost another friend there by the name of Richard Ferguson (Furgie), another name on the list of those I dedicated this trip to. I tried to comfort Hercules with the same words I told my son in law Brad just before he left. Something I said that he could tell his daughter from one old soldier to a younger soldier. I break it down to three simple sentences. First - Have faith, trust yourself and your training, second - trust your buddies (they want to come home as well) and third - be a buddy that can be trusted.    It was not easy to walk back in to the rain, not after being so warm and comfortable. Within a half an hour the sun began to shine. I stopped for a break in the sun and let my wet gear dry. I packed everything away and it started to down pour again. Later that day I ran in to some more trail magic (twice in one day, unbelievable indeed). A three time "triple crown" hiker was giving out candy bars. A triple crown is were a hiker walks the AT, PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and the CDT (Continental Divide Trail). This gentleman did all three a total of three times, unbelievable, I was in awe. He gave me his name but I unfortunately forgot it. He lived in a small cabin just 50 yards from the trail. I moved on as the rain fell, found another huge pine (Hemlock) to set up under and ate a late lunch. I put on my poncho and sat on my little three legged chair. My back pack lay behind me covered with the poncho and I cooked my meal between my legs. The stove kept me warm as the rain fell. Later that evening the sun came out again.    This evening I hiked with Praying Mantis. His name again is Jacob. We hiked for a while together during the early part of the Thru hike. He was a good hiking partner, we lost contact with each other a few days after trail days. This evening was to be my first quasi-night hike. We walked till 8:30 and by the time we got to the shelter, it was dark. We crossed over the Blackstack Cliff area just as the nautical twilight time was at its peek. The wind was blowing so hard from the East, oddly enough, that it was difficult to try to stand still. I believe it was Cooker Hiker who lost his backpack cover that evening because of it. It most likely flew off of him like a garbage bag in the wind. As I typed before the wind was from the East. Normal wind patterns came in from the West, just like you see on the weather channel. In other words, whatever is hitting California on Monday at the latitude you are at, you could bet it will be in your area in two or three days. The terrain was a rock scramble area and the mist was blowing in as well. Remember the elevation there was above 4400 feet. All in all it was a beautiful evening and I enjoyed it immensely, it was just tough going.    We got off the cliff and put it in to high gear, we pushed for two hours. We could have easily stopped along the way but we both wanted to do the miles. About 7:30 we pulled out or head lamps and periodically used them where needed. I walked strait in to a log lying back up the trail, put a heck of a bruise on my thigh. The trail is clear almost every step of the way however, there are things to beware of. We slept in our tents near the shelter. I practiced putting my tent up in the dark before so I was in fast. We had a fast meal of hot tea and a peanut butter and gorp fajita. A combo of what he had and what I had, it was good. Even with all the stops for the unexpected trail magic and getting soaked to the bone twice, I managed to put in 13.9 miles. Another great day.