Date: 2006-04-08
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: light rain

Hiked in the rain most of the day, breakfast to dinner, but have no complaints. Last night's rain ended long enough for me to pack and get ready for today.After packing all but my tent I headed to the shelter picnic table to make breakfast. The Maine guys were up and leaving. The Kentuckies were just rousing. They wake up loud like the way they go to sleep but we had a good slow start to the day.I was eating while they cooked. Wheat germ and cocoa and a cup of tea for me. Kentucky and Mallice have been section hiking for years. They're 55 year old retired bricklayers. Sherpa is son to one of them, not sure which. The older two were both in the documentary "2000 Miles to Maine". When Kentucky showed me his tattoo I remembered him right away. I had seen him in a couple of scenes online. The ink on his shoulder is a dream catcher design with the AT logo woven in. There's a feather hanging off with initials of each state he's done. He needs to add a few more. We chatted for a while and I went to pack away my tent. We talked more when I got all my gear arranged. They may have put me off a little last night but turns out they're fun, great guys. The dogs, who slept in the shelter are sweet and behaved even if they do bark. They are well trained and the guys said they'd never bring a bad dog on the trail.It was nice to move slow. They were going even slower than me. I was set for the day as they were frying bacon. They don't mind carrying lots of food and eating well. They're clear that they are out to enjoy themselves and not just pour on miles. They had poptarts as a breakfast appetizer. Sherpa shared his cherry ones with me. They also gave me a great cup of coffee, true luxury.I left camp around 10:00 and knew I'd find Apple and Trail Magic 2 miles up. It's not a surprise when you know it's coming, but it's just as good.Raining hard when I got to Apple's set up. We sat in his tent while he served up hotdogs and hot cider. Rain poured down. We talked about the trail and trail folks while waiting for a break in the weather. It never came. I headed out after a while, no sign of the ---Most of the day's trail was uphill. Steeper after Apple's as you approach Max Patch, about 1000' in 3 miles.Max Patch, one of the few true balds left, was beautiful yesterday from a distance. I could see the green top and rolling fields. Today it was cloud covered. I missed good views and dry grass, but still enjoyed the mountain. It has acres of field and gentle hills at the top. The trail is marked by blazes on wooden posts, not so easy to follow in the fog. It's a popular spot so there are forks and offshoot paths through the grass. After one wrong turn I found my way. I figured if worse came to worse, I'd just throw down my tent and leave in the morning when it's clear. Very popular to camp up there and gaze at stars, sunsets and sunrises.As I descended, the sun popped out once and I turned back to camp up there, but the rain started again.I hit the Shelter in another mile after passing some more Trail Magic. Tennessee Jed-thru hiker from '89 had left Cokes, beer, brownies and more sitting behind a trail sign. I took a brownie and a krispie treat but somehow lost them along the way. My loss, another hiker's gain.From the trail I saw an American flag on the shelter. There was a fire on the ground under the roof and guys in red tee shirts and camp pants drying boots. Military? No, Boy Scouts, second troop I'd seen today. This troop drove all night from Miami for a 4 day hike. There are 4 boys and 3 scout leaders, all nice folks. Again lots of talk as I got warm and made dinner. The kids are all nice. One must be on the Scout's don't ask, don't tell policy.As I ate, I heard dog barks and Kentucky came in through the trees, long hair and beard dripping. The others soon followed. Full shelter so they went around back and rolled out bags underneath. Dogs were very happy under there. I'm not sure I want to know how, but they got a fire going with huge logs, thick as phone poles. Probably used in construction of the new shelter.Double Shot showed up next and the scouts squeezed another space. Irish, a retired guy originally from Ireland and now New York, showed up and pitched his tent. Car Bomb and Elspeth, a couple, showed up last and are also tenting. Really diverse set of people but all interacting like old chums. The scouts were all sleeping and snoring by 7 so we took the party out back around the Kentucky fire. Our loud laughing blended well with the loud snoring from the other side of the log wall. We tracked trail news and agreed that the Christian Men's group probably would not make it to Hot Springs on just one more day. We'd all stopped to talk to them. Very nice guys but probably hard to keep a group of 20 all ages and abilities moving at a good pace.We talked about hiker eating habits. We've all learned the lesson of never turning anything down when offered. We all agreed that we'd pick up a single M&M or half-eaten Clif Bar off the trail. Keeping true to that rule, when Kentucky broke out the Twizzlers, which I hate, I took a red one to suck on. I guess the red are cherry. I'd never been sure. It went down fine after all.The trail's a good place. We the thru-hikers may fall into thinking that the trail is ours and our pursuit is pure. I certainly think that way sometimes, but I stop and chat with everyone I see like a group of 6 women strolling on a foggy Max Patch. Everyone is just out to enjoy.I'm thinking of heading back down the trail to be on Max Patch for sunrise. I need to nap now if I want to wake at dawn.