Date: 2010-06-03
From: Boiling Springs 

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

I was very awake at 5:30am. Breakfast was not to begin until 8:00am at the resort. I went down to thr common room after taking a shower and made coffee. I used that time to catch up on my journal and to enjob s little quiet time. Not much was going on early so I just sat around drinking coffee and enjoying the comforts that I was experiencing. At 8:00 we all headed over to get breakfast before the beginnings of our hike. Stopped back at the room to grab our packs. Christopher (Diamondback) needed a little time because something upset his stomach and he needed a little time to work it out. We began the trail just after 9:30 with Diamondback still not feeling well but ready enough to give it a go. The day was expected to be sunny, hot and humid and it began as if that was exactly what the day had in mind. Much of the morning was a very nice smooth level trail that cut through farm and field. The sun beat down hot and there was very little breeze to give any releaf. We hiked much of the day out in the open where the sun could get the best of us. Diamondback was still not feeling very well and needed to stop periodically to throw up. The thought of turning back and putting him back in a bed for the rest of the day was overridden by diamondback himself. All he wanted was a couple of minutes to let the battle going on in his gut to settle down some. This went on all day and even though we stopped several times we were getting further and actually making good time. During the course of the day we ended up crossing 13 roads. I think we crossed more roads than diamondback threw up but I can't be certain of that. It was always his decision when to stop and then to get going again. With the pack on his back and the heat beating down I knew the kid was hurting. GrizzleyD made sure he continued to get water and monitored it closely. We arrived at a Trail Work Center that houses trail workers but also has water for hikers to resupply a privy and picnic table. We refilled and cooled ourselves down for what we were considering to be our last 4 mile push to get us to the next shelter and out of the thunder storm that was expected to arrive late in the afternoon. Our hike up until this point was mostly level but the next stretch was going to rise over 800ft. We could see the ridgeline looming off in the distance all day and now we had reached the base and had to climb up. Most of the uphill was of the killer fashion but near the end it did become difficult especially for legs not yet conditioned for such activity. With a little prodding and the promise of the top being right around the corner and then reaching a clearing to where we could see down across the valley and where our day began mentally helped get them over the top. We finally made it to the shelter. There were 3 others using the picnic table and had a nice fire going. They had a tent set up so I instructed them each to secure one of the 4 bunks. I had them take out there pads and sleeping bags and lay them on the bunk then empty out the rest of their packs and organize everthing out of the way. I started boiling water for the dinners and another hiker showed up and took a spot on the shelter floor. Within seconds of the first clap of thunder the rain fell. Thunder exploded all around us for about an hour before it drifted off in the direction that we had come that day. GrizzleyD(Bloodshot) kept pumping fluids into Diamondback(Toss'm) but he remained in his bunk wanting nothing but rest. One of the origanal members at the shelter when we arrived didn't have a tent and had all his gear still in his bag had to take a spot on the floor. While we ate the storm came and went. We were able to revive the fire and took a little time to enjoy it before complete darkness turned us in for the night. A big first day coming out of Boiling Springs for the Lanikai boys. We did 14 miles in the heat and was rewarded with dry shelter from the storm. It was time to immediatly fall asleep or lay and reflect on the accomplishment. Good night.