6/01/01
To quote "Priceless", the AT journey is 180 slumber parties in a row. Last night in the shelter felt that way. The section hiker contingent provided entertainment in the form of a snoring tandem that caused a lot of spontaneous laughter and comments in the pitch blackness of the night. Then at 4 a.m. or there about a whippoorwill landed just outside the shelter and commenced the never-ending call that woke all of us. I was in the loft and calmly suggested that someone on the first level go outside and run the obnoxious creature off. It worked . . . temporarily. The little bugger came back a second time and woke us again. If not for the serious rain threat I would most certainly have been tenting to avoid some of the shenanigans of the night. A light drizzle was just beginning to fall as I pulled away to begin the day's hike. I set a blistering pace for myself and kept it going all day long. No feet problems coupled with nicely graded trail that was basically rock free provided the catalyst for the quick pace. After leaving the shelter at 7:25 a.m. I was at the Loft Mtn. Wayside restaurant by 10:30 a.m. looking for lunch. Since it was nasty weather there were no tourists in the facility so it was a simple matter to convince the short order restaurant to switch from the breakfast menu to lunch. By 10:45 a.m. I had a cheeseburger, fries, large drink and milkshake to keep my engine fired for the next 14 miles. Thanks to Caroline at the restaurant for the interest in the AT. Someday you'll have to go for the thru-hike after you finish college.
I was back on the trail by 11 a.m. and pushing myself to beat the pending rain. I zipped by the Pinefield Hut by 12:35 and climbed three more mountains to arrive at Hightop Hut at 3:15 p.m. Seven and a half hours, 22.4 miles (one didn't count getting to/from the restaurant). I didn't see any bears last night or today but virtually every other thru-hiker in the shelter tonight saw several today. I did have close encounters today with a doe and buck. Tonight's shelter occupants include Pigpen, Will Scarlet, Boot Stew, Priceless, Thawookie and Island Mama, Angry Jack and Lollipop, and Phantom. Despite the forecast for several more days of rain my spirits are high and I'm loving the trail in the SNP. Tomorrow we plan to do another big mileage day to reach another restaurant and taproom. I'm curious to see the latter.
Today's stats: low 45 degrees, high 60. Cloudy with scattered showers. Today's mileage; 21.4; cumulative 884.0.
