Date: 2007-05-30
From: Niday Shelter

To: North Mtn. Trail 
Miles today: 16.0

I slept in the shelter with my sleeping bag liner wrapped around my head to ward off the mosquitos. Binjali and Buffalo Bobby were out early and Way wasn't even close to moving when I started hiking. The first climb of the day was a long one but I was feeling re-energized after yesterdays easy miles. The humidity was serious and held the sweat on my skin. Once up on the ridge line the air was moving more and things started to cool down. After hiking about eight miles I stopped for a rest and something to eat. Sitting on a log a few yards in front of me was Tennessee Jed who was also taking a break. As I walked towards him he pointed out a fawn lying down next to him. I was able to get a good picture of the fawn that Carissa will post. After my break I caught up to Almost Lucky at a nearby stream and we loaded up on water with the intention of camping out on the top of the next ridge (Dragons Tooth). Our only concern was getting to our destination before it rained- which has been happening everyday between five and six o'clock. Tennessee Jed stepped to the plate and offered to carry four extra liters of water! Once we had water, we headed out for our high camp. At about three o'clock the lightening started and by three thirty we were completely stuck in a full on storm. I came across Tennessee Jed (he had gotten ahead of us) who was sitting under an overhanging rock with his (metal) poles ten feet away. I walked about twenty yards beyond him and did the same. The lightening and torential rain lasted for a solid hour before finally passing over. Tennesee Jed and I finished our climb to the Dragons Tooth but Almost Lucky was no where to be found. Tennessee Jed decided that he was going to camp as planned, I couldn't blame him after he had carried all thatwater up the ridge. I stuck around and ate supper and bouldered around on the cliffs (Dragons Tooth). At about 6pm I packed up and started heading back down the trail in search of Almost Lucky. As I was making my way down I heard two other hikers coming down the trail also. I stopped to see who they were and to my suprise it was Byte code and Church Mouse. I hadn't seen these guys since Damascus but they had been doing some big miles (twenty plus mile days) to catch up with us. They hadn't stopped to see the Dragons Tooth or say hi to Tennessee Jed so I suggested that they go back up to check it out. As they turned to go back up we made plans to meet up at the next road crossing later on. After walking another three miles down to the road I decided to walk to a local convenient store for a quick snack and to call Carissa. After getting a bite to eat and meeting up with Byte Code and Church Mouse I called Carissa to find out how her doctors appointment went (twins?). It was great to hear her voice and find out that Mom and Baby were both healthy and doing well. Well, now we know that we are having just one baby and not twins! I'm still trying to figure out what seeing all those twins were about? My newest theory is that Matthew, Emelia and the baby will all have children that are twins! Well, to say the least, today had some great highlights. Seeing the newborn fawn, getting caught in the lightening storm, climbing around on the Dragons Tooth, seeing Byte Code and Church Mouse and most importantly finding out about the baby! Oh, I never did catch up with Almost Lucky. I'm wondering how he faired through the rain storm?