Date: 2003-05-22
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Double Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

5/22 Vandeventer Shelter to Double Spring Shelter - 14.6 milesToday wasn't extremely eventful so I decided to hike with my radio for the first time. The majority of the stations that I could get were either country or religious. I happened to get Tennessee Public Radio (I was hoping it was similar to ours back home but I was in TN so of course it wasn't gonna be like anything normal.)I was lucky enough to tune into the Roots and Branches show which had a bluegrass theme. I've decided that bluegrass is entertaining, especialy this kind. Song #1 -" Let it rain, let it pout, let it rain a whole lot more. I've got the deep river blues." Ok, not the song I want to hear when I have been hiking in the rain for 2 days and I also know that I will be hitting a section soon that crosses a creek 15 times and it can be dangerous and waist deep after rain.Song #2 - don't really remember the lyrics word for word but I do remember it was about the rastafari living in the appalachians. Song #3 - I think this cracked me up the most. " Music's so much better when you're high, high, high. Music's so much better when you're high. Something strange and queer happens in your inner ear, because music's so much better when you're high." Off the CD history of hemp. Now the reason I found this song amusing is becuase its sound was along the lines of the old black and white Christmas cartoon commercials. And the inner ear lyrics made me laugh.So today the radio won and helped take my mind off sore feet, bears and the many miles still to go. Unfortunatly that will be the last time I get to listen to Tennessee public radio :( Tonight it's just me and Vic in the shelter. Moose and Popsicle are tenting close by. In an effort to get rid of weight I shared my extra box of pudding with Vic. Instant Pudding is the second most amazing trail food item (and another reason why my pack has gained weight). All you need is water, powdered milk, pudding and a nalgene bottle and you have a tasty 680 calorie dessert (or breakfast). The number of calories you get often exceeds that of one dinner. Pudding is an excellent caloric supplement. I've heard rumors that drinking jello is good too, not only for the calories but also for protein. In case you are wondering what the 3rd most amazing trail food is, it is the peanut butter in the squeeze container (like ketchup or mustard). It has got to be a new thing as it wasn't out when I first started this trip.Well, its 9pm and the mice are beginning to sprint across the roof. We've been warned by register entries that the mice are bad here. I hope they leave me alone! With only 2 of us in the shelter there is less snoring and tossing and turning to keep them away. Hopefully they'll behave (or like Vic and his stuff more than me!) Althoug I keep feeling like we set ourselves up for bear encounters as we are still using the mice hangers in the shelters rather than hangin bear bags. So many people have had their first bear encounter in this section before Damascus. I hope I learn to hang a bear bag before the bears learn that I am not hanging my food 10 feet above them.