Date: 2010-05-04
From: Slatingdon,PA

To: Anywhere...NOBO
Miles today: 11.5

Day #11 Tuesday May 4th"...I got cabin fever it's burning in my brain...I've got cabin fever it's driving me insane..."-the Muppets6am Didnt sleep well last nite...thinking of my decision to hike or not...My right ankle is still swollen...but hasnt gotten any worse (& probably wont as long as I'm hiking the trail!)I iced them down last night...all night...but, I'm getting a bit "STIR CRAZY"...so, I've decided to try hiking today...I'll be SLOW...but, leaving the hotel (Fine Lodgings).Probably hike abt 7 or 8 miles & call it a day...might have to tent where-ever I land...but it beats sitting in a motel room!9am I got a shuttle ride, along with "Kite & Sandpiper" (VA) up to Little Gap.And away we hike into the woods!Our destination is SMITH GAP Road approx 8 miles away...We start with Sunny skies & expected temps in the 70s today...UP, up, up...outta the Gap & YES...the boulders are here again today...the PA Rocks are with us ALL DAY!...on the top of the climb...some very nice views...11am "Kite & Sandpiper" & I stop for a short break (i eat my Snickers Almond bar here) & we talk abt the latest in hiking gear, etc..."Kite"s Gregory backpack is rather large...he's talking abt going "LIGHTER"...i suggested a Granite Gear pack...(i have the "Latitude Vapor" model)...we hke on...it starts to cloud up (30% chance of afternoon showers)within the hour it starts to RAIN!...i grab my rain gear (& pack cover)...then the lightning & thunder roll in....the winds pick up....YIKES!...but, after a half hour of this....the Sun pops back out...WOW!2pm We get to SMITH GAP Road (our detination for the day) & "Kite & Sandpiper" are Blue-Blazing 1 mile down to "Mechanical Man"s house (we met him out on the trail today)...he said we could sleep in his garage tonite...I decide...since the ankle was feeling pretty good...no pain...to push onto the shelter....abt 3 1/2 more miles...my feet are feeling good...so....i hike on...4pm   the Wind & the RAIN roll back in....just as i am abt a mile from the shelter...Thunder & Lightning too....a couple of strikes...close behind me...YIKES!...i speed up a little...& get to the shelter in abt a half hour...i'm the only hiker @ the shelter...so far....i fix dinner...tuna & mashed (instant) potatoes...i spot 3 very large (5 to 6 feet in length) Black snakes...crawling close to the shelter....& watch them while i eat...they then head under the shelter foundation...yikes...i make sure there are no opeinings in the shelter floor....dont need any snakes in my sleeping bag when i crawl in!"ARGO" (NY) a SoBo thru-hiker from Brooklyn came into the shelter abt 5pm...we watched another black snake crawl under the shelter foundation...what is this the snake convention meeting room??? hehehehehe ;0)7pm   a young hiker (20-something) "Josey Wales" (RI) hikes into the shelter w/ a backpack that weighed @ least 80 lbs...WOW! (better him..than me!)he had 6 knives in his pack...including a full size machete...a full cook stove...4 pots, a skillet, etcJust looking @ his pack...makes me TIRED!I write in my journal...talk to the other hikers...thers abt 25 or so kids that are camping just up from the shelter...might be a noisy night..."ARGO" & "Josey Wales" partake in a little "wacky weed" before hitting the sleeping bags...Live & Let Live!8pm Goodnite!                              11.5 miles today