Date: 2019-06-09
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Terrapin Station Hostel
Miles today: 22.7

Today is June 9 2019. Jake and I have hiked 967 trail miles from Springer Mt GA. Our 76th day. The photo shows the Pass Mountain Hut in the Shenandoah National Park and a couple of other hikers at about dinner time on June 8th. We reached that hut after a 15.3 mile day. We setup tents and had plenty of time to socialize with fellow hikers. Several others showed up after this photo, trekking in on their own timeline. A scout group also showed and pitched tents in a nearby camp area. I spoke with a leader of the troop, asking about weather. He said the forecast was for rain bout 1 am carrying into the next day. Seems they "always go hiking in the rain". It did rain overnight into our Sunday June 9th. But there was a break around 6:30 so Jake and I broke camp had a quick breakfast and hit the trail. This day we were not the last to leave! And the trail was quickly foggy and drizzly. Our 1st destination was Elkwallow Wayside along the Skyline Highway thru the Shenandoah park. There with our rain gear on we stopped for a second breakfast: mine was 2 egg & bacon sandwiches and hot chocolate. Once we finished that breakfast we finally got our BlackBerry shakes! We are all this outside under a roofed open shelter as other hikers showed up looking to do something similar. As we hit the trail again more rain with water now collecting on the trail forming formidable puddles and running streams. You play a game with the AT for awhile...even though your feet are already wet, you still try to avoid going directly thru the puddles or walk simply upstream thru the center of the collecting rain water. But the AT always wins ... And as the day progressed it rained harder. Just when I'd think it might let up the wind would blow and we'd get an additional dumping from the sopped trees! I finally started to get a little chill as we were getting thoroughly soaked. Our best defense was to keep warm by keeping moving to the next hut. I finally honestly mentioned to Jake that I would really like to find a simple way off the trail for the day! But we had miles to go and only a hut or tent setup to look forward to. Fortunately within 5 miles of our target a couple of fellow hikers that were at the same shelter this morning caught up to us (Steady & Flipper). They were targeting a hostel that was .5 miles off trail and not on our radar. So we decided to all 4 go there together. They set the pace and I certainly hustled to not be left behind! We were all now trekking midstream and though Steady went dead center thru the path ponds I still did hang toward the edges. The rain continued ad we came to the final direction post in the North end of the Shenandoah. And ... We took a left turn instead of taking the path that went straight. We continued on the AT over a rock scramble for .4 miles before realizing our mistake. The guide info said to go straight if going to the hostel. Anyway, we retraced our steps back up the rock scramble, and back to the sign post...in the rain. We finally did get to the hostel, but all bunks were taken! Fortunately the owner had been a hiker himself so he made sure we could sleep on futons on the floor. We still did get hot showers, laundry, a personal size pizza and a pop with the stay price of $30 per person! On this night a great deal! ...and on This rainy night we got to watch the Bruins beat the Blues in the 6th game of the Stanley Cup Series. Resupply in Front Royal on Monday the 10th!