April 24 - 14.1 / 516.6

I'll start this one off saying I don't know how these blogs read. I type them up with the thoughts in my head and don't go back and reread them. For all I know, they might not even make sense or even flow. Oh well, this is my blog.

This morning we were packing up our stuff when a guy in his late 20's or early 30's rolled up to the shelter. I was a little taken back as his pack looked like it didn't have much in it. He walked up to us and told us good morning. He then told us that he had some trail magic down at the road, 1.5 miles away. He said it was beer and sausage. All of us got excited, and started to pack up faster. He told us to take our time as his friends were all still sleeping. He left, and none of us could believe it. Low and behold, I got closer to the road and could smell a camp fire burning. I started to get excited. I came around the corner and could see multiple tents. The guy was correct. He and his friends had multiple beers, gatorade, bacon cooking, strawberry short cake, birthday cake, snickers, dried fruit, and tons of other things. It was the best trail magic by far. I stopped for almost two hours for a second breakfast. The guy leading the trail magic charge was an 04 thru hiker. All the other guys there were just his friends. They all live in different states now and this is a way for them to get together every year. This was their third year to do it.

Since SB, DM, TW, and SR still hadn't come in from the last shelter back, I moved on. I stopped a few miles later to snack with We'll See and Donner. I also got enough reception to get a few old blogs out.

After snacking, I hike another 9 or so miles to the shelter I am staying at tonight. When I got here, Roughin It had just left 20 minutes prior. He hiked on to the next shelter as he is trying to make it home in a few days to meet up with some friends and sister's graduation. In the shelter though was a guy I had never seen before. I was a little taken back. I noticed he had what looked like the end of a gun coming out of his sleeping bag. I was ready for others to get here even though I was having a good conversation with this guy. Probably caused I didn't want him to pull a gun on me. Donner rolled in about 10 minutes after me. That was a little relief. Then Uncle J-Bird, Fish, and Gravy Crockett (yes with a G not a D) came up. It was the first time I had met them.

They also had a bloodhound dog with them that was way under weight. They said they found it at the last shelter and were going to take in into Marion, VA in order to get it some help and food.

With the five of us here, I now felt a little better. I will say the guy was cool to speak with. Just seeing the end of a gun coming out of a sleeping bag had me a little hesitant. Someone mentioned we should go get fire wood and that is when the guy says he has a machete. What the heck, he has a gun and a machete?? What is he doing out here? He pulled it out and started to chop larger pieces of wood with it. While chopping he tells the five of us that he has a pellet gun. This is when he proceeds to pull it out of his sleeping bag. Whew, at least it wasn't a real gun. Next thing I know, we are all taking turns shooting it at a can on a log. Maybe I need to hang out with this guy more often.

Over the next few hours many more hikers showed up including SB, DM, SR, and TW. I was glad to see them and vice versa. They apologized for not hiking on last night. It was no big deal as we are all out here to hike our own hike. Plus, I got to hike a shorter day. Cowgirl and her dog Kelly also showed up. Well that set Hurricane, the newly adopted bloodhound, off. She would not stop barking. So Fish and J-Bird ended up packing up their stuff and moving on. They didn't want to disrupt anything around the shelter.

All made dinner just in time before the rain. I am in the shelter tonight with others including SB and TW. I ended up getting my own space as the shelter is two levels on each side with a fire place in the middle. I just hope this metal roof will keep me dry and not leak. I guess we will find out in the morning.

We got word that DS left Damascus today with Dr. Beefstick. Hopefully they will catch up with us soon.

Overall today was good. It was a short day of hiking; I got great trail magic; and I got to shoot a pellet gun. Sweetness!