Day 17
03.10.08
Wayah Shelter – Rufus Morgan
I was woken up early this morning, because the section hiker was a very early riser and was fussing with all of his gear in the shelter, making a lot of noise. Now not to get on a soap box, but if you are an early riser and sharing a shelter with 5 other people, have a little common courtesy and pack your gear outside the shelter.
So now the day starts off a little bitter due to the early morning disturbance. The 2 miles to the trail angel pass quickly. Now for those who don’t know a trail angel is – it is someone who goes out of their way to bestow kind acts for hikers.
Apple’s (trail angel) set up was sweet. He had a exploration base camp set up in the middle of the woods with a pot belly stove in the middle of it. He welcomed me in where I met back up with Chili, Twiggy, and Hunter. Apple was brewing a fresh pot of coffee and passing around chocolate chip cookies, it was heaven. A few minutes pass and Toad rejoins the group. We take in all of Apple’s hospitality.
As I look around the tent I notice a small banner hanging with last years ‘ signatures on it, and low and behold Zero signed it for 2 days last year. I quickly start telling Apple my encounters with Zero. We trade stories back and forth and it was great to share those experiences with Apple.
After sitting in “wilderness luxury” for about 30 minutes I realize we were hiking 15 miles today and had to get a move on. I thank Apple for all his kindness, and I was back down the trail. We all stop for a lunch break at a little over look where we all assess each other’s troubles. Toad has a few blisters that are pretty much under control.
Chili has all sorts of blisters, but the worst was a gapping hole on the back of his heel, that looks nasty. This wound has me worried because he says that he feels no pain from it. Tim shows up and says his ankles have been bothering him for the past few days. I’m actually doing pretty well, if it weren’t for the kidney stone.
I eat my lunch and take my vitamin cocktail and head down the trail. The day goes by pretty quickly with nice weather and a great view from a fire tower. Now it’s approaching 5:30 and I check my guide and I’m thinking I’m close to the shelter. I hike about 20 minutes more, then I start calling for the shelter out loud. I keep yelling, “Rufus where are you? Here Rufus.” I’m starting to lose it a little – as well as this also keeps me laughing and moving.
I have the notion if I keep calling the shelter it will run up to me like a dog. I finally make it. I look up a small hill and see people at the shelter, now I can’t make out how many people are there, but by the looks of the hill to climb to actually find out persuaded me that it was full. I set my tent up and get some water from the stream right next to our camp.
Slowly the rest of the crew filed in one by one. I now have the energy to hike up the hill to see who was up at the shelter. A group of about 7 or so. My guess was right – the shelter was full.
Toad has now joined me and we go through the introduction process. As we leave to go back and make dinner the group invites us back up for a camp fire later. When I get down I explain to Chili it looks to be a family with 3 brothers and 2 daughters. Toad chimes in that one of the girls looks about 14, and also this was obviously a christian family out for a weekend.
Toad then proceeds to ask if there was a privy at this site, and we inform her no. She then asks what would be the best place to go since we are so close to a water source. Chili and I both tell her to hike about 200 feet from the water and she should be fine. She makes a comment that 1 turd shouldn’t hurt. Me and Chili both are like all it takes is one turd to ruin a water source.
She quickly defends herself by saying that she didn’t mean a turd in the stream, but just a turd in her cat hole (what we call the hole we dig to dispose of our feces). Chili goes on for several minutes teasing her about the mix up, and we slowly realize this will be a running joke for days to come.
After dinner we join the “christian family” for the campfire. We are now all up there and go through the intro process once again. We share some light conversation before I start to investigate if Toads stereo-type is true. Come to find out they are all UNC students out on spring break (Strike 1). Then we found out they weren’t even related (strike 2.) We walk away from the campfire and Chili and I start teasing Toad on how she was so off on her judgment of the group. We now also realize that this to will be a running joke as well.
