Wessler Shelter
I woke at 6am in the dark. I had set things up pretty well last night so I could do most of my packing without a flashlight and thus avoid disturbing the others in the shelter. In all it took about 10 minutes feeling around and then out to the bear hang to get my food and toiletries.
It was rather odd hiking in the dark. I was a little tippy I suspect because I couldn't see any sort of horizon. My headlight cast a single cone of light that I had focused on the ground 10 feet ahead. I had to be sure to look up every so often to catch blazes an look for the side trail I was going to take. I came across a couple trails and spent a few minutes exploring each looking for blue blazes that would indicate the trail I was looking for. After about 45 minutes I came to clearing that looked like a ski slope that went straight to the top of the mountain. It was a steep climb but only took about 5 minutes to gain 100-200' to a point where I could see in every direction.
Unfortunately the clouds thaw ted my plans of watching the sunrise and hid the sun. I took care of some toe blisters instead and headed out early.
For some reason this was one of my longest distance-wise and lowest energy days. I think because I didn't eat dinner last night I was just zonked. Somehow through will alone I just walked. I walked but not quickly. In the end that worked though. I caught up with McGyver and Bowser who I had been hiking with most of the week but had skipped Franklin and had shot ahead.
Along the way there were many things to see and keep me distracted from my low energy. On of my favorite ground covers, heather, was abundant for a disappointingly short distance but it was there none the less. I noted a lot of sections with middle aged trees and grass ground cover. I think this was purposely made through burns as there was very little woody brush. It provided many spots that looked inviting for breaks and camping. Later I came across just such a fresh burn. I was told it was burned last week by the forest service. It was maybe 2-3 miles and was very erie. The smell of smoke was still in the air. It smelled like clothes do after sitting near a campfire, a sticky and thick sent. I swear I felt a sense of heat and poked around looking for embers but there were none. The burn was very shallow often leaving a layer of unburnt leaves just below a thin layer of leave ash.
Shorty I came to a gap where someone, it turned out to a man named Apple, had set up what has been descibed as the spaceship.It was one of those 75lbs tents that houses 16 easy. Usually they are used as base campus in high mountains like Everest. Apple had set up a kitchens with all you could eat/drink hot dogs, fridge with cold drinks, and cookies. Inside I found McGyver and Bowser who I had been chasing down all day. We relaxed there in lawn chairs and had great conversation. Apple said that I wasn't the first to notice that sense of heat in the woods above. We lingered until the need to make miles kicked in.
Stupidly I dropped my trail data book at the Spaceship so I will have to bum information off of others as to where shelters are until I can get a new one.
After that we again entered the Rhododendron where it surrounded the trail on three sides forming tunnels. Every so often rocky outcrops provided views of the vallys below and of great horizons interrupted only by neighboring peaks.
Bowser was eager to get a Bed so he pushed on into rapidly approaching night to cover the last 3.5 miles.
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