Date: 2015-05-28
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

I woke up with sore feet. Forgot to take my Advil last night. This will probably not be great for me, but I really need my advil morning and night, especially after days with little rocks all over the trail. I popped a couple first thing and then headed to the privy. See the picture form yesterdays entry to see the privy. It was almost ON the freaking trail, and it had no sides or front wall. Just a piece of plywood covering part of the back, but not the part in back of the privy. So you could sit there and do your business and say hello to passing hikers. That might be fun for some, but I found myself experiencing performance anxiety when a hiker approached and decided to dig a hole somewhere private later.It was already hot at 7:00 when I headed out. I had not found D.No and C. Shell at this shelter last night, so I figured they were at the campsite 2 miles ahead. There was a great field in front of the shelter, and the views to the left were of West Virginia. It was breathtaking, and I stopped to click some pictures. The trail followed adjacent to a huge power line alley, and I could hear the wires buzzing. It didn't take long to make it to the campsite. Cheesesteak was there packing up and told me I had missed D.No and C. Shell by 20 minutes or so. Geez, I thought. If they wanted me to catch them why did they get up at the ass crack of dawn to head out? My insecurities kicked in and I thought maybe they didn't want me to catch them. The hike your own hike thing can be complicated, especially when most of us out here try to avoid conflict of any kind. I wasn't sure, but I decided to keep trying to catch them since they texted me first.I, and everyone I met on the hike today, was feeling sluggish. It was hot and extremely humid, and the trail was not easy. There have been numerous rattlesnake sightings, and so I was extra careful. My imagination turned every wet and twisting root into a writhing snake. The trail passed through fields and woods, and when it was around lunchtime, I stopped at Pine Swamp Branch Shelter. Everyone there was talking about making it to Captains, a place on the AT where you zip-line across the stream and can sit and charge your phone and drink sodas, no charge. We all hurried to that place, and I actually did zip-line across the stream, sitting on a wooden swing, with my pack on. I almost bit the dust when I landed- but i caught myself. I met the Captain, a nice guy who owns the house and also allows free camping. He was preparing for a big party at his place the next day- for hikers, A hiker feed, the Damascus after party. I drank two sodas and read on the porch. A rainstorm blew in and I while I waited for it to subside, the captain came and chatted with me. When I told him I own an art studio, he invited me into his home- telling me that it was very unusual that he would do that- to show me his original photography. His work was quite stunning, and I felt very lucky that he shared it with me. Most of the hikers that were there decided to stay for the party, but I hiked out. I did not attempt he zip-line again since everything was wet, but instead road walked 1.5 miles to the intersection of the AT. The road paralleled the AT, with the stream in between them. I then went into the woods and hiked an incredibly steep up only a couple of miles to Baileys Gap Shelter. Mama Moab and Utah were there, as well as Ghost Hiker, who I met at Woods Hole, Just Dave, and Arrow. It was not a big mile day, but it was an exhausting hot and humid day, with a long rainstorm in the middle.