Date: 2016-04-28
From: Stanimal's Hostel via Rockfish Gap

To: Bearfence Mountain Hut
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The crowds were up early at Stanimal's Hostel. That's what happens when the median age is in the 60s. By 5:55 I was up and moving about, and by about 6:20 I was out of the house on my way to breakfast and Kroger. The hostel is in a nice green suburban area, and the plaza either everything in it is about a 12 minute walk away. I stopped in at a bagel shop Adam recommended where Nascar, Bolt and Sooner or Later were finishing up. The breakfast sandwich was alright. I bought some groceries and headed back, and sat around on the verge of napping for quite a while. Lordy I didn't need to be up as early as I did. At 9:15, Adam drove Bolt, SoL and I over to the campground where the shuttles around the fire pick up hikers. It was rainy and gross outside and I was glad not be out camped in it. White Rabbit, Blues, Large and Spidey were all there and packing up. Blues had bought compactor bags and handed them around as Pack liners. At 9:30, the first of the "10 o'clock" shuttles showed up and took everybody but me Spidey and blues. We waited around and talked to some bicyclers and loaded up into a minivan that arrived just before 10. The drive was pretty long. I spose we had to go out of Waynesboro, then drive the equivalent of 40 miles of trail, then head up into the park. The fog just hung around the tops of the mountains in an impenetrable cloud. We were actually getting dropped at Swift Run Gap, six miles north of where the fire closure ends, and six miles north of where I thought we were getting dropped off. We stopped by the entrance station and filled out permits before driving a little more to a trailhead. It was funny just how little ceremony there was about starting the trail here, considering how much internal turmoil it's been causing me. I just got out of a van into a foggy day and started walking again. It was about 11:15. The terrain in the Shenandoah looks just like all the pictures. Gently graded dirt paths through wide shadowy green forest. Very easy on the feet and the legs. Unfortunately, we were also in a cloud today. It wasn't really /raining/ but everything was wet anyway. I moved pretty incessantly, pausing to eat a clif bar and then stopped into Lewis Mountain Campground, where I ate lunch on the porch of a cabin I definitely wasn't supposed to be eating lunch. I filled my water at a spigot, and remarked how someone (probably an employee) had taken the time to fill milk cartons full of water from the spigot (which came out very quickly and strongly), just so people wouldn't have to deal with the jet of water and maybe get damp. Not only is the water from a spigot, we are actually complaining that it works TOO well. I made my way down the very short but of trail to Bearfence Mountain Hut, and was greeted by all the folks from the first shuttle. I thought i'd find them here. The next shelter was 12 miles and the next campground, 8 miles away, charges 20 bucks per campsite. All a little tired and not wanting to move on through the crappy weather, we all decided to stay the afternoon and evening here. Spidey and Blues showed up soon after me. We sat around and joked a lot, made fun of Spidey's trips to the privy - Ming's Revenge - cooked, and had a good nearo. A hiker named Justin from Springer came by and cooked dinner, but moved on. There are three other section hikers here tonight, but only one in the shelter with all us thru people. Tomorrow, the plan is to wake up and break camp quite early and go have breakfast at Big Meadows Wayside, the first of a few food stands we will see throughout the Shenandoahs (that apparently sell very cheap beer, too). We'll see how willing I am in the morning.