Date: 2009-05-04
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 42, 10.6 miles, 8:30 am - 12:45 pm   I'm shelter hopping. And staying in a hotel tomorrow. It's still raining, and rain is forecasted until FRIDAY!    We got here so early! At first I was disconcerted about spending all afternoon here, but right now I'm set up in the loft, legs on my pack, my feet finally in dry socks, and I have zero interest in stepping back out into the cold drizzly rain.    Anyway, backing up. Left off at Matt & I hustling through a downpour and praying for a spot in the shelter, which we thankfully got. I set my stuff up on the narrow single bunk, close to the roof, feeling wet and dank but relieved, as all the tenting at the shelter was flooded.    After a few hours the rain finally slowed to a drizzle, so I got water from the spring and then we ate a snack of sharp cheddar and crackers before going to bed.    Soon after I navigated pulling out my sleeping bag, changing my clothes, and arranging my things. I layed down and made a mental not not to shift off my sleeping bad, as doing so would result in a 4' fall and imminent death to sleeping hikers below.    I stupidly bundled myself in my bag, both to warm up and for potential mouse protection. I awoke hours later in a puddle...why? Is the roof leaking? No, I'm drenched in my own sweat, GROSS! I unzipped my bag and was then more comfortable and unbothered by any mice.    In the morning I woke up to more rain splattering on the roof, a sound that oddly enough relaxed me. Only those that do tent through rain can understand the relief of a shelter through days of nonstop rain. I was so happy and satisfied to know that we wouldn't have to break camp in the rain, carry a wet food bag and tent, and have a generally disorganized and 1/2 wet pack.    The rain continued so I was not in a hurry to hike out, especially with such a sort day planned mileage wise, so I layed in the bunk until after 7, when I had to pee. If it wasn't for that I probably would never get up in the mornings, ha ha. Oh well, as Matt says, you have to make it happen out here.    Matt made me 2 whole cups of coffee this morning which It is really amazing what a mood elevator coffee is. Maybe it's the caffiene. It put me in a passable mood as we made our way out into the wet day.    We said goodbye to 2 Step and Spanky who were very nice. Then it was only 10 1/2 miles to this shelter. The walk was rainy and dark but not unpleasant. The air smelled good, it wasn't cold, and there were mayflowers carpeting the forest floor. The woods are now green and filling in rapidly at 2-3' feet. We could see out a little to surrounding ridges and valleys...but not much. Abruptly we have entered the 'green tunnel' that we'll be walking through for awhile. I can understand the 'flat' designation for VA, it is a bit of a oversimplified term, but the terrain has been considerably easier as of the last few days, and the climbs shorter. We're out of the 5, 6' foot mountains for now. We often walk through farms, twice today we walked through grazing areas for dairy and beef cattle. Some of them had gangly calves with them.    We walked slowly and daydreamy today, and earlier than I expected we rolled into this shelter. I tried to get pizza for lunch but no dice, so I put myself into a sugar coma by eating handfuls of peanut butter M&M's and some Nutella. My stomach wasn't happy but it was good at the time.    So I claimed a spot in the shelter, wrote for awhile, and we did order pizza at 4 pm. We waited at the gate, scarfed our warmish pizza at the visitor center, and now I'm back on my mat, this time in my sleeping bag. It's only 50 degrees out and so damp and wet. I didn't think I'd be cold again after broiling in TN.    Now this shelter is filling as expected. I've been here 5 hours already, so I'm going to bed soon. I am so happy that Atkins is tomorrow, my feet are so irritated from being wet for 4 days straight, and everything I have is stinky and muddy...including me.    I'll be happy for the rain to be over so we can go back to more anxiety-free tenting. I'll have my hike back soon, this can't last forever.