Date: 2016-06-05
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

6/5/16Well the 501 shelter is nice. It was a four walled shelter with doors and bunks for 12. It had a large sun roof so it didn't need electricity. It was close to the road...I think that's why it had a care taker to keep an eye on the place. Towards the end of evening he came in and said we were supposed to have severe weather the following day and we spend a second night there. I guess the rule is you are only suppose to spend one night there. I really didn't want to zero there and wanted to hike. Checking the forecast it called for rain and thunderstorms during the morning and afternoon and the severe stuff was supposed to be late afternoon. As long as the trail wasn't all big rocks it shouldn't be that bad of day to hike. Forester and Hoosier thought the same only they were going to do nine miles and have a hostel owner pick them up. I still planned non 15 miles to get to the shelter and if I was making poor time I would elect to go to the hostel too. I was on the trail by 7:45 and it was raining a little but not bad. The thing about being in the forest is you don't feel the rain...you only get wet when the wind blows the trees and the water shoes down on you. The trail started rocky but leveled off. I had an objective and made good time. I was at the road to the hostel by 11:00 and earlier decided I would press on as long as I was there by noon. I passed a marker for an old lookout during the French/Indian war. The trail turned off and as I turned I came across some trail magic. It was a cooler with some healthy snacks in it. I grabbed a yogurt drink and a bag with seeds and nuts. It was great because I didn't plan to stop for lunch but just snack in the way. I passed a couple of guys going the other way..the one guy said the hostel I thought about going to was very nice. I was tempted to go but pressed on. As I came to the road of the hostel pick up it was pretty foggy. It was four lane and the cars were zooming by pretty fast. After a couple went by I headed to the center were there was a small median. I didn't get there too soon before a care without its lights caught me by surprise. I made it in plenty of time...just didn't plan to count on the median for safety. The next six miles were a lot like the first nine. I made good time and was at the shelter at 1:15...well before the 2:00 o'clock I was hoping to be there by. The shelter was .3 miles off trail and a spring was a little over halfway in. I got picked up water at the spring and went to the shelter to eat. I filtered/filled my water bottles and went back to the spring to get more water....wash my legs...wash my socks out. I guess the weather forecast scared everyone else off because I was the only one there. I had internet so I loaded some journal entries and finished preparing for the storm. They were calling for strong winds, lightening, hail, heavy rains. This shelter was built out of logs and seemed a great place to hunker down for a storm. I packed everything back into my backpack in case the winds were crazy and even locked the waists belt around the shelter beam. Well the storm came and went and it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Maybe there is more to come. Another hiker came in so there will be two of us tonight.