Date: 2007-07-20
From: Cabin Branch

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Deciding to hike on last night even though it was thundering turned out to probably be the worst decision of my hiking career. It continued to rain and thunder and lightening after I quit journaling last night. I woke up at midnight to discover that my sleeping bag and pad were wet at the foot box. Where is the water coming from? I also was having difficulty getting the pad to stay in the right position, probably do to poor hammock hanging due to the rush to hang it due to the rain. I kept slipping into the foot end of the hammock and a couple of times falling through the entryway. Needless to say, I could not go back to sleep for hours. Oh, how I wish I could hit rewind and choose to stay dry at the shelter. I will hopefully never make this mistake again. Lesson learned. For once I hope today is hot and sunny so that I can take all my stuff out and dry it before it mildews. I packed up all my wet stuff and set out on the trail by about 7:30. I guess I have moved far enough west and south that it does not get as light as early as it did when I started out in June, and I guess the days are getting shorter. I got up at 5:30, but it was still dark, so I journaled for a while.The trail was of course wet and I was getting the car wash effect full on. It didn't take long to get to the top of the ridge and this particular ridge is a continental divide. Nice sign to announce it - water either flows to the Atlantic Ocean or to the Gulf of Mexico. It looks like it is going to be an easy ridge walk, but soon the trail turns very ledgey. Reminds me of ME and NH. Thankfully there is a strong breeze and the rocks are dry...and, the whole four miles across the ridge is not ledgey. Some of it is actually nice hiking. The breeze is starting to dry me out and it is nice to hike in cool temps. I stop at the turn off for the Sarver Shelter and eat a 2nd breakfast/early lunch. The Indiana family joins me just as I am about to leave. Then we see the Quaker camp leaving the shelter. Luckily this is their last day so they won't be joining us at the next shelter south. This is good because Gob stayed at a shelter with them one night and they were up to midn! ight. The Indiana family and I leap frog each other for a couple of miles to the Keffer Oak. I stop here to dry out my gear and they push on to the road where there is a stream. They need water and that is a good place for them to have lunch. I enjoy the shade of the 2nd largest Oak on the AT, a 300 year old oaktree while my stuff is in the adjacent pasture drying out. Nearby are some blackberries. Yum!I catch up with the Indiana family and we walk through several pastures for a coupe of miles. The sky is so beautiful and blue and clear. A bonus from last night's rain - all the summer haze has been washed away. At one field, there is a donkey penned up and he follows us to the edge of his field. It's like he wanted to join us on our hike.   The trail turns back into the woods and then enters a rhodo thicket all the time climbing in elevation. The rhodo cove is very cool and so is the water, such a nice change from this summer's heat. I make dinner and look over the shelter log. I am feeling the effects of last night's lack of sleep and my right ankle is feeling a little strained from this morning's ledge walk and it is now almost 6, so having learned my lesson (even though the forecast calls for clear skies), I am staying the night and will make up the miles tomorrow. Plus, its one more night with the Indiana family, Andy, Sarah, and Joey.