Date: 2010-05-27
From: Turkeypen Gap

To: McQueen's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.5

Wild Poodle, Half Left and I all started out together and hiked all day together. It is unusual for us all to stay together because of different hiking speeds but was nice to be a "group" again. The terrain was up and down for the first part of the day. We passed Iron Mountain Shelter, the Nick Grindstaff monument, and Hwy 91 to Shady Valley, TN. As we came close to Hwy 421 crossing, the water supply was an old cistern with clean running water out of a spigot. We all filled up and poured water on our heads. It is very refreshing to douse your head with cold water to rinse off the sweat. Another hiker had told us of a orange box filled with a cooler and treats right before the crossing. As we approached the box, we were told it was empty by another hiker, Half Left decided to see if there were treats left. He lifted the top of the metal box to reveal a cooler filled with ice cold soft drinks! A tool box filled with Little Debbie snacks and a register. Wow, another trail angel strikes again, this time it is from a church called Nelson's Chapel Baptist from Mountain City, TN. We all got drinks, snacks and wrote in the register. They asked for prayer requests so we put in about Cahoda's brother Dale (quadruple bypass surgery), Half Left's mom, Pearl (gall stone surgery) and dad Clyde, Sr. (Myleo dysplasia). After enjoying our treats we carried on our hike. After crossing Hwy 421 we came upon the trail that leads through a rolling meadow. We decided to hike to the middle of the meadow along the trail and have our lunch. Half Left broke out the Tyvek ground cover and spread it out for us to picnic. Wild Poodle, Half Left and I made Tuna Salad sandwiches and made the Sloppy Joe MRE received from the army guy. It was tasty! We all finished eating and proceeded to take a catnap. The sun was nice and warm. It was very welcoming.We packed up and continued on the trail, while approaching the shelter, Half Left saw a deer resting in the brush. We all stopped to see, she just layed there apparently protecting a fawn. Half Left took a few photos and we blessed and thanked the deer for staying still for us. We stopped at Double Springs shelter, signed the register when Half Left noticed graffiti on the walls of the shelter. It was funny sayings about how strong Bob Peeples is. One of the sayings said "Bob Peeples sleeps with a night light on because the dark is afraid of Bob Peeples" another read "Moses = Bob Peeples, I heard that when Bob Peeples goes to clear trails the trees love him so much he doesn't have to saw they will happily part for him".Thunder could be heard in the distance, Half Left says we need to hurry to get shelter because a storm is coming. We hurried as fast as we could. My feet were screaming! I wanted to camp but we needed a shelter so up and up we go, I could barely stand it. We arrived at a disused shelter called McQueen's Knob. It sleeps 2 but we made it sleep 3. Cozy but a rustic old log cabin. Not sooner than we finished eating and placing the tyvek across the shelter opening did the storm start. Pummeled by hail the size of marbles, rain and lightning we were glad to be hunkered down in this small unused shelter. Our bear bag was hung on the only tree with a usable limb precariously drooping due to the weight and the wind. We were hoping all night it stayed put. Bear bags need to be hung 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet off the trunk. Ours made the measurements but the limb was weak. It some how made it all night, Half Left did a great job hanging it although he also got some stinging nettle on his leg. Jewel weed was nearby, he grabbed some and rubbed it to get rid of the sting. Thanks again CC for showing us this remedy.We all snugged in and slept pretty good except for the bugs creeping on us.