Date: 2017-07-03
From: Rocky Mountain Shelters Tent Site

To: Toms Run Shelter Tent Site
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: light rain

7/3Rocky Mountain Shelters Tent Site to Toms Run Shelter Tent Site 19.2 miles Total miles:  1098.7I planned on a bigger mileage day today for a few reasons.  First, I will be making it to Pine Grove Furnace State Park tomorrow,  and I wanted to get as close as possible today. There is an AT museum there I want to visit. Also, Pine Grove Furnace is home to the famous "Half Gallon Challenge." The goal is to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting to celebrate completing half of the AT.  Those who complete the challenge are rewarded with a small wooden spoon. I guess it really isn't all that difficult, because you still have to pay for the ice cream. Gravity is taking a bye on this, but I am all in.  All I need to do is decide on the flavor.  Also, if we make it to Toms Run Shelter today, we will pass the half way point.  I set my alarm for 5:30 but didn't start moving until 6:00.  I guess I needed the sleep.  We were on the trail by 7:45, which worked out fine.  At first the trail was very challenging, with lots of steep ascents and boulder scrambling. It was fun but very time consuming, and I was afraid we wouldn't get too far.  Fortunately, the trail for the rest of the day was much more conducive to making miles.  I was passed by Pick of the Litter during our rock scrambling. As I mentioned earlier, we first met at the bronze plaque on Springer Mountain.  He is such a friendly, outgoing young man.  He was meeting his parents today and was very excited.  We are two of the few people with Trail Names that get shortened.  I'm usually called, "Stick," and he's usually called, "Pick."  I told him to tell his parents that they had done well.  The trail became noticeably easier, and I made better time.  That was until I came upon the Quarry Gap Shelter and met Innkeeper. Those who have read The Lord of the Rings will recall  when Frodo and his fellow Hobbits are rescued from Old Man Willow by a sprightly, enigmatic soul by the name of Tom Bombadil  (he did not appear in the movies).  Frodo and friends were then invited to spend some time with Tom and his wife Goldberry in their magical home in the forest. Now, I'm not being threatened by angst-ridden willows (although I trip over countless roots, but that's another story) and horses aren't allowed on the AT so I have no fear of Black Riders, but weary hikers feel the same reaction that the Hobbits must have felt at the Bombadil's when they enter Quarry Gap Shelter.  I was lucky enough to meet Jim Stauch, aka "Innkeeper," as he was trimming unwanted vegetation from the land around the shelter.  Jim has been the caretaker of the shelter on this spot for forty-two years, and he is the one who designed the present shelter, which was built in 1994.  The entire place is designed to make you feel at home.  You enter through a fenced gate and immediately notice the flowers and shrubs (all native species).  There is a sundial by the path to the lovely spring that feeds into a small pool.  You almost expect to see an elf.  I did not need water, but I replenished my bottles anyway, just to be able to get water from the pool.  There is a special table for stoves, and a pavilion, decorated with hanging plants, over the picnic table.  The sleeping area is immaculate and well designed for comfort. There is an additional picnic table there with a shelf containing board games and reading material.  Three little stone turtles decorate the base of a tree. A porch swing is located by the shelter, and I rested there while I talked with Innkeeper. He is a proud member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, and he oversees the shelter and twelve miles of trail.  He told me that his goal is to make anyone who enters his shelter area feel at home. I happily fell under his spell, and Gravity and I chose to eat lunch there, even though it was early for me.  Innkeeper informed us that the area is also home to a chipmunk and a black snake. The black snake effectively keeps down the mouse population, a chronic problem with shelters. It apparently tolerates the chipmunk.  Innkeeper says he has seen them in close proximity many times, and the snake never bothers the chipmunk. I saw the chipmunk scamper across the yard but never saw the snake.  Innkeeper is a wonderful, caring man who is passionate about the PATC, the AT, and hikers.  I am so glad that he happened to be there, and that I was able to meet him and spend some time with him.  I even visited the privy, even though there was no need.  You betcha, the interior was panelled and there were air fresheners inside.  Not every shelter needs to, or even should be, so homey,  but I applaud Innkeeper for creating such a marvelous oasis at Quarry Gap. I have never slept in any of the many shelters along the AT, but I would make an exception at Quarry Gap.  Although I had no magic ring to dispose of, it was still time to go after spending over an hour at the shelter.  The trail was very well maintained and not too difficult.  I made good.progress toward my destination.  It was another warm day, and I am happy to report that my new warm-weather interventions seem to be successful.  I stayed alert and energetic all day.  I was passing Milesburn Cabin when I met Kevin and Matt. They rented the cabin from the PATC and were sitting in camp chairs in the stream drinking beer.  They asked me if I wanted anything to drink, and I gratefully accepted some ice cold water to fill my bottles.  We discussed the differences in our vacations.  They said they were pretty confident they would prefer drinking cold beer in a stream to spending five to six months hiking up and down mountains.  To each his own, I suppose. Anticipation grew as Gravity and I neared Mile 1049.9, located on Dead Woman's Hollow Road.  This is the 2017 halfway point. There is a permanent marker a few miles down the trail that I will pass tomorrow, but we reached the actual midpoint around 5:00.  Redeye was there, and we all posed for a selfie. There was a sign asking us to record in the journal new things we have learned since being on the trail. I responded that I have learned how to spell, Amacolala Falls, "usually." Gravity later pointed out that it is actually spelled, "Amicalola," so I'm glad I added the usually bit. I also said that I learned that you will eventually get to your destination if you follow the white blazes.  After celebrating this huge milesctone,  we set out for Toms Run Shelter.  We had a reunion at the tent site area because Redeye, Boomer, Jason, and Maple were already there.  We had a great chat while we all prepared our dinners and played with Maple.  Tomorrow will be the Half Gallon Challenge and  continuing our way to Boiling Springs.  It's hard to believe that I am now closer to Katahdin than I am to Springer.