I got on trail today about 7:15 and it was already raining. The forecast calls for at least the next two days of rain. Thankfully the temperatures should stay in a comfortable range, day and night.
During the morning I came across a sign for a trail crew working ahead. There was no one working this weekend, probably because of the weather. But their work area was in progress. They were putting in some terraced steps in an eroded part of the trail.
Then, in the afternoon I saw a sign for “Shelton Graves” and decided to take the side trail over to see what was there.
My maternal grandmother told me years ago that we were related to some Sheltons in North Carolina. I only saw two Shelton gravestones. They weren’t dated but looked like perhaps World War I era.
And It was raining so it was hard to see or hear things moving around. So I surprised a big tom turkey up there. I usually only see the females when they fly away from me, having seen me first.
I climbed the unusually named “Big Butt Mountain.” It wasn’t nearly as interesting as its name, especially in the rain.
Then, on the other side of the mountain was Jerry’s Cabin Shelter. It was still raining so I just stopped in to check my phone out of the rain. It was 3pm and the shelter was full of northbound hikers with a fire going and a guitarist playing away.
I continued on from there and the rain stopped for the rest of the afternoon. I arrived my goal for the afternoon: a tentsite with water source in a nice wind-protected spot. Three more hikers eventually showed up at this spot and set up as well. But it was late and I was already settled down so I didn’t get a chance to say hi.