Date: 2010-07-23
From: Dennington Road Campsite

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: light rain

Day 4 - big day today - 10.7 miles. This is still wimpy by AT hikers standards who routinely make 15 - 20. We left at 8:30 after a breakfast of coffee and backpackers chicken & rice with dried peas added. We would like to get an earlier start but our routine still needs some refinement. Some of the thru-hikers just eat an energy bar and get on the road at sunrise to take advantage of the cool morning. Then they stop at 10:30 for a proper cooked breakfast and rest. We may try this schedule - it has the advantage of putting you on the trail during the most interesting part of the day. Just as we hit the trail it begins to rain. A steady gentle shower that cascades through the forest canopy and makes everything brilliantly green and new. I don't bother with the rain top (already sent the rain pants home) because I am sweating more than it is raining anyway. I feel good today - steady pace and I feel like I'm controlling my pack instead of it controlling me. On the climbs I just put it into 1/4 pace length granny gear mode and keep putting one foot in front of another. I average 1.3 mph which is up from previous 1.0. Genevieve still leaves me behind walking 3 for my 2 at 1.85. She decided to take the tent and cook gear since she arrives at our camp 2-3 hours before I do. As they say on the AT - "Hike your own hike". It rains steady all morning until 12:30 when we get a huge downpour! It is cold and feels good so I keep walking. Shortly I meet thru-hiker "McGyver", a young girl northbound who has been on the trail 4 months. She is ducked under a rock ledge and I join her for lunch (trailmix and jerky). I'm just shy of the half way mark. I have concerns about water and making it out of the forest before dark so I say goodbye and press on - destination is RPH shelter still 6 miles to go. The forest is just magical today - one of the best days of my life. There is a deep and profound silence layered with background sound of rain falling through the canopy and the occasional bird call. The earth is soft and cushions my step. I am slow and meticulous on the downhill sections with very slippery rocks and boulders. But I pick up the pace on the level sections. I change into dry socks at 3:00 and everything is better. Can't explain how incredibly good that feels. It is a long solo hike the rest of the way in to RPH Shelter. I am running short of water and the two creeks shown on the map are dry. I consider filtering water out of rain puddles (rock indentions) on the top of Shenandoah Peak but there are cigarette butts and firecracker debris so I opt for future chances. Past three days I was out of water by noon so I am trying to conserve. I carry 3 liters and hope find water to filter on the trail. I never do find water and run out at 5:30. But at 5:40 I come to the bridge that crosses the little trout stream just before the shelter. Genevieve has everything set up for dinner. She is really a natural at this. The shelter has bunks for six and an ancient hand crank pump for potable water. It has an slight iron taste but not bad. We are sharing the shelter with 4 thru-hikers "Freeman" who helped us at Graymoor Spiritual Center, "McGyver", "Ugly Tuna", and "Sourdough". Everybody is tired so its lights out early. My feet are hurting and boots are wet so Genevieve allows we can have a zero day and change our hotel stay in Wingdale from two days to one and still stay on plan. I will try the little trout stream and rest my feet in the cool water. Our next three hikes are 9,7, and 8. Thanks for reading. Please sign the guest book. Got some great photos and a video. Will post when I can. P.S. Sofia can you please bounce the short gaiters and boot wax (3 cans) to next mail supply. Will try alternatives to keeping boots and feet dry.