Date: 2021-08-30
From: No Business Shelter 

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter 
Miles today: 21.24
Weather: broken clouds

Despite my misgivings, my bear hang survived the night unharmed and intact, though we discovered later that Quiksilver¢s bag had a hole chewed in it by a rodent. It was very hot last night and for the first time on trail I didn¢t put on socks or use my quilt liner all night. I did go all lazy-bones and hit my snooze twice and didn¢t get up until 6:15. After getting packed up I just sat at the picnic table in front of the shelter and yawned for a while, finally plodding out of camp at 7:15. I wasn¢t relishing the day ahead. There were three big climbs in the first 11 miles taking us up over 5500 feet at Big Bald and with the continued heat and high humidity I knew I¢d be sweat soaked all day. There were no views from the first two climbs over High Rock and Little Bald, but the third climb over Big Bald delivered some great scenery. I had stopped halfway up Big Bald at the shelter and had some lunch. Quiksilver arrived shortly after I did and we checked out the water situation for the remaining 10 miles we planned to hike. Quiksilver got water at the shelter, I elected to gamble that I¢d find water up trail and left out with 2/3rds of a liter. My gamble did not pay off. I didn¢t find a useable water source for the next 4 1/2 hours. I rationed what I had left and just hunkered down to some hiking. I did pass two NOBO section hikers and exchanged a few words and trail intel with each (I¢m continually impressed by the number of solo female hikers out here).  I also hiked down into Sam¢s Gap with four day hikers who were completing a 13 mile round trip to Big Bald and back. Turns out two of them have hiked in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and we talked some Tahquamenon Falls trivia. Twice today I got the bejeezers scared out of me when Woodcocks exploded into the air from brush right by the trail. I¢m beginning to miss the comparatively serene rattlesnakes.  I also had a conversation with a yellow jacket that landed on my watch twice, but did no more than threaten a sting. (By the way, it¢s not just me: Quiksilver has been stung four times in the last few days).Arriving  at the shelter about 4:30, I encountered a hiker taking a nap on the picnic table. It would turn out this was section hiker Crepitus (name for the sound your joints make when you get old) who hails from Saline, Michigan - which is just down the road from where my Father In-law lives. (I think - THINK - Saline is where my wedding cake came from.  If so, I think I should get some points for remembering that).  He, Quiksilver and I had dinner together at the shelter and chatted about gear and things trail.I¢m now hammock-bound and listening to a thunderstorm walk and talk it¢s way by about 8 miles south of here. Kinda looking like we¢ll be spending the next two days hiking in and around rain and thunderstorms from Tropical Depression Ida.  I hope that there is only limited loss of life for those in Louisiana who took the brunt of the hurricane. Tomorrow brings a few more climbs (but not the 5800 feet of elevation gain we had today) and some challenging trail as we aim to hike another 20 mile + day. At least my food bag is much lighter and this makes the miles slightly easier. Pleasant dreams - night, day or otherwise!