Date: 2018-05-06
From: Quarry Gap Shelters

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: moderate rain

Willow was behind Rocky Raccoon and me yesterday and scored a major yogi at Caladonia State Park, an invitation to a picnic in progress. Rocky and I had walked past the same pavilion an hour earlier and no one came running out to invite us over. There¢s something about Willow that brings out the best in people. She arrived at the shelter last night with a full and happy belly.  I feel honored to be hiking with Willow. She chose to tent last night. At Quarry Gap Shelter, the tent sites are restricted to wooden platforms that can be tricky for non-free standing tents. Willow managed to secure the four corners of her tent but didn¢t guy out the sides, with the result that water was channeled into her tent during last night¢s rain. Her tent¢s bathtub floor proved quite watertight and accumulated several inches of water by morning.  But at least Willow wasn¢t hungry. Willow being Willow remained cheerful and always feels blessed. I stayed in the shelter last night and used my moldable silicone earplugs. I never heard the deluge of rain, nor the thunder from nearby lightning. Instead I dreamed about a criminal family headed by the Czarina. I was working in a fashion boutique and recommended a gown for her in silk velvet and iridescent sapphire French taffeta that brought out the blue of her eyes and complemented her silver hair. My dreams can be very detailed! The Czarina took a liking to me and brought me to her headquarters where I was introduced to her grandson (I was much younger in my dream). Except for the Czarina threatening to stab me with an ice knife at one point, it was a very pleasant dream, and I¢m glad to have missed the storm.  It wasn¢t raining this morning, but we headed off in our rain suits with pack covers on in about 50 degree weather. I wore long underwear under my rain suit and was quite comfortable. PJ and Sam joined Willow. Rocky Raccoon and me for the short 7.4 mile hike to Birch Run Shelter. PJ is middle aged and having some blister problems. Sam has degrees in physics and mechanical engineering and has taken a position in a consulting firm dealing with acoustics. He lives in Houston. His employer has assured him that his position will be available when he returns from his thru-hike, which speaks very well for him. The five of us have similar hiking speeds. It didn¢t do more than lightly sprinkle this morning and we arrived at Birch Run Shelter dry. About 15 minutes later, the heavens opened. Rain fell for the rest of the afternoon.  It¢s a great feeling to arrive at a shelter just before it rains, as though we are in the right place at the right time, a feeling of being blessed. Cue the Shaker hymn, Simple Things. Those hikers who came in during the rain did not have quite the same feeling.  I set my tent up since I¢ve sheltered the last two nights. We are in a small bubble of Flip-floppers. The shelter hold eight and there are about 15 of us, including section hikers and one hiker who started in Georgia in March. He¢s fast! After a lunch of tuna salad on tortillas topped off with a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie, I¢m relaxing in my tent, which is quite waterproof. It¢s made from Cuben Fiber, also known as Dynema, a fabric that doesn¢t stretch. When set taut, my tents sounds like a tin-roofed barn in the rain. I am determined to learn how to nap on this hike and this seems like the perfect time to start my lessons. The trail today was pleasant, with a few steep ups and downs but mostly easy walking. For about 1/2 mile, the trail passed through a very dark white pine grove that felt very mysterious in a good way. The trail was cushioned in pine needles. I couldn¢t stay awake and crawled into my tent about 7:00. I was sleeping sounding when the %#*^ whippoorwill started its wretched song over and over again. A cardinal principle of Leave No Trace is Respect Wildlife. I confess to thinking murderous thoughts. He eventually stopped but returned about 4:00AM. Kill the birdie! Kill the birdie!