Date: 2016-04-23
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Old Road
Miles today: 18.7

The day started out not so good today, but finished very nice. One thing that was pretty cool was that our entire shelter area was awoken this morning by load singing owls. There must have been a dozen or more of them all who who whoing. It was wild sounding and something I will never forget. After that the morning stunk. I did not even want to get up. Everything was soaking wet. I managed to keep all my gear pretty much dry, but it took a lot of effort and time to do that. I slowly and methodically took down my camp sometimes just staring at my stuff trying to figure how to get everything back in its place without getting it all wet. I wiped my tarp off with my camp towel and then rang that out which helped. My shoes were soaked. My socks were soaked. Fortunately right now I have several pairs of them. I made my way over to the fire in front of the shelter to chat and to put my soaking wet shoes on before I left camp. I tried drying my insoles by the fire with little results. I left camp around 9:30am. My pack was wet and heavy and it was still very foggy. My morning hike was not bad but I was just trying to maintain a steady pace. It was a bit on the slow side, but it was good and I was enjoying looking at the forest all wet. The forest floor is really starting to come to life now. I was passed by several hikers including Jenn. I made it to the top of Max Patch around 1:00pm. It was totally socked in by fog. There was no views which is too bad because I hear they are very good. As I made my way down I caught back up to Jenn and we hiked together. The next shelter was only a mile up so we were going to stop there and have lunch. About 2 minutes after we made that decision we rounded a corner and ran smack into the best trail magic so far. A big fire going. A ton of food and drinks. Chairs all around the fire and lots of happy hikers. We were all still soaked and to be able to eat hot food take our shoes off, dry our feet and shoes by the fire and enjoy each other's company. It was pretty cool. They had baked beans with chunks of Hamburg in it that was really good. I also had a banana, yogurt and some chetos. I would love to do a trail magic like that in the future. I left the trail magic by myself and expected Jenn and the others to catch up to me. I felt really good leaving and had good energy. I still was at a steady pace in the afternoon, but it was a quicker pace. That is how its been for me lately. Slow in mornings and faster in the afternoon. I hiked alone most of the afternoon as nobody caught up to me. At around 6:00pm Chicken Fry caught up to me at the top of Bluff Mountain. there was a great camping spot there, but there plan was to go another 3 miles down the mountain and camp there. Thin Mint showed up right after Chicken Fry and I asked if they minded if I came down with them. They did not mind so off we went down the mountain Chicken Fry hikes fast so he quickly left Thin Mint and I. So I hiked with her for a bit until she needed to stop and rest her knees. I flip flopped with Chicken Fry a few times before reaching old road at mile number 266.2. I was the first of us to get there and quickly realized there was no good spot for my hammock. Time was short as it was 7:30pm. I decided to go into the woods up on a knoll. I found a spot and quickly hung my hammock and tarp. I made a quick dinner, brushed my teeth and then hung my bags in a tree. It was dark now but I could see the fire going below so I went down and Chicken Fry, Thin Mint, and Chuckles were there with several other. They were making there dinner. We all talked for an hour or so when who walks down the trail right at us. Its Jenn and two other hikers hiking in the dark with headlamps on. Jenn had fallen during the afternoon and twisted her ankle and had some abrasions. I figured they would stop and camp where we were. After all it was now 9:30pm. However after chatting a bit all three of them decided to head to the next shelter which was another 4.2 miles away. Shortly after they left I said goodnight and headed back up to my knoll to get in my hammock for the night. Tomorrow I will be in Hot Springs. They have had some real bad wild fires just outside of town and the trail has been closed. I am not sure if it will be open in a few days when I head out of town. I hope it is.