Date: 2017-11-08
To: Whistling Gap
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: clear sky

11/8Whistling Gap campsite13.3 milesI woke up and realized I had better visit the bathroom. When I looked up I was startled to see someone standing by the foot of my bed. Still stupid with sleep, I said "Hello".  It turned out to be Halloween getting something out of the refrigerator, which was at the foot of my bed. I realized that it must be morning. Upon returning to the bunkhouse, I checked my watch and saw that it was indeed morning. I fetched my own things from the fridge and ate a quick breakfast. Jerry Garcia whined quietly. I gave him a sliver of crust from my little Walmart mini pie. He received it graciously, gently taking it from my fingers without using his teeth. I'm going to miss that dog. I packed away my gear, trying to be as quiet as I could so as not to awaken BBQ. Using my headlamp, I checked around my bed for detritus, then stepped out into the morning. I moved to a chair on the front porch to charge my phone a little before heading out. I got to say goodbye to JD, Fearless, and Sierra Mist. I hope to see them again in Hot Springs, but trailwise they're only 30 miles from Hot Springs and I'm much farther away. The weather was much improved from yesterday morning. It was a cool, drizzly, misty morning. Mostly I didn't need more protection than my pack cover, but I kept my rain gear handy so I could add and remove layers as necessary. The day went by quickly as I climbed and climbed back up from town to the mountaintops. I stopped very briefly at No Business Knob Shelter to sit and eat a snack, then kept on walking. The day seemed to grow colder after noon, or maybe it was just me losing heat from being damp. I was glad that I had wimped out yesterday. It was uncomfortable today. It would have been truly miserable yesterday. I arrived at Whistling Gap at 5. With the time change, dark is around 6. I didn't want to night hike in the mist. My headlamp lights up individual droplets, like headlights in snow. They're virtually useless for seeing to walk in the mist. With the shelter over 3 miles away and thus not reachable in daylight, I called it a day. Nobody was at the campsite so I carried my whole pack down with me to get water. Climbing back up the hill, I set my tent up in the same spot that I used in 2015. My last camp chore was hanging a bear line. BBQ walked by while I was doing that. He said he was going to press on to the shelter. We bumped knuckles and then he walked out into the gloom as I continued casting my rock bag at a high branch. That task finally accomplished, I dove into my tent. I started water heating first thing, then attended to putting on dry clothes and inflating my sleeping pad. The stove blazed brightly. I couldn't find my standard yellow Heet in Hampton, so I purchased some isopropanol. It burns dirty, as it turns out. My cook kit will be a mess by the time I get to Hot Springs. With the chill, I looked forward to hot food for the first time in a while. I made my favorite freeze dried meal - scrambled eggs and bacon. I drank the excess water after it rehydrated, then added Colby Jack cheese. I experimented with putting the eggs on a tortilla, but they were too wet and I splooshed eggy water on myself in the tent. Serving issues aside, dinner was delicious. I made a mug of hot Propel as well. Mmmm. Hot juice drinks are fantastic. By now it was full dark. I got up to hang my food bags, but my headlamp was useless in the mist. It made me a little anxious to leave my tent, knowing it would be hard to find again. I finally found my hanging rope and secured the food. When I returned to the tent, my first try was in the wrong direction. But I made it there, and I don't intend to get far from it tonight. A cold breeze has sprung up. My tent is situated broadside to it. The mist is soaking the mesh and blowing it toward me. This is not the weather in which a down bag shines. I sure hope for a good night's sleep. It doesn't look like a sure thing.