Date: 2015-05-30
From: Pass Mountain Hut 

To: Compton Spring
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: scattered clouds

A long but beautiful day. Lush green trail, and an early start.We stopped at midmorning snack time to eat at the Elkwallow Wayside. We got there right as it opened. PERFECT TIMING FOR MY HUNGRY TUMMY. Seriously, it must be that AT Phenomenon at work again. There we met Funk's brother and his wife again, and shortly after, Funk arrived as well. We sat and ate and chatted for nearly an hour. They are such a great family, I enjoyed running into them over and over again the last few days.We stopped for lunch at a nice view spot and I had pretzels and peanut butter and CHOCOLATE PUDDING that I had bought at the Wayside. and it was amazingly AMAZING. Chocolate and protein and crunch... I have been eating SO MUCH in this stupid park. My thighs have been chafing extra again lately... Soon I will have to return to my trail food diet... no more cheese from Funk's family or blackberry milkshakes for Red Panda next week.Then a couple of day hikers arrived and gave us oranges, which was extra amazing. Then Funk arrived, oranges were shared, and we set off again, leaving Funk behind to take advantage of the good phone service at the overlook.He caught up to us about ten minutes later. Chris had nearly leapt out of his skin in front of me. A rattlesnake next to the trail! The AT Phenomenon had struck again. A few hours earlier, a southbound hiker warned us of a rattler ahead in the trail. We walked extra slowly and kept our eyes peeled. We even dug our phones out of our packs in anticipation of taking pictures... but no snake was to be seen. Chris grumbled with disappointment. Then, hours later, what did we find? A rattlesnake. Just like how when he wanted to see bears, bears appeared. Crazy. CRAZY, RIGHT?!The snake was a little disappointing... it didn't rattle. It didn't even MOVE. It didn't stick out its tongue. It just chilled on the side of the trail while we spent ten minutes staring at it and taking pictures.I wrote two warning notes to leave on the trail, pointing to the snake, labeled SNAKE AHEAD. I placed one south of the guy and one north of him. I also put the date and time so that people passing tomorrow will know to disregard the warning.We stopped for water at the next shelter (I'm sorry, I mean HUT), and met Blissful, the same ridge runner I saw on my first day in the park. There were no campsites or shelters marked in the guidebook within range of the 15-20 miles we have been trying to hike daily, so we were planning to stealth camp near a spring about 20 miles from where we started. She told us that there was a spot we could camp at only a few tenths of a mile past the spring.We left Funk there to eat his lunch, and did what we always do... hiked! It was a beautiful afternoon. We stopped for a rest and a snack about three miles short of the spring. My poor feet were getting tired, and when I suggested a rest after we reached a crossing of Skyline Drive, Chris was quick to agree.Funk caught up to us there again, and again at the spring about an hour later, where we all filled our bottles before heading on to this nice little campsite. Later, Swamp Fox, Coco and Magnus also arrived. We have arranged our tents (and Chris's hammock) in this tiny little spot and made a lovely little hobo camp, with our nasty smelly hiker clothes spread out on a line and everything.Billy passed by, as well as a guy whose name no one seems to know but we are starting to call Tall Gaiters. He is the grumpy guy we passed yesterday. Everyone passes him, and he is always grumpy. He walked STRAIGHT PAST the hobo camp without a word. I imagine he will find a spot nearby to camp in solitude. I wish I knew his story.My feet hurt after a long day. 20 miles is a lot. But still, the trail calls! Tomorrow will be a shorter day, which will be nice.So one more thing... I have a nice thin but fairly comfortable ThermaRest. Many people have air mattresses that inflate to like four inches high. They are like those things you lounge around on in the pool. Pool rafts. Some people have pool raft air mattresses. They are so goddamn loud. Every time the person using them moves or shifts position, they squeak and creak and drive me NUTS.AND GUESS WHAT?! SWAMP FOX HAS ONE.GUESS WHO HAS BEEN SQUEAKING AROUND ON THEIR POOL FLOATY MATTRESS FOR THE LAST TEN MINUTES?! SWAMP FOX.AND GUESS WHOSE TENT HE PITCHED HIS FIVE FEET AWAY FROM?!THAT'S RIGHT, MINE.Hahaha it could be a long night... and everyone else in the hobo camp is already in bed, so I guess that I should follow suit.I am thankful that I am happy on the trail and not a huge grump like Tall Gaiters. I am grateful to have met Funk's amazing family. I am also thankful for today's wonderful weather. It seems that tomorrow might bring some rain... I hope it starts after I pack up my tent!I will be home in a week! SO EXCITING!!