Wednesday – 26 June

Destination: Kay Wood Shelter (1573.3)
Start Location: October Mountain Shelter (1564.5)
Today’s Miles: 8.8
Trip Miles: 63.8

Bob and I took our time this morning since we had a short day over the easiest terrain yet. We saw a big doe soon after starting at 7:30.

Our final can’t miss in our replanned home is the Cookie Lady. A woman who greets hikers with cookies and tea. Michael, the Cookie Lady’s husband, greeted us with cold hibiscus tea and chocolate chip cookies. We never did meet With James and another hiker were on the porch. It seemed like a dozen people came out of the house doing chores on the berry farm.

Animal sightings/hearings today were bear tracks in the mud and owls calling back and forth to each other.

Puget and Sassafras came into the shelter and made dinner. They had photos of a baby porcupine in a tree. They are an older couple tenting. Bob and I decided to stay in the shelter because of the forecast for a late thunderstorm. Drover is staying in the shelter penthouse, the shelter has three levels. McGuyver and Sweaty Betty, a couple from Pittsburgh are tenting also. Tennessee is also tenting. We had quite the interesting dinner conversations about topics only hikers could have.

A young couple just came in after eight looking for a tent site. Plan is to take our time and have breakfast in town which is only about four miles. Bob and I meet an old friend from my Own go IBM days at noon for the end of our hike.