Date: 2006-05-11
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: Gravel Spring Hut
Miles today: 28.4
Weather: light rain

Whew!! What a day. By far our longest day yet, and also the wettest. We got rained on all day long. I think there was maybe 2 hours that it slowed down, but lots of hard rain. Thankfully it was not too cold. Got up this morning at 5:30 and hit the trail by 6:10 am. It was all about the miles today, so not many stops. It worked out today - since it was so foggy and rainy there were not many views anyway. Started out at a good pace and did the first 6 to Little Stony Man Cliffs in 2 hours. Took a break up there to admire the "view" (completely foggy!). Headed on and over the Pinnacle and eventually came to the Byrd's Nest #3 Picnic Shelter. Stepped in to get out of the rain for a few minutes. From there we walked down to Marys Rock which supposedly has a really beautiful vista, but since it was so foggy we just kept going saying we would be back some day. Got all the way down to Thornton Gap, then back up to the first shelter. Since it was a ways off the trail, we decided to keep going and have lunch on down the trail. Made good time to the shelter though - 15 miles by noon! Decided we would stop at Byrd's Nest #4 which was about 3 miles north. Got to where we though it should be, and come to find out that it was just the trail to the picnic shelter, not the shelter itself. At this point it was pouring rain, and we both had a little breakdown. We were soaking wet and hungry, and no shelter. Defeated, we sat down on the trail in the rain and ate a plain soggy bagel each. Yuck. We got so mad sitting there in the rain that we just decided to keep on walking. Eventually we made it to Elkwallow Gap where there was a wayside only 01 miles from the trail. We had decided earlier to skip this one having already eaten at 2. But since we were soaked to the bone and starting to get chilled, we walked on over. We each had a sandwich, and I had a nice hot cup of coffee; just what we needed! We took turns standing in the heated bathrooms after we ate sitting outside, since there were no tables in the store. Toalked to a really nice guy working the wayside - said he was with a Christian Group that put on Sunday Services at the park. Apparently students can volunteer a summer to help out in one of several National Parks across the country. Sounded like a pretty neat program. Finally pulled ourselves away and began the 5.4 mile hike to the shelter. For a little while it stopped raining and our pants even started to dry out a little. We went up over the 4 peaks of Hogback Mountain which all would have had nice views on a prettier day. Started going down from Hogback (well on our way to being dry) when the heavens opened up and the rains came down. We were drenched in seconds. Figures. But there was nothing to do except keep walking. After grumbling in my head all day about various things, I finally came to my senses and offered up some thanks for strength and perserverance. I was completely humbled when minutes later, the clouds parted and the sun came out. I hear ya. Had sun all the way to the shelter when the clouds moved back in overhead. Here at the shelter we met several section hikers from Michigan, High Pockets, and Treegirl and Mr. Rodgers just came in. Full House! So our longest day yet has come to an end. I am warm, dry, and happy to be out here learning these lessons. Love you family!