Date: 2012-05-09
From: Marble Spring Campsite - Tented

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter - Tented
Miles today: 27.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 45 - Wednesday, May 9thHiking Days 34 / Nero Days 8 /  Zero Days 3Start Location: Marble Spring Campsite - TentedMile Marker: 771.6Ending Location: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter - TentedMile Marker: 799.3Time: 11h 56min Miles: 27.7Weather: mild but damp morning.  57-60.  Stayed cooler and overcast most of the day.  Was supposed to rain all day.  The steady rain started around 3:00. Stopped around 6:30.  Evening around 60. Several more people came in last night.  Most of the swarm was here.  Maybe 15 in all.  Many more moved to camp ahead.  Rain stopped around 10:00pm.  I had the best alarm ever wake me up.  I was already mostly awake when all of a sudden around 5:45 some bird started yapping its call.  Broke the morning silence.  Some type of owl.  Loud and repetitive.  You hear this bird nearly every night.  Normally from a distance.  This one was in the camping area and in the calm quiet morning, it sounds like its in you tent. The rain had stopped for awhile but things were still very wet.  If not wet then at best damp.  Despite the bird alarm, I stayed all wrapped up until 6:00.  That crappy meal last night is now ready to exit and fast.  Grabbed my paper, ran down some path to who knows where.  Got off the path just in the nick of time.  Last time I'm ever going to eat a back pantry meal.  Tasted like crap and gave me bad crap.  With it no longer actually raining, it was a bit easier to pack up.  By the time I was nearly finished Dundee was out and about.  We will compare notes on our tenting experiences when it rains since we both have the same tent.  As it turns out, despite my two coats of seem seal and his three, we both still have spots that leak.  Much better then they were but still dripping.  I think I will be ok with the tent when I get that completely stopped.  I made a comment about Steve-O's tent being like a fort but he wasn't in it.  Dundee looked out and saw him taking a dump in clear view.  Dundee made his appropriate comment.  I said my good byes and took off.  Not bad at 7:03.  Started to think about me being short one day of food and snacks.  I ended up eating a lot more with the hard day.  Not a big deal since I will eat ok today and will only have 18 miles or so to the Dutch Haus tomorrow.   When I arrived at the next shelter there was a food bag there all stuffed and ready to go.  Except there was no one in the shelter.  There were a few tents around but no one just leaves their food bag out like this.  Lion king was southbound up the bill and I started thinking that it was his and he forgot it.  And of course it would go to better use if I grabbed a few things out of it instead of it going to feed the shelter mice.  Hmmm.  Such a good deed if I did that.  Ok.  I know.  And I didn't.  Very tempted but I left it alone.  With the crossing of the James River came a road that lead you 6 miles to Glasgow.  There was no way there was going to be any trail magic there.  But how wrong I ended up being on that one.  Two bags of food and treats were hanging by a post.  At first I thought it was garbage and I was going to leave mine there.  Not that I normally would leave my garbage but I made arrangements with Dundee to pick up my garbage at the road stop here since they were going into Glasgow.  Went through the bags.  Nice stuff.  I grabbed a ramen, some candy, a tuna packet, a oatmeal bar and even a few gu packs.  That would be enough to supply me for my missing day.  Now that was a score.  There was a sigh posted on the forest service notification board that there was going to be a hiker feed in Glasgow tonight.  I figured that group left the trail magic.  Steve-O, Dundee and two other hikers came in just after me.  I suspect that took care of the remainder of the trail magic.  Although I have to admit that since they were going into town from that point, they should leave the items for hikers passing through.  Why take it if your going to town for a resupply.  It's not about the money but taking care of the needs of situations like mine where I was not going to stop. I stop at the next shelter to eat the Ramen I just scored.  On the way out I met two section hikers from Chicago that were just leaving the shelter.  After taking to them for a bit I realized they were the ones that left the food.  They received a food drop at Glasgow.  They were hiking with two other guys who dropped off so the had food for two extra hikers hey did not need.  Bummer.  If I knew that I would have scored a few more Gu packs.  Oh well.  When I caught up with another hiker father up I had a chance to talk with them.  His name was Doc Dave.  As it turns out he was at the road crossing when the hikers left the food.  He said he resupplied for over three days worth of food.  Sorry but taking that much for items left for the hiking community is simply wrong.  Take a few items and move on.  Over three days worth.  Just plain Selfish.  And Doc was for Doctor. Like he he can't afford it.   The rest of the hiking day was ok.  Rain started around 2:00 or so.  Light but steady.  Arrived at the next shelter to grab some water.  The shelter rats were already starting to cower.  About five hikers already hunkered down filling the corners of a dark damp shelter.  How special for them. Now 3:30 and they have their spot.  Grabbed my water and off I went into that horrible, horrible rain for my stopping point just under 10 miles.  Oh wait, that's right.  I'm wearing rain gear specifically for when it's raining.  Just like they were all wearing.  Now I get it.  Shelter rats just want to carry things they never want to use just to make their packs heavier on those nice days when they don't need it.  If you can't tell, I'm a bit soured about shelter rats. The rain persisted the rest of the day.  I know that meant the next shelter would already be full as-well.  As I got closer, I could see what appeared to be a massive amount if tracts in the dryer areas of the tread.  When I arrived at the shelter, I came across a large youth group camping out.  The rain had stopped for about 20 minutes and they were out having a great time in their renting area.  It's was funny because when I arrived at the shelter, the shelter rats had already infested it.  They just sit around, looking all depressing like.  Very unfriendly and unwelcoming because when another hiker arrives, it's like they are encroaching on their claimed turf.  Not one of them said hi or welcome.  I always make that a point if I am in a shelter and a new hiker approaches.  I took one look in turned around and left.  I didn't even acknowledge  their existence.  Not worth the effort.  Let them stew in their damp dingy existence for the night.  So I found a nice tent site right next to the stream.  Set up, ate and went to get some water.  I hit a wet rock and down I went, flat on my back.  I hit the river rock with a splash. But some how again, I had a fall, only caught the corner of the stream, nothing hurt or broken. Just my butt hit water and it was still wet from the rain.  Fall number 3 and all is ok.  Starting to push my luck a bit.  The night was nice.  Ate my meal.  Saved my final snacks for tomorrows hike into Dutch Haus.  I still find it kind of sad how this youth group is having the time of their life in this setting and the shelter rats who are supposed to be part of the rough and tough hiking community are all held up in their depressing state of mind. Oh well. Ready for sleep.  All tucked in and fast asleep with visions of Dutch Haus dancing in my head.  Hot meals only 18 miles away.  The number one stop of my hike.