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Just a general comment before I get started on the days activities. Our web page is setup so those of you who take the time to read of our adventure can make comments. To date there have been some made, however most have been made by our extended family. I encourage everyone who reads to comment. Matt sends us those comments weekly. It is like letters from home! We are for all intents and purposes cut off from the rest of the world out here. We don't get any news when not in town and about the biggest thing we ask about when meeting a person is weather coming at us. If there is something you want to ask about or a suggestion on how to do each blog better, let me know. It makes our day to see how many people are tracking us. Matt said the updates are getting about 45 hits. It would be nice to get 5 or 10 non-family comments. Thanks for reading this far.
OD's Comments: Well we did get out of town today, a bit later than I had wanted to, but we made it. Started walking at 12:30PM in Rockfish Gap. Temp was in the high 60's with a light breeze. Our attempt to lighten our packs has worked to a point. When we re-supply, we add food and the pack gets heavy again, but overall they have lost weight. We had five miles to the first shelter where we planned to get water then did four more miles to a tent spot. CC did fairly good in the heat, but after our stop and filling our water bags, I think she needs to drink more during the day. My boot/foot problems have worked themselves out with no issues on today's walk.
Rockfish Gap sits at about 1,900' and the trail undulates between 1,600' and 1,950' for the five miles to the Paul C. Wolf Shelter on Mill Creek. We did the five miles in three hours - good for us with full packs. When we showed up at the shelter, thunder was rolling south of us and clouds were starting to form. Shelter workers were doing improvements to the structure as CC headed for a foot soak in the wonderful creek below the shelter. While she soaked I filled the water bladders. The thunder crept closer and the wind grew stronger. As CC and I discussed our plan of action, the workers came down to the creek heading home. We asked their advice for a place to stay south, they said the storm was coming fast. The best option would be to stay here at the shelter, stay dry and get a real early start tomorrow and do the 16 miles to the next shelter. We took that option. Great choice! No sooner than we got our packs in the shelter the sky opened up. Wind blasted down the gully, rain came down in buckets, and lightning hit the trees on the ridges all around us. We did the right thing by stopping.
We have a nice crowd here now. One older couple doing day hikes, a mother and son doing section hiking, and two young men doing a northbound thru hike.
Patrick, Deborah Mooney aka OD & CC
All Who Wander Are Not Lost
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Tot: 0.344s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 9; qc: 51; dbt: 0.2335s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Tanya Byers
non-member comment
Love And Miss You Both
Just a quick hello to you both. Love and miss you. Looks like thos pics will be lifelong memories stuck in your head. Love the pics, I couldnt even of imagined that but seeing what you are doing and where you are walking is awesome. So proud of both of you for doing this. It has been a life long dream for Deb. Pat your the best for living this out with her. Weather has been super warm here about mid to upper 70's and sunny. It was nice to see you when you came home for break. Take care and God Bless. Prayers for both as I think of you. Love Tanya