Day 28 on the Trail

Dave's day was filled with interesting people!

As of 7/11/11:
Miles today - 8.8
Miles to date - 340.2

After a hearty breakfast of pancakes cooked by the Upper Goose Pond Cabin caretaker, Dave and Cloud Walker headed for the October Mountain Shelter.  In about 5 miles, they came across a guy sitting by the side of the trail.  His gear included a 4-man Coleman tent, an 18-inch charcoal grill on a stand, 8-10 pounds of charcoal, a fat heavy sleeping bag and a heavy tarp.  Whew - Dave figures his pack had to weigh at least 60 pounds!

He must have looked something like this.

The guy asked how he could find the October Mountain Shelter.  Dave told him to follow the white blazes, and he should get to it in about 3 miles.  The hiker said he's been doing that but keeps coming back to the same spot.  He was taking a rest; he'd try again soon.  Dave never asked him his name, so I'm going to call him Packer.  Dave and Cloud Walker kept walking and saw the point where Packer must have veered off the trail to go around a pond - and around and around.  Dave and CW got to the October Mountain Shelter in the early afternoon and 6 HOURS LATER Packer, doubled over with his belongings, walked into the campsite.  He asked Dave where he could pitch his tent, and Dave suggested an area close by.  He got the big tent all set up, and his charcoal grill, then went to get water.  (Dave noticed Packer's back was scratched up, probably from the heavy load.)  When he came back with his water, Packer said, "There's a better place over there."  He took down his tent, lugged it to the new site and set everything up again.  I asked Dave if he talked to him and he said no, he doesn't seem to want to join in with the group.  Other people at the shelter tonight include Country Gold, Saber Tooth and Bennie.

Dave came across Country Gold at the cabin last night, and as Country was talking about his background - recovering alcoholic, mother died recently, lost his front teeth - Dave realized he had met him last year.  Then they were trading stories about other hikers they knew last year and where they left or finished the trail. Dave can't tell how old Country Gold is - he could be 40 or 60.  He acts young but looks old.

Dave wears a do-rag under his hat to help keep his head warm on colder days. It's lightweight, easily packable, black and looks awful on him, but he doesn't care.  It does the job.

The weather got chilly last night, so Dave had it on last night and when he started his hike this morning.  When the day warmed up, he took it off and put it in his pocket.  Well, when Country Gold came walking into camp tonight, he was wearing a black do-rag!  Dave started checking around for his - it wasn't in his pocket nor in his pack.  He must have lost it.  Later, Country Gold said he found it along the trail.  Dave didn't say anything; he decided it looked better on a weathered guy with no front teeth than it did on him.  I hope he took a picture!

Actually, this was the second time this trip he's lost his do-rag.  The first time, Sherpa (the hiker with the fish in his Platypus) found it and gave it back to him. Dave said he figured he wasn't meant to keep that do-rag.  Thank goodness.