Date: 2010-05-14
From: US 220 - Howard Johnson

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 24.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Although my alarm is set for 7:00, I'm up at 6:50. And so my push to Montebello begins. Last time it took 5 days. This time my goal is four. I look at cutting a day off of each section I do. It gives me an appreciation of just how well I did in 2006. Two days over 20 miles. For me to top it, 25 days has to be the norm. 94 miles in 4 days. Again.But first, breakfast. More square egg type things, coffee, juice, 4 waffles, no donuts this time. Sat with the doc again. Talked. He was going to zero. I needed to hike. When I left my room, all I saw was fog. Not much has changed. Forecast is supposed to be some chance of rain today, good chance later, rain tomorrow, then good for the next two days. I'll take it. Back to the room. All ready to go and out to the trail at 8:00. At the trailhead at 8:11. A great start time for coming off a zero day. Best yet, I think.I know the first couple of miles are going to be easy, then I start my first of several climbs as I climb out of the Interstate Valley Gap. I feel good. At least so far. But with 1-2 miles of flat, good trail, what do I know?So Montebello, you ask. What is there? Well, the entire town is a Post Office and a general store. Oh yes, and a voluntary fire and rescue department.Hit some trail magic on the way to the final shelter. Took 2 cans of Sprite, two bags of Frito's, and 1 package of peanut butter crackers. The shelter did not have a water source, I think, and I did not want to carry any more than what was in my bottle, so the extra Sprite pick-up was great. Just over three more miles to the shelter. Nice.The rain held off the entire day. I heard the rumbles of thunder and of course I am still climbing open areas of rock, fallen trees, and more exposed ridge lines to go. All went well.Just as I got to the shelter, the lightning started. Several strikes close by. A few on the exposed area I just left. Dry lightning is the worst. It seems to always hit the ground. Then the rain and wind began. As normal, these type of storms come in quick, hit hard and then leave. So in 30 minutes the storm has passed. Much more noise than substance. A young couple, Big Fork and Little Spoon, were going to move on and tent a bit up trail but decided to stay. Then the oddest thing began. The storm has passed, no real rain, no wind and then snap!! 50 yards off a tree fell. OK, it happens. But 20 minutes later... snap. Tree number two fell. These are not small trees but the really big ones, and yes, when a tree falls, it does make noise. Actually, a loud one. So two trees within hitting distance of the shelter. In all 3,000 plus miles of AT trail I have hiked, only once did I have a large branch fall close enough to have experienced it. Odd enough, this process occurred at least 2 more times in the night that I heard. You hear the snap and just wait until the noise ends before you know you're not hit. Odd. At least four trees fell within striking distance of the shelter. No wind. Minimal rain, but still the massive trees are falling. The rain did begin to fall. No storm, just rainfall. Nice. Day is done, night is proceeding and another full day tomorrow. All is safe and all is good.