Date: 2003-04-21
From: Campsite Past Vandeventer Shelter

To: Campsite Past Abbington Gap Shelter
Miles today: 21.8

Day 39 Avg Mls/Day 11.6Weather: Cooler with rain showers all morning. Clearing toward evening. High in upper 60's.Slept pretty well in my tent last night as I was tired. It was the warmest night so far...no long johns just the silk long sleeve and speedos. Woke up about 6 and thought I heard a few rain drops hit the tent. Started packing up as it did feel like a storm was on the way.   Goldwing, who was tented nearby, also packed up. No sooner were we on our way but it started to rain...not a pouring rain but heavy enough. Eli and two other hikers tenting nearby also took off. We all met up at Iron Mountain Shelter, about 3 miles north.   We all ate something; Eli cooked himself some breakfast. I was the first to take off as I needed to generate some body heat...I was getting cold. The Trail was fairly easy and I walked at a pretty good pace. This was the first time I hiked extensively in the rain. It wasn't long before I was soaked from the waste down, including my feet.   I was even somewhat wet under the parka, but it did a fair job of keeping me dry. Most important, it trapped the body heat and kept me warm in the cold rain. I was the first to reach the next shelter, Double Springs, around 11:30. It had stopped raining so I hung some things out to dry, got water and ate lunch. Just as I was leaving Goldwing arrived folowed by a couple out for a section hike. I read the register; left an entry and took off.   There were a few more outbreaks of rain but things started to dry out after 2. The Trail is fairly easy the last 40 or so miles before Damascus. I was averaging 2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour. I arrived at Abington Gap Shelter at 3:30 to find Coyote finishing his dinner.   I was going to eat there, and then hike on to Damascus or tent along the Trail. I needed water and it was .3 miles down a steep hill. It was the most difficult hiking of the day. I hung some stuff out to dry and took off my boots and wore my flip flops. I had Lipton chicken broccoli noodles, but added a package of chicken breast meat. It was more than enough as I wasn't starving. Goldwing stopped by for a minute, then headed north a few miles to tent. By the time I was through eating Eli showed up, but didn't want to do the hill for water. I don't blame him. I gave him a little of mine and he took off down the Trail. I left at 5:30 with the intention of stopping to tent around 7 p.m.   I passed Eli's tent site and found one of my own within a mile. This is the first time I have "stealth" tented alone and the first time I strung my own "bear bag line."I should sleep well again tonight. It doesn't look like rain and I'm tired from my 3rd 20+ mile day. I just realized that I have left behind Dag, Mag, Charlie, Just Do It, De Ja Vue, Songbird, Gambler, Cool Foot, Itchy Foot, SOS, Fido Dido, Noah, Tunnel Vision, Radio Shack, Digger, Doulous, Cosmo Kramer, Nick, Neely, and of course, Mule. I hope to see some of them in Damascus as I'm taking at least one zero there.   Should be a liesurely walk in of about 7 miles.It is now 5 a.m. on Tuesday. I have been lying here awake for about an hour listening to forest sounds. I slept well but started thinking about the hike and couldn't go back to sleep. I picked kind of a neat camping spot in that it overlooks a valley (maybe Damascus) and I'm looking at the scattered lights below.   It's getting a little chilly so I'll try to go back to sleep for an hour or two.Thought for the Day: Hiking in the rain wasn't all that bad.