Sprout Day 187 (Friday, September 30, 2016)

We woke up early to the sound of thunder and heavy rain. No one showed up to the shelter yesterday and since our tent was already up and dry under the porch we just slept in the tent.

This shelter is .3 off trail and it's a steep climb down. It doesn't look like too many people use it. There isn't anyone on the trail right now anyway. With the rain and thunder we just stayed in bed and decided to wait it out. The rain didn't stop and we eventually decided to stay here for the day. I'm glad we did because it rained off and on all day. It would've been a wet miserable day had we hiked on. The ledges are slippery around here so it's easy to fall. Walking over some of the rocks feels like walking on ice. We made the right decision.

It's funny we’re even at this shelter because normally we wouldn't come to a shelter this far off trail unless we needed water (that’s probably why it doesn’t seem as if a lot of people use this shelter). After we were here I realized this is the shelter I was looking up and reading about last winter. I wanted to come here and see what the old property looked like. I wish I could've seen the old house still standing but it's still cool to see it with the frame and chimneys still standing. All the rubble in the middle just adds to the character. I'd like to see some old pictures of what the property looked like back in its prime. Going down to the spring in front of the old house made me think a lot about how life must of been for the Sarver family. The house was built in the 1850’s and four generations of Sarvers lived in it.

Day: 187
Miles hiked: 0
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1515.5
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20
Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Sprout Day 186 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)

Last night was a wet night because it rained all night. It started around 9:30 and rained until 8:00 a.m. the next morning. It was lightning, thundering, and raining really hard. After awhile the ground underneath the tent got wet and made the bottom kind of damp. Some of the edges of the tent were wet and everything felt damp but for the most part we were dry.

It was cold first thing in the morning again. With everything being wet we just lay in the tent until it all stopped. We had a little cell service, enough to know we were getting hit with more rain.

We packed everything and headed about 3.5 miles down to the Server Hollow Shelter. It was slippery steep hike down over ledges. The shelter is big and nice with a huge porch area and a picnic table. It felt good to get under something dry knowing rain was coming later in the day.

We decided to stay where we were and dry everything out the best we could. The water source was nice and clear and cold. I'm glad we stayed there because a storm came through not long after we got there. Now, before bed, it’s raining and thundering again.

This shelter is cool. Down by the water source I noticed some ruins of an old house and a couple other buildings. These were the ruins of an old homestead. The Sarvers lived here a long time ago. There's evidence of their house and a cabin. There are also stones which I think was the family cemetery. They say this shelter is haunted by a guy named George. They're not sure if he was a member of the family or not but in the middle of the night sometimes you can hear him walk across the shelter with his cane. We will see how the rest of the night goes but so far nothing but the thunder is giving the place an eerie feeling!

Day: 186
Miles hiked: 3.4
Total Miles hiked on the trail: 1515.5
Baby Bear: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Bluegill: 2
Butterflies: 8
Chipmunks: 3
Cows: 24
Crawfish: 1
Deer: 20

Donkeys: 2
Grouse: 1
Horses: 15
Hummingbird: 1
Inchworm: 1
Really Big Dog: 1
Mice: 2
Moose: 2
Nest of bugs: 2
Newts: 2
Owl: 1
Rabbit: 1
Red Squirrel: 1
Skunk: 1
Snail: 1
Snake: 3
Squirrels: 12
Toads: 3
Trout: 2
Turkeys: 4
Turtles: 107
Vultures: 6
Woodpecker: 1

Bubbles Day 96 (Friday, July 1st, 2016)

Today is Sprout’s Dirty 30!  Celebrating Sprout’s birthday on the trail was pretty incredible.  We woke up and think we heard Moose off in the distance.  At first we thought it may be cows, but then we realized it couldn't be cows because cows don’t make a moo like the sound that we heard.  We hiked a few miles and got to a road that leads to a small country store. Sprout and I got a hitch into town and the guy who picked us up said he couldn't pass up my smile. I LOVE hitchhiking. It's such a thrill.

When we got to the tiny town we bought breakfast sandwiches and a few drinks and sat down at some picnic tables.  We hung out for a while and then a lady and her son came up and asked if we were thru hiking.  When we said yes they asked if we wanted any beer.  We told them we already had some birthday drinks and then they asked, "Do you want GOOD beer"?  We laughed and said sure. They came back with 2 six packs of IPA's, cookies, and snacks.  We officially met these kind folks and they told us they hiked the AT!  The mom thru hiked in 1985 and her son did last year (he Southbounded).  The really really cool thing was the mom’s trailname, which is The Walrus Yertle the Turtle.  She thru hiked with her sister, Jansan the Blaster, in 1985 and they Flipflop hiked!  I didn’t even know that people flip flopped back then.  It was interesting and exciting to meet someone else who flip flopped before I was even born!

Her son’s trail name is 2G (second generation). It was really cool to meet a mother and son who both hiked the trail. It was also interesting to talk to Walrus's mom, who was also with them. I asked her how she felt about her daughter's thru hiking in ‘85 and she said she was supportive and happy for them.

Also a mom and her two adorable daughters came over to chat with us.  The mom had thru hiked the long trail! I gave the little girls my bubbles to play with and enjoyed watching them blow bubbles together.  I ended up giving the bubbles to them so I am bubble-less again.

After all the great conversation and drinks we got back on trail.

