Date: 2014-04-25
From: Pond Flats

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: moderate rain

I did two entries for this day because I thought one had been lost while posting.I awoke at 0600, and immediately started packing up to get an early start. There are a series of things to do in the morning, including putting my sleeping bag in a compression stuff sack, deflating my mattress and pillow, then rolling and stuffing them both into there sacks. When I was almost ready to start taking down my dry tent, down came the rain. I was not very happy!! Taking down and carrying a wet tent is not ideal, to say the least. The rain only lasted for about 15 minutes, just long enough to get everything thoroughly wet. I had a pretty steep downhill first thing, and thankfully had a dry trail to negotiate since the early morning rain was so brief. About 3 miles into the day, I came to the Shook Branch Recreation Area, which had a few picnic tables and a sandy beach along Watauga Lake. I stopped for a breather and snack, and watch 9 little ducklings within 25 feet of me. I walked closer for a picture, and off they went into the water, peeping away. Later, as I was preparing to leave, a Mallard hen and two drakes flew in to shepherd them to safety. Hiking today was very difficult, I felt I had no energy to climb, and as always had lots of climbing to do. The rain started about 0930, was intermittent for a couple of hours, then settled in. It was one of those days when you had to stop often to either put on or take off your rain gear. If it wasn't raining, you would get unbearably hot hiking with it on, and you always delay putting it on, thinking it might stop again. Sometime around noon, a big thunderstorm came crashing over the mountain, with a tremendous gust front, driving freezing rain, thunder and lightning. I was downslope a bit and did not have on my rain pants, so sought shelter behind a tree to avoid getting soaked below the waist. You are caught in a catch 22 in these situations, because if you take your pack off and uncover it to get raingear, you will soak both the pack and yourself, so you just hang on until you can find some sort of shelter, or the rain slackens. By 1400, I had struggled about 1400 ft through another violent thunder and hailstorm to the Vandeventer Shelter. Although I had planned to go further, I was wet and exhausted. There were a couple of section hikers already in there sleeping bags there, trying to keep warm. The shelter faced the West, so the cold, gusting, wet wind was blowing right inside. I was low on water, and Awol's guide had warned that the water source was 0.3 miles down a steep slope, not what I wanted to try in those conditions. I found a drip from a gutter on the back of the shelter and was able to fill my small bottle from it during a lull in the storm. I was in my bag by 1500, trying to keep warm and dry. Soon after Long John, OneA, and Tentmaker arrived, and the shelter was now full! Later, about 8 others arrived, some of whom tented after the storm lifted, of some who continued on for another spot to tent. I used all of my water for a hot chocolate and dinner that evening, and went to bed knowing I was dehydrated. I dreamt about needing water that night. I was packed up and ready to go slightly after 0700, and desperate to get water at a site 1.7miles away. There were lots of little ups and downs, and I felt as weak as I have yet. It was difficult to put one foot in front of the other. Thankfully, I made the trek in about an hour, found the small spring, and filled up myself and my water containers. It took a while to regain my strength and vigor, and hoped that the day would get better. By 1100 or so, I was feeling much better, and really started putting on the miles. Just in time, I reached a trail magic location I had been told about, placed by a local church group, where I found snacks and soft drinks. It is truly amazing how much you yearn for a soft drink on this trek. I think it's partially the caffeine boost you get, because that afternoon, I was moving fast and strong. I walked about 0.5 miles through a beautiful green pasture on my way to an new record day of 22.5 miles!I awoke at 0600 and used my headlight in an attempt to get packed up and on the trail before the rain started. I was almost finished with the in the tent duties, stuffing my sleeping bag and rolling up my mattress, when the rain started. I was not very happy!! I would much prefer not packing up a wet tent and carrying it wet to the next campsite. The rain only lasted about 15 minutes, just long enough to get things wet. I had a long downhill first thing that morning, and thankfully, due to the briefness of the early shower, the trail was dry and not too difficult. A little over 3 miles later, I arrived at the Shook Branch Recreation Area, where there were a few picnic tables and a sandy beach along the edge of Watauga Lake. I stopped for a snack, and watched 9 little ducklings within 25 feet of me. When I moved closer for a picture, they moved into the water, peeping away. Later, as I was preparing to leave, a Mallard hen and two drakes splashed in nearby and quickly shepherded the little ones to safety. This was another one of those days when the showers came off and on, and wearing rain gear without rain was unbearable. I had to stop multiple times to either put on or take off my gear. I was very fatiqued all day, and quickly blamed it on my decision to skip last night's dinner. When they say you need 4-6000 calories a day to hike the AT, they are not kidding, and it is very hard to get anywhere near that while on the trail. It's why we gorge when we get to a town. Just after my lunch, the real and predicted rain started. First a roaring thunderstorm, with a big gust front, rain blowing sideways and cold! I had my rain top on and due to the rapidity with which the storm appeared, had no time to put on the bottoms. I stood close behind a tree to avoid getting soaked from the waist down(against all sane recommendations)! There was a bit of a lull, then the really big storm hit. It also included hail, and blowing, freezing rain. I was short of water heading up to the Vandeventer Shelter, but decided not to get some at the last very small stream before arriving. I had not noticed that AWOL's guide said the water source at VV was 0.3 down a steep trail(not the thing you want to do on a wet, slippery day). I arrived at the VV Shelter at 1400, finding a couple of section hikers already in their bags trying to keep warm. The shelter faces West, and the cold rain and wind were driving directly in. After stopping, I immediately began to chill, so in a lull, I filled my small water bottle from a drip from the gutter on the back of the shelter, got out my mattress pad and bag, and joined the others to warm up. Soon after, Long John, OneA, and Tentmaker arrived and the 6 person shelter was full. Later, at least 8 others showed up looking for shelter. Most stayed and tented behind the shelter in a small flat area, and a few kept moving looking for a better spot. I had enough water to make dinner and have my cocoa that evening, but used all I had. I really felt dehydrated, and longed for a drink all night, even dreaming about thirst. -HiC