Date: 2017-04-27
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Unofficial campsite
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Finally!  A good night's sleep!  I woke to splat splat on the tent but knew it wasn't rain due to its lack of constant rhythm.  The water splatting on the tent was just run off from the fog that surrounded our campsite this morning.  And what a glorious morning.  Cool and damp and downhill!  I admit to being sore and stiff from the past few days.  My trail legs are more or less not there yet and my lower back was complaining.  But nonetheless I felt darn good.  I feasted on a few granola bars, packed up, and off we went.  Mrs Joy and I made conversation as we marched along, heading for the next shelter and a meal.  Well, the next shelter popped into view in just a few hours.  I happily pulled out my stove and fired up a great meal of home-concocted soup and dehydrated veggies and burger and ate every bite.  Yum!  I noticed I was the only one really enjoying a healthy meal and marveled at how much control they showed.  People were talking cheeseburger - I assumed this was just typical hiker day dreaming.  But after my "lunch" the trail wove down over a railroad bed and presto! Behold the Country Store!  And it was staffed by Melissa, that goddess of the grill, who was busy cranking out cheeseburgers for all of our shelter-mates. She earned a hug from my be calling me a 'young lady' as she took my order (!), and in a matter of minutes I found myself eating the second lunch in a matter of a few hours.  OK.  I can rise to that challenge!  Actually, I made it through a small mountain of fries and half the burger.  My belly was full and having a bit of trouble acclimating to this new hiking menue.  In fact, if section hikers think of a new trail name for each section/hike they undertake, my name this trip might well be Gas Bag or Poopy Pants.  After lunch we saddled up again and took off uphill this time.  The climb was reasonably gradual and the sun was struggling to burn through the fog.  I felt completely energized, despite the stomach gurgling, and managed to keep up with Trail Snail as she wound up the hill.  An interesting woman, Trail Snail is from Germany and hiking the AT is just one of several adventures she sets her sights on after spending her professional life sitting at a desk.  She carried a full pack including the biggest bear canister I've ever seen (she had once had her food supply commandeered by brother bear and vowed "never again!") and was not a poster girl for ultralight by any means.  She was also a strong hiker who belied the 'snail' name if it was meant to indicate slowness.  In her case, it must have meant "I have my home on my back".  Near the top of the hill I found the campsite that Mrs Joy and I agreed to use, but it was on a nasty side hill lie.  Mrs Joy and I pressed on, soon finding a campsite that was quite lovely and not too much farther.  We set up our tents, threw a line for our bear bags, and settled down.  I then discovered that my sleeping pad valve was leaking.  Darn.  Mrs Joy graciously offered her thin pad, and, when added to my own thin pad gave me enough warmth and cushioning to get me through the night.  Thank you Mrs Joy!!!!