Date: 2008-05-23
From: Rocky Mountain Shelter, Pennsylvania

To: Tom's Run Shelter(s), Pennsylvania
Miles today: 19.2

Barred owls calling to each other around 4:30 a.m. woke me up. So nice to go to sleep hearing coyote and wake up to nature sounds, too. Fell back to sleep, but heard someone stirring around outside at 6'ish. Sounds ceased and when we and Crow got up just before 7, a plastic gallon jug of water with a note was found on the picnic table between the 2 shelters. The attached note said that since the stream is about a quarter mile down a winding path, the gallon of water was there to save others the walk; how considerate! No one knows who left it; it wasn't any of us there. Mystery trail magic    Today was an ideal day for hiking: temps started at 53 and went to 68, cool breezes blew all day and the sun dominated the heavens Trail varies from fairly steep ups to miles of pretty level paths threading thru deciuous forests, conifer forest(love the aroma), acres of mountain laurel heavy with buds ready to open up. We crossed numerous streams uneventfully. PA trail workers built bridges or positioned stepping stones acroos water crossings. Just fine with us! Talked with lots of day hikers, weekend hikers, and one trail maintenance volulnteer. Met Janks, a thru-hiker who started March 24 from Springer Mt, GA. Wow, is he cranking out the miles! Jenks wife will be joining him on the trail soon to hike at least 20+ miles together. He's aiming to complete his AT hike to Mt Katahdin sometime in July so he can get back home; he misses it. Jenks said he doesn't do mail drops for the very reason that Crow's in a rush. Maildrops can hamper the freedom to hike your own hike. It's fairly easy to resupply in towns, so unless you're awaiting new gear, why tie yourself down to them. Take It Easy and I got to this shelter at 5:50 and no one else hass passed by on the AT which runs smack next to the shelter(s)/this a 2 small bldgs together type of shelter set-up. There's a fast-flowing stream in front of our east-facing shelter so we'll hear the sound of running water throughout our stay here. There are also several large camping areas surrounding the shelters. This place is ready for hikers, so where are they? Since it was such a pretty day we're sure some one, either northbound or southbound will show up. Meanwhile, Take It Easy's excited that we hiked big miles today without much protest from his feet. It was another hike day where we reached our initial goal of Birch Run Shelter(a 13 mile hike) earlier than expected.   And that's with us having hiked to a grocery store/deli in Fayetteville .7 miles off the trail. At that store we resupplied; ordered and each ate our own large turkey submarine sandwich and drinks before 10 a.m! Thankfully we got a hitch back to the AT from a store customer who had his bike on the carrier of his car. Thanks for the ride, Trail Angel! Well, anyway, we got to Birch Run Shelter at 3 p.m., way too early to quit for the day. That's where we met Jenks. TIE's feet were feeling pretty good and the next shelter, Tom's Run was only 6.2 miles/a few hrs away. It's 8 p.m. now and we're watching Hike Farm hang his hammock. He's just getting used to hanging it and using it. Hike Farm told us about his biggest trail accomplishment: a 40 mile hike: did 20 miles by 12:15, had a 45 minute lunch, and got to the shelter before dark, doing The Priest and Three Ridges! When Hike Farm reached Waynesboro he took some zero's at relatives home and enjoyed great meals. Hike Farm lives in Vermont. His trail name derived from his real name, Mike Farmer. Hike Farm and us are planning on eating the requisite 1/2 gallon of ice cream at Pine Grove Furnance State Park general store, a "must" to celebrate finishing half the AT. Hike Farm's thinking about having his mom freeze a 32 scoop Ben&Jerry's cone for downing after he scales Mt. Katahdin. Ah, sounds good!