Everyone walked back to the trailhead except for me. I hitched and got myself a ride. Sorry boys :) I have been lucky with the hitches lately. We hiked to the next shelter and continued celebrating Sprouts dirty 30 and tried to wait out a bad rainstorm.  Finally, we realized the rain wasn't going to stop and the shelter and campsites were full.  It was already dark. Smudgy Cheeks took off like usual and was supposed to meet us in a field .9 from the shelter.  We all left at separate times. First Smudgy Cheeks, then Sprout and me, then The Flying Dutchman with Whiskers bringing up the rear. As I was walking down the hill I heard Whiskers yelling for the Flying Dutchman.  He had what he thought were The Flying Dutchman’s poles and when I told him The Flying Dutchman didn't pass me, we both started to really worry.  We both turned around and Whiskers basically started to run back up the mountain yelling for The Flying Dutchman.  We finally found him.  He wasn't using a head lamp and it was dark and storming. I felt like slapping my forehead.  No head lamp in the pitch dark???  He went the wrong way on the trail and was walking up the mountain instead of down it and he had his poles so Whiskers then had to go back and return the poles he thought The Flying Dutchman had forgot.

The Flying Dutchman walked behind me because he couldn't get his headlamp as he wasn't sure where it was in his pack and it was raining pretty hard. We made it to the field and couldn't find Smudgy Cheeks.  We really started to worry then. Why wasn't Smudgy Cheeks there setting up camp?  We continued on yelling out for Smudgy Cheeks. Was he lost or did he go the wrong way too?  Finally we were able to reach him on the telephone and he was already halfway to town. Over five miles from the shelter!  We were not planning on walking five miles in a big storm in the dark.  I was not a happy camper to say the least but we had to continue on because The Flying Dutchman was sleeping in Smudgy Cheeks tent.

After hiking along some very dangerous cliffs with slick rocks and major erosion we came to the conclusion that we should stop hiking and set up camp quick.  Sprout slid down the side of the mountain and landed on some trees.  If those trees hadn't been there to catch his fall, Sprout may have been seriously injured or worse.  I don't even like thinking about it. The Flying Dutchman ended up sleeping in Whiskers ridiculously small tent. Thank God we are hiking with such a kind hearted person to let my stinky brother-in-law sleep in his tent, whom he had just met. The Flying Dutchman's BO smells very strongly of onions. I felt bad for both of them.

I was basically in tears and really upset with Smudgy Cheeks for leaving us. He told us he misunderstood where we were supposed to meet. It was a mistake, but a huge one that put all of us in danger.  I think it was a big learning experience for Smudgy Cheeks, specifically that he can't leave The Flying Dutchman. They have to stick together and be a team. I went to bed hungry and upset, but happy that no one got hurt.

Flowers on the trail

View from the trail

Group at breakfast

Breakfast sandwich

Back on the trail!

More flowers

Clouds are rolling in

The Flying Dutchman and Whiskers taking a break

More flowers!

Bubbles Day 6 -- Boy Scouts Fiasco (Saturday, April 2)

Hiking is getting easier every day.  I am getting stronger and faster.  My pace is still at a steady snail's speed, but I am enjoying myself and spending the time to take in my surroundings.  When I want to rest, I rest.  The freedom to hike how I want is amazing.

I have great hiking partners and we work well as a team.  We did 11.5 miles and arrived at Rock Spring Hut. There was a Boy Scout troop setting up camp all around the shelter.  I’m talking tents and hammock galore.

Getting ready to make dinner

After we got our packs situated I sat down at the picnic table to filter water and make dinner.  Ten hungry Boy Scouts slowly swarmed me.  They all began cooking their dinners.  I always take the opportunity to talk to new people and these kids were no exception.  I asked them about their earned badges and the Boy Scouts in general.  

The first Boy Scout to join me... many more followed!

After dinner we got the fire blazing and sat down to enjoy.  A little bit later the kids surrounded me again. I decided it was time for me to hit the sleeping bag.  

Robby starting the fire at Rock Spring Hut

Robby and I woke up a few hours later to hot coals flying everywhere.  There was a huge storm and the Boy Scouts didn't put out the fire!  Robby got up multiple times to make sure the fire was out.  It was a long night for me.  The wind was raging and it looked as if the trees in front of the hut were going to snap in half!

In the morning we learned that two of the Boy Scout tents blew away in the wind and all of the hammock sleepers had bunkered in with their fellow comrades.  They said they had five scouts in a two-person tent!! Hahaha!

The morning was super-super cold and pretty miserable.  We decided we needed some cowboy coffee and I started making it.  I noticed a small Scout over in the corner of the shelter quietly crying.  I asked him what was wrong, even though I could already tell he was cold.  He had on a thin hoodie and a pair of jeans.  I asked him if he needed a hug. He said, “no.” I hugged him anyway.

He probably thought I was nuts. I made him wear my rain jacket. I knew that still wasn't warm enough when he continued to shiver. I huffed as I handed him my warm puffy jacket. I told him to jump up and down to get warm and put his hands under his armpits to get warmer.

Slowly, other Boy Scouts started to enter the shelter.  I asked them to all stand around their cold friend to shield the wind.  After a while someone came over and said the only person they were waiting on to leave was the cold kid.  I asked them to try to go get his stuff ready for him so they could all leave and warm up.  They went (most looking unhappy).  One of the parents said I was a mother hen.

It's probably true.