The second day started off slowly because of rain off and on all night and into the morning. Luckily we were in a nice shelter and stayed perfectly dry. We delayed as much as we could in the morning and finally set off at about 8 am. It never really rained on us while we were hiking, but it was foggy and damp nearly all day. We kept our jackets on until about noon and then it was warm enough to hike in the mist without getting cold.
We passed by several overlooks but we were socked in until about 1 pm. We skipped going to one shelter that was a quarter mile off trail and had a snack trailside instead. The next shelter we hit at 1:30 just as the sun was coming out. It felt great to get the shoes off and let out feet dry out thoroughly.
I remember this shelter from hiking here in 2010. There was an old 1940’s CCC shelter with a fantastic water source and a porch swing. I stayed there then not knowing that 100 yards across the way was a brand new shelter that was built that very year.
This year the old trail was removed and the new trail to the new shelter was the one that was marked. The new shelter is fantastic and we had lunch and refilled our water. The water source is still fantastic but the swing is gone. The porch and roof remain for it but no swing.
We went a few miles further to Dahlgren backpackers campground which has hot showers and tent sites for free. Even though we are only two days in, a hot shower always feels good. A local lady came by passing out fudge and whoopie pies so that was a treat.
We are now nestled in our hammocks as the rain is starting to come down. It is supposed to be a pretty bad storm so the tarp sides are pulled down low to try to protect us. I have never had really bad weather in my hammock and this is the first trip with her hammock so I hope we survive the weather unscathed.
We are both a little beat up already, and its only day two.
Karen has a few hotspots on her toes and a general soreness all over which is to be expected. My back is pretty sore and my hip flexors are a little stiff. My feet are doing well, however. We are not sure how far we will go tomorrow as it will depend a lot on how we survive the weather tonight.
May 3, 2016 at 8:12 am
I’m almost feeling guilty about getting into my warm bed. Great write up! I’m looking forward to reading every single one. Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy each other.
May 3, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Doesn’t sound like an easy start for you guys but glad to hear you are settled for the night. The posts are great and Tom and I look forward to them already for our daily dose of awe. Dealing with the rain can’t be easy – but versus a cramped little cube … Well, at least the rain won’t last for years on end.