Date: 2007-05-27
From: 1.5 mile past Simmons Gap

To: Lewis Mountain Campground
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: broken clouds

By 6:30 we were on the trail and we were sure glad we hadn't tried to make the 4 miles to the shelter last night. It was all climbing, it seemed, until we got there at 8:30 this morning and it was tough. Neither of us had much energy in our legs and it was all we could do to keep moving. When we got to the shelter there was only 1 hiker left. He is a section hiker and his name is Symbol. Everyone else had left. Tom Dooley, Pooch, and Roxie (the dog), had stayed last night but they had written in the shelter register that they are planning a 20 mile day into Big Meadows so we knew we would most likely not see them today. We have not seen them for a long time.As we were coming down to the Skyline Drive where the trail crosses it a hiker passed us going south and he told us there were cold drinks in the back of the black truck at the parking area. Sure enough there were cokes in a an ice chest. Symbol was already there and then after we stopped 2 thru-hikers that were slack-packing south stopped for a drink. The 2 slack-packers' names are Walnut and Big Gulp. They are trying for 40 miles today!! We had more ups to do but after a while it did level out a little before going up again. We were headed for a picnic area where we decided to cook something so we would not have to cook tonight. The picnic area has a restroom with running cold water, flush toilets, and a spigot outside with fresh drinking water. We met a young couple (John and Michelle) at the picnic area that we had met at the shelter 2 nights ago. Then Symbol showed up.The day had been very hot and humid and with all the climbs our energy was zapped. So Symbol, Toto and I decided to hitch a ride to Lewis Mountain Campground. One of the first few vehicles that went by stopped and gave us a ride. It was a pick-up so we rode in the bed of the truck. When we got here there were few spots left for tenting so we quickly picked one before someone else came and took what was left. It was a sunny spot and we were waiting for the sun to go down before setting up the tent but it started thundering in the distance, the clouds were rolling in and the wind picked up, so we set the tent up and got everything in the tent and covered our packs with a plastic bag. Then we went to the camp store to take a shower and sit out the storm that started soon after that. Symbol had bought hot dogs to roast on the grill and cheese and bread and we bought the charcoal, lighter fluid, and mustard. So after the storm was over we had a cookout. It tasted awfully good with our chips and Pepsi. It is just after 9PM and it is thundering again so we will probably get another storm. This morning just after we started hiking it started raining so we put our pack covers on. Toto decided to put all his rain gear on but I said I would get wetter from perspiration with the rainsuit on. About 5 minutes after Toto put his gear on it stopped raining and he was hot so had to stop to take it off again. Some days are like that when it rains---you don't know what to do. This evening as we were sitting at the camp store watching it rain, here came the young couple (John and Michelle) that had picniced with us at the picnic grounds. They had their ponchos on and looked very cold. Soon they were on their way to the shelter, only 0.7 mile up the trail. They are a fun young people.When we got here today there were several hikers here: Eula, Stone Age, Triple Deuce, Beatbox, Breadless Horseman, and Yorkie. Most of them were planning to hike another almost 9 miles to Big Meadows Campground because there was to be live music tonight. I'll bet they got rained on before they got there. Well, we stayed dry mostly. Water got between the ground cloth and the tent floor and so the floor on the inside was a little wet but most things stayed dry. Life is Great!Dorothy & Toto