5/7/06 Sunday: Thomas Knob Shelter to Troutdale Baptist Church Hiker Hostel...21.2mi

Got up to chilly, foggy, drizzly weather and decided I best get going before it gets worst...lol... Im out by 0800, with visibility of about 50ft, I head North... Not many pics today due to the weather. I make it 5 miles to the Wise Shelter before it starts pouring... A cold front has definately moved in resulting in 40 degree temps. I take a short break and find it too cold to stand around, so after an energy bar I head out for the next shelter... another 6 miles hoping that the rain will abade... Well I get to the next shelter, Old Orchard Shelter, at about 1300 to find it inhabited by 5 hikers in their sleeping bags... LOL... Fair weather hikers apparently...lol... I ring out my socks, these Goretex boots are so great!, and put the cold damp socks back on... dont want to use my only dry pair until bed time tonight... After chatting with the group a bit and eating another energy bar, I'm off to the next shelter, Hurricane Mtn Shelter(Aptly named). The rain did stop about 1400 but the 40 degree temps unfortunately were here for a bit... I arrive to the Hurricane Mtn Shelter at about 1530 to find a brisk wind blowing along with the 40 degree temps... I meet another hiker there, an ATC staff member on duty patrolling the trails, his name eludes me, and we have dinner together. I read the trail journal to find most of the hikers are drenched and cold and have sought out the hostel in Troutdale... Not a bad idea but one that will require hitchhiking... After chatting with the "Ridgerunner" a little more I find that he is off duty in about 1.5 hours and would be willing to give me a ride to the hostel... I just have get 6 miles in 1.5 hours.. He would meet me at VA 16 and take me to the hostel... No problem I said and I quickly packed and started on my 6 mile jog... lol... Needless to say I made it one time with him waiting for me and I had a very comfortable nights stay with 9 other weary hikers...
PICTURES:
1. Couple of section hikers out for the week end having breakfast as I was leaving
2. Kinda foggy but not raining...yet...
3. Caught a glimps of a pony and her fold grazing on the mountain
4. Had dinner with this ATC Ridgerunner at the Hurricane Mtn shelter...he later drove me to Troutdale Baptist Church Hostel...
5. Nice waterfall on the way to my ride...
6. Pic of a pizza party at the hostel...Quite a long ordeal to get the pizza which was 19mi away and no car... Thanks to "firefly" and "barely legal" and 3 hours later we all had pizza... The Ridgerunner drove them there... They had to hitch back...LOL